The aroma of the warmed leaves is powerful, dark, and woody: fruity bark, pine, old hay, and fermentation. Immediately noticeable is Yao Xiang — the characteristic “medicinal” scent found in high-quality aged shengs: eucalyptus, spices, tobacco.
The flavor unfolds dynamically with complex nuances in every subsequent infusion. The difference between old farmer shengs and factory shengs is immediately evident: the spectrum of flavors and their intensity are several times greater.
The first sip makes you realize your eyes have naturally closed in pleasure. The flavors gradually move from the tip of the tongue deeper and deeper, transitioning into an extraordinarily long and sweet aftertaste. Its endlessness and dynamism compel you to extend the pause between infusions to the maximum.
After just the first cup, inhaling the air, you feel a slight eucalyptus coolness in your mouth. Later, a powerful and pleasant moisture envelops the entire mouth.
All these qualities belong only to the highest-quality shengs, sought after by all true teaheads.