1970s Maocha

At the time of writing, it is Xiaohu's eight-month birthday.  To celebrate, I ransack my shelves for a good tea, and return victorious, carrying this sample of 1970s maocha generously provided by Stephane, of Teamasters.

There is not much to be said concerning the provenance of this old tea, because tracing the roots of maocha is seldom fruitful.  No wrappers are on hand to guide our way, just the leaves.

These leaves are of good length, and have a noticeable shicang [wet store] aroma - perhaps unsurprising for a tea from the 1970s.  The years have been kind to this tea, and, unlike much old maocha, they retain a definite potency.  The decades have turned them into a rich shade of husky chocolate-brown.

Even though the sample is less than 5g in size, its potency results in a dark red brew, with a heavy flavour, if the infusions are kept long.  It has a particulate, granular texture that, when combined with its sweet-vanilla shicang, comforts and soothes.

I tend to keep my maocha out of the air, sometimes in whisky-tubes, or boxes.  They tend to run out of steam, otherwise.  This maocha has no such concern, and lasts a decent number of infusions, before fading into a gentle, orange-red background.

We toast Xiaohu's mini-birthday, and thank Stephane for a delightful session.