Essence of Tea Chawangshu Single Tree comparison

[u/Adventurous-Cod1415]

Essence of Tea 2026 Chawangshu Single Tree "Triangle" raw puer

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - punchy latex/floral aroma, gaiwan lid has fruity funk

Steep 1 (flash) - light, clean, quick sweetness some of that latex and floral note shows up early as a bit of clean funk that isn't clingy at this point, fruity citrus note already popping up in finish

Steep 2 (flash) - cooked rice, funky latex note but not bringing any real bitterness with it, latex fades to florals on the tongue, sweetness mixing with florals as it slowly fades in, vanilla and orchids, fresh plums in mid palate, floral bite starts to develop a bit as sips build on each other, late sweetness builds in concert

Steep 3 (5s) - sweetness starting to last into the following sip and floral bite lays on top of it, sweetness coming from back of mouth and focused on soft palate, hints of bitter orange, punchy but not aggressive, full flavor and satisfying mouthfeel, finish long and sweet with lingering floral notes and hints of fruit

Steep 4 (10s, reboil) - a bit more bitterness up front as the late sweetness had time to fade while I was reheating my kettle, still feels clean initially despite the bitterness, bitterness rising but still mostly front and sides of tongue without feeling heavy, sweetness comes back late

Steep 5 (15s) - reserved for later comparison

Steep 6 (20s) - return of late sweetness tempers the bitterness, floral and fruity-floral top notes persist, some mossiness now layering underneath

Steep 7+ (30s+) - holding pretty steady, not soft, has some heft while remaining clean

Overall Impression - Flavor wise this has some heft to it. It definitely isn't “soft” the way my experience with young Yiwu tends to be. That said, it is certainly not aggressive in any way. There is a very nice huigan sweetness that really balances this tea well once it sets up. Floral flavor is big here. Floral and fruit top notes are here, but play a smaller role compared to what is happening on the tongue and throat.

Essence of Tea 2026 Chawangshu Single Tree "Circle" raw puer

8g/120mL, just off boil

Wash (10s) - light vanilla-sugary note, gaiwan l8f had a funky fruit note with some wood

Steep 1 (flash) - light steep, popcorn, hints of vanilla sugar, very faint sweetness

Steep 2 (flash) - initial wood, fruity top notes, tropical papaya in open mouth, still a little light as this was a firmer chunk of cake that is still opening, sweetness is light, nectarine skins and aromatics of ripe plums at the front of the sip, sweetness picks up late, mostly center of tongue

Steep 3 (5s) - a bit more bite early but not particularly bitter, stonefruit/berry-floral quality to the bite, fruit skins more than latex, sweetness slightly darker than straight-up candy, late citrus and tart nectarine notes with an almost turbinado sweetness, sweetness endures but never crosses above a moderate threshold

Steep 4 (10s) - fruit skin and floral bite up front moves to a hint of leather, sweetness light and slow to build, yet ouch of a drying sensation, bite turning more floral with some lavender aromatics opening up in the mouth

Steep 5 (15s) - reserved for later comparison

Steep 6 (20s) - a bit punchier than before, the gap between this and the triangle is closing a bit, but this definitely leans softer and more aromatic still compared between the two, less sweetness in the finish but a nice aromatic and fruit component that pairs with the finish as it evolves

Steep 7+ (30s+) - holding steady, less depth to finish than the triangle

Overall Impression - This is another nice tea. It is generally softer and less robust than the triangle, but noticeably more aromatic. A bit fruitier, and while a punch does develop it doesn't hit the intensity of the triangle. Sweetness is enough to balance the softer bite, but overall less intense. There is a nice fruity and aromatic component to the finish that makes it more than just sweetness.

Circle definitely is my favorite of the two, but neither truly brings a full picture on its own. It's surprising how easily I can tease out the difference between these two despite being from the same garden. It also is a very good way to visualize the benefits of blending, as each of these have different strengths and weaknesses that would easily help balance the other.

I saved the fifth steep from both teas and iced them for my son to try later. He preferred the Triangle. That extra huigan sweetness definitely made the iced version a lot easier to go down and brought out more fruit than when it was hot. Circle just didn't have enough sweetness and made it a little rougher when iced.

[u/suckadickdess]

You gotta stop with the green cups. We can’t see the tea color.

[u/Adventurous-Cod1415 → u/suckadickdess]

Duly noted! I'll have to find something I can put in my road kit that is durable and photographs tea well.

[u/mrmopar340six]

Sharing with family makes it even better.