GuMingXiang BanPen 2010

Dry leaves: dark chocolate, distant sandalwood.
Wet leaves: herbal, smoke, leather, hint of red fruits.
Gaiwan lid spreads a bit of smoke and sandalwood. Along the session those sandalwood aromas are very appealing.

1st cup: same taste as 15 years ago: Banzhang-ish and wild-ish: herbal, sandalwood, sunflower, fruity, and aftertaste having leather and a herbal component.

2nd cup: it’s woodier and juicier. Bitterness is low. Retronasal little goodness after some minutes.

3rd cup: it is clearly mellower than when young, but the flavors are similar. Soup is orangey.

It’s quite strong, there is a hint of wildness, I’m not crazy about it, but it’s delivering nice aftertaste and retro olfactive goodies.
Aftertaste lasts long: aromatic herbal sweetness and some quiet bitterness.

After 4-6 cups: a bit more bitter, slightly astringent too; some smoke arrives around cup 6.

Cup 7: becoming LME-ish with honey finish. Starts fading.

Very obvious relaxing Qi.

Well it’s not super tasty in mouth to me, I’m not a big fan, though it has strength and efficient aftertaste and Qi. Lacks elegance (blend?), except in the gaiwan lid.