1980s Pilgrimage

In a Sentence

Integrated, soothing, quiet

Wet Leaf Aroma

slight musty with a kind of medicinal chinese dried fruit note

Tasting Notes

First steep opens sweet and medicinal, very smooth and mellow. Light musty note up front. There is a “medicinal Chinese herb” aroma (which is hard to put in words for me), faint metallic note (pencil shavings) with subtle woody/camphor in the background, creating sublte complexities in a otherwise very soft and well integrated liquor. All of is is carried by a sweetness, which support the mellow appearance of this tea. Good, rich mouthfeel; oily and smooth texture. Gentle cooling sensation in the throat. Flavor and sensation linger well in both throat and palate. Slightly mouthwatering finish.

What it feels like

Warming, steady, grounding on many levels

Quick

Sheng ★★★★★ Global Tea Hut FAV

Details

Entry Date

04.01.2026

Country

China

Price EUR/50g

Link

globalteahut.org

Properties

Qi (1-5) i The tea’s felt effect on body and mind.

soft but very centering power, calming

Journal

2026-01-04

This tea is a quiet companion.

However much one writes about taste, body feel, energy, or mouthfeel, none of it can fully capture the essence of well-stored, refined old teas.

For me, it feels like a sort of communion - a coming together with an old friend, like an exchange, which is hard to put in words.

I do not drink those old teas that often, but each time it opens up a nice space, leaving a calm, state of body and mind.

Being a vintage loose leaf tea (age hard to date exactlty), its various characteristics are well integrated, creating satisfying fullness, with a interesting complexity in subtle layers - while still being very round and soft (maybe to soft for some looking for more ‘bite’).

2025-12-21

A cup that is clearly not about taste or any other parameters makes for a great Sunday morning far away from home.