2003 Yi Chang Hao Gedeng

In a Sentence

Savory complex, burnt, medicinal

Wet Leaf Aroma

Leather, resin, forest honey, medicinal - resembling smoke or burnt rubber - overall quite complex (and unusual to me)

Tasting Notes

Velvety mouthfeel with gentle bitterness and a soft, oily thickness. Starts with a taste explosion of notes of burnt rubber and resin, which lend a rustic, workshop-like character—reminiscent of a mechanic’s garage, engine oil, or even something medicinal. A nice wild honey like sweetness adds roundness and depth, giving the tea a thick body with a mouthwatering effect. Later steeps introduce subtle hints of dried fruit, light zest, and a mild tanginess on the back of the tongue, adding complexity and a refreshing edge. Overall strong leathery, medicinal taste with a savory thick body and a lovely touch of low bitterness.

What it feels like

Rustic, old school, grounding, with a calming maturity.

Quick

Sheng ★★★★ Nannuoshan

Details

Entry Date

22.04.2025

Country

China

Region

Mengla, Gedeng

Tea Master

Chang Tai Tea House

Price EUR/50g

Link

nannuoshan.org

Properties

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

3.5 Feels mature, not in a single spot but expanding the body.

Astringency

Bitter

Aroma

Thickness

Sweet

Complex

4.5

Qi: Comfortable i The tea’s felt effect on body and mind.

Journal

2026-01-07

Brewing this tea again, I’m struck by its complexity. A mix of medicinal, rubbery notes with a deep, wild honey sweetness. The sweetness lingers nicely and gives everything a sense of cohesion - thick, round, almost sticky. This is what I enjoy about middle-aged teas: complexity paired with a growing softness.

There’s still some kind of tart/fresh edge here - something minty, eucalyptus-like — and a slightly burnt, wrapper-like note in the throat. The bitterness is barely there; more of a faint bite than real bitterness, easily mistaken for astringency, though there’s very little of that. The mouthfeel is gently thick and mouth-watering, not extreme, but satisfying.

What I like most is how the tea unfolds: bright, rubbery and minty notes in the nose, then a cooling freshness on the sip, followed by a broad wave of medicinal, almost tobacco-like depth. The honey sweetness comes forward right after, and the aftertaste carries remnants of all of it for quite a while.

After a few cups, the energy is clearly there — invigorating, a bit factory-like it seems, but balanced.

A nicely complex middle aged tea with a touch of rustic bite.