Star of the Week: 2008 Nan Zhao Imperial Cake, Xia Guan

The ’08 Nan Zhao Imperial Cake (500g) is a trip to the medicine shop.  There are unmistakable aromas of camphor and menthol that transform into tastes of cantaloupe as it lingers in the mouth.  Storage with this cake has been mostly dry, though there is a hint of humidity that grounds the experience in an inobtrusive manner.  This treasure has a soupiness that is deeply satisfying throughout its numerous infusions.  Even as one progresses deeper into the bitterness hidden in the deeper infusions, the thickness remains.  Here was my method:

6g Nanzhao
120ml yixing teapot
10s Infusions
12 infusions yielded

One downside to this treasure was its murkiness.  It has similarities to the older Six Great Tea Mountain Lunar Series in terms of its musky fruit aftertaste, though the upfront medicinal notes are certifiably Mt Wuliang.