’13 FT Shuangxi Iron, XG

Xiaguan must have had romance on their minds in 2013 because they offered at least two other productions with this theme.  The ’13 FT Shuangxi Iron is now 10yrs old and been stored in Los Angeles since April ’21.

Aroma is very typically XG with the smoke carrying over about half into the broth, which is otherwise extremely sweet an plummy.  Initial infusions are fiercely heady and it lands in the stomach with moderate harshness.  The mouthfeel is thick and smooth.  The sugary dark plum coats the mouth, with an increasingly bitter influence as it cools.  That bitter could fairly be construed as ash, but ash tends to come with overly dry productions.  The FT Shuangxi is anything but dry, also with nice oily textures for added complexity.  Huigan is plummy, oily, and sweet.  It continues to work in the mouth making it water.

The sweetness and blossoming fruit character indicate that it’s ready for drinking now.  The smoke does not overpower or in anyway detract from what one looks for in an XG production of this sort.  Perhaps more time will take some transform some of the gut-busting, which could otherwise be offset with food.  It’s not egregious in this regard.  Being a state-run (half state run) operation, XG can offer treasures at well below where their reputation and quality could otherwise command.  357g.

.15¢