1970s Liu An Sun Yishun Basket
A Happy New Year 2021 and my best wishes to all. I am appreciative to all who support this humble blog and those who have reached out to me personally. For those who have given me your trust through your acquisitions I take this opportunity to say thank you. It is my great pleasure and excitement to begin 2021 with this rare antique tea. As a tea lover first and foremost it is my hope that this offering will give more tea enthusiasts the chance to share in the experience and the passion that such great teas generate.
The quality of the 1970s Liu An Sun Yishun is one that I would place amongst the premium vintages. The tea is exceptionally clean in the presentation of both its aroma and taste. The brew is elegant, well balance, carrying mature and complex characteristics that captivate the senses and yet can leave the drinker struggling to decode its dark mysteries. The subtle layers and nuances are so well integrated from half a century of ageing that it becomes difficult to isolate and identify individual notes. That said to my ability I detect old woods, dark incense, vanillin, Guinness, black melon skin, flowing within a background of dark matliness accented by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The viscous brew is medium thick in texture, and offers a soft and pleasing mouthfeel. After a few cups I feel a pleasant warmth radiate from the pit of my stomach and the grounding release of tension and nervous energy. It is a restorative feeling that often makes me reminisce of the history of Liu An and its use as a medicinal tea in old times.
“… when I went to Hong Kong 20 years ago, Liu-an baskets could be found in Chinese medicine shops. They used Liu-an as one of the Chinese medicines. … The tea Qi of Liu-an was very deep which was good to body’s internal organs.”, excerpt from the article An Interactive Dialogue with Zhou Yu, Aged Liu-an Appreciation from The Art of Tea No.5. Zhou Yu is a well respected Teamaster and owner of Wisteria Tea House in Taiwan
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Opening of the 1970s Liu An Sun Yishun Basket
Opening of the 1970s Liu An Sun Yishun Basket
Close up
A grounding and restorative age brew
