This tea is from a garden near the indigenous Atayal people's village Smangus, a remote village in Northern Taiwan known for virgin old growth forests and ancient cypress trees. The tea broth brews up a stunning jade that looks like it's backlit it's so bright in color (it is less oxidized than Divas of the past). I see this tea as a Diva because it reminds me of the great jazz singers of the 20th century. The aroma is harmonically rich and dense with big sweet tones - on the first infusion I'm getting pineapple and mango with sweet magnolia blossom in the top register - plus it has a thick, sultry broth that is unfailingly buttery. As the smelling cup cools down the floral element really opens up with gardenia and honeysuckle appearing. Initial taste is sweet like sugarcane and is followed by an aromatic aftertaste that blooms in the mouth and into the sinuses with the fruity-florality of honey, then trails off with a honeysuckle refrain. There's a romance to it; the tones are more saturated than our other light-footed and airy high mountain teas. In that sense it's probably the most flavorful of our lineup this year. If you're looking for a tea that can really belt it out, this is a good choice.
