My first aged Formosa dark oolong
 

This niche of tea has been on my 'buy it when you see it' list for
years. It finally became available at a fair price. It came in a
commercial nitrogen pack. Here is the vendor description "After
primary fermentation this tea is aged for four years. Then it goes
through a secondary fermentation which is followed by an over 80 hour
curing in small batches to seal in flavor and end fermentation." The
dry leaf is dark with lightly twisted curled leaf which is extremely
hard. You can hear the leaf clink the pot. The wet leaf is absolutely
black like cooked puer which still stays twisted after multiple
infusions. This is the first tea that contradicts my religious Western
commandment "The first pot is always the best". I think the vendor
taste description got it right "This tea has a complex, smoky, amber
character which is followed by a sweet lingering brandy finish." The
first pot is smoky and the rest more like brandy. This will become one
of my trophy teas just to say I have it. I'll pull it out for special
occasions or when I'm bored. I have elevated a recent Yunnan dark
green bud called Mo Zhen from trophy to prized. It is something I
drink once a week to remind me of who I am.

Jim