Suan Zao Shu

Infusions

1. First impression is super smooth. Very creamy in the realm of soy milk, oat milk, and white chocolate. Very nicely complemented by nuttiness, florals, and more citrusy fruits. That young sheng bite is present but very relaxed and well-integrated into the whole. It's not overpowering the flavors but rather more of an interesting support leading to a subtle huigan. The finish is a bit chocolatey and peppery.
2. Much more savory with a creamy backdrop and a much more pronounced huigan. The sheng is rearing its young head a bit here but it's not overpowering. Top of the mouth slight bitterness and astringency leading to the top of the tongue and then full mouth coverage before dissipating into a sweetness. A touch of sour follows that astringency to combine with the drying pucker and then kind of brings the juiciness back. Got hooked into a conversation and the gong dao bei cooled down revealing a nice pleasant clove and holy basil aroma in the cooled down liquor with an aftertaste of cinnamon.
3. A punchy tang upfront. Bittersweet cream in the middle. Apricot on the finish. Cha qi is bolstering through with a real heady and social feel. Very energizing.
4. Back to a creamy front similar to the first infusion. The sensation on the tongue is sour and iron-like but the taste is super creamy. A bit more vegetal like deep, old-growth plants. More noticeable on that holy basil note towards the middle and finish with some added sweetness.
5. More of a floral vegetable-mushroom broth, like subdued tonkatsu ramen but really sweet and tea-like if that makes sense? There's a vegetal bitterness, floral, cream, and umami combo. Pretty heavy huigan here that dissolves into this floral transformation. Goes real good with Ecdysis by Flume. Much dryer on the finish with a legumey kind of herbal linger.
6. Pronounced apricot and citrus sweetness after the impact. Less creamy than the beginning but still supported by a cream-like aroma with solid mouthfeel.
7. Mountain air/morning after a warm rain. Milk and bitters.
8. Hollowing out a bit, still quite zesty and pleasant with fruity spices lingering around.