2023 Xiaguan Gang Rou Pu Erh Tea: Tasting & Review

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We received an 8-gram mini cake sample of Gang Rou raw pu erh tea from the Xiaguan tea factory, while the standard cake weighs 357 grams. Below some pictures of the sample:
And below pictures of the large cake:
The mini cake is beautifully round and tightly compressed. It takes some time to loosen up, requiring a 30-second rinse. The tea produces a lovely orange-golden liquor. For a Xiaguan tea, which is typically quite astringent and smoky, this one is surprisingly subtle. You can definitely detect the signature Xiaguan flavor, and it remains stronger than the average young raw pu erh tea. However, it lacks the smokiness we often expect and appreciate from Xiaguan offerings.
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The flavor profile features notes of honey and hay. While it is well-balanced with a pleasant, subtle thickness, we didn’t find anything particularly remarkable about it. Additionally, it appears to have poor endurance, with the flavor starting to fade after the fifth steep in a gaiwan.
The wet leaves are quite delicate and visually appealing, surpassing the appearance of Xiaguan tuochas and even most Xiaguan tea cakes. That said, we still hold the classic Xiaguan flavor in high regard, and we believe fellow fans will share this sentiment. Given the steep price, we find that our Teasenz raw pu erh tea cakes offer a better value. We recommend our Lu Shui Tang tea cake, which comes closest in flavor to this Xiaguan cake while being crafted from higher quality tea materials and offered at a more competitive price.
As a result, we decided not to stock this pu erh tea in our store.