Old Bush Almond Aroma

About the tea

OG-15 is an old-bush Xing Ren Xiang Dancong from a small high-mountain garden in Lizi Ping. It is the older and rarer counterpart to OG-2. The two share a cultivar, place of origin, and production method, but OG-15 develops the familiar almond theme with greater depth: its aroma has more volume, the liquor is denser, and the finish is longer and more layered. This tea rewards attentive brewing and comparison, especially when the structure of old-bush material matters as much as Xing Ren Xiang’s recognizable fragrance.

Origin and production

The material was picked in early April 2026 at approximately 1,100–1,200 metres. The bushes are around 100 years old. The garden is small, and its entire harvest amounts to only several dozen kilograms. Plucking, sorting, processing, and the final roast are all performed by hand. Charcoal made from fruit-tree wood provides the heat. Slow work with a small batch preserves the natural almond fragrance and builds depth without imposing a coarse roasted taste.

Place of origin

Lizi Ping is a high-mountain village on Wudong in the Phoenix tea region of Chaozhou. Small gardens and limited production keep many local batches far outside mass-market scale. OG-15 comes from the same locality as OG-1, OG-2, and OG-8; its own garden is small. Older bushes, scarce material, and manual craftsmanship create its particularly deep and rare character.

Taste and aroma

The dry leaf smells of almond kernel, warm nuts, dried flowers, and sweet wood. In a heated gaiwan, the fragrance grows fuller: bittersweet almond is joined by honey, ripe stone fruit, and a quiet mineral nuance. The clear liquor is deep gold with a warm orange cast.

In the cup, almond and nuts are not merely a top note but run through the entire infusion. The texture is dense, rounded, and almost creamy. Honeyed sweetness, flowers, and ripe fruit are supported by woody depth and gentle minerality. Fine almond-like bitterness quickly turns into a strong hui gan, a distinct return of sweetness, while astringency remains a soft structural frame rather than becoming drying. In later rounds, the nutty warmth recedes, but sweetness, floral fragrance, and the impression of almond kernel persist in the mouth and throat.

Brewing

Gongfu. Use 5–8 g per 100 ml in a porcelain gaiwan or small teapot, with water at 90–100 °C. Rinsing is optional. Begin with 5–8 seconds and extend gradually. Faster infusions reveal the clarity of almond and flowers; longer rounds emphasize body, honey, woody undertones, and old-bush depth. Expect approximately 8–10 full infusions.

Simple steeping. Use 3 g per 250 ml at 90–95 °C. Steep for 2.5–3 minutes and decant completely. Extend the second brew to about 4 minutes. Avoid oversteeping the first cup, as excessive concentration may obscure finer floral and mineral details.

Session impression

OG-15 deserves an unhurried session, with attention paid to its texture and the transition from almond-and-nut warmth to honeyed sweetness, flowers, and mineral coolness. Compared with OG-2, it is less linear: the central fragrance remains clear but is woven into a deeper and denser flavour. Its persistence and integration are what make this version especially compelling.

Storage

Keep the tea tightly closed in a dry, dark place without ambient odours. A stable room temperature is preferable to refrigeration. Because the lot is small, consider keeping a working quantity separately so the main package is opened less often and retains its aroma for longer.