My roasted oolong progression stopped being random

[Okra]

Question or objective: repeatable progression for one gaiwan
Tea category: roasted oolong
Exact product: Copper Cliff 2025 Shui Xian
Vendor: Red Pine Tea
Origin: Wuyishan, Fujian
Cultivar, if known: Shui Xian
Harvest season/year: spring 2025
Processing or roast: medium roast
Cake/batch number, if relevant: cake/lot noted above where applicable; otherwise N/A
Purchase/opening date: purchased 2026-05-07; opened 2026-07-23
Storage since purchase: sealed original pouch inside a dark cupboard
Style: gongfu
Vessel: porcelain gaiwan
Vessel material: porcelain
Nominal and actual filled capacity: 100 ml nominal / 90 ml filled
Filter or strainer: lid gap
Kettle: basic variable-temperature kettle
Vessel preheated: yes
Dry leaf weight: 6.5 g
Water volume: 90 ml
Water temperature: 95°C
Water source or mineral profile: filtered tap water, 65 ppm
Rinse: 5-10 s where noted by the recipe; otherwise none
Infusion schedule: 8/10/15/22/35/55 s
Agitation: none
Was each infusion completely decanted?: yes
Aroma: roast, plum, mineral
Sweetness: medium
Bitterness: low
Astringency: medium
Body/texture: full
Flavour: plum, toast, mineral
Aftertaste: long mineral sweet
Number of satisfying infusions: 7
Exact problem: previous steep progression jumped around too much
Desired result: repeatable progression for one gaiwan
Variable changed: time progression
Previous value: 10/20/20/40/60
New value: 8/10/15/22/35/55
Result: more even change between cups
Dry-leaf photograph: not attached yet
Liquor photograph: available in the author’s notes; not embedded in this archive
Wet-leaf photograph: not attached yet
Video if pouring or drainage is relevant: not relevant

this is the first version of this recipe I have repeated enough times to stop calling it an accident. The useful change was time progression: 10/20/20/40/60 to 8/10/15/22/35/55. more even change between cups.

I am posting the taste result as well as the instructions because a recipe that only says what to do is half a recipe. If you try it, please say what changed in the cup rather than just whether you liked it.

[Lentil Asana]

Same tea/batch
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 8/10/15/22/35/55.
Applies to: Copper Cliff 2025 Shui Xian / roasted oolong in a setup close to porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: firsthand use of the same Copper Cliff 2025 Shui Xian in a closely matched setup.
Change: repeat the session with 8/10/15/22/35/55.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward repeatable progression for one gaiwan if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Okra]

Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Copper Cliff 2025 Shui Xian / roasted oolong in a setup close to porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil Asana]

Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: Copper Cliff 2025 Shui Xian / roasted oolong in a setup close to porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: more even change between cups.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Okra]

Comparable tea
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 8/10/15/22/35/55.
Applies to: Copper Cliff 2025 Shui Xian / roasted oolong in a setup close to porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: firsthand use of a comparable roasted oolong with similar parameters.
Change: repeat the session with 8/10/15/22/35/55.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward repeatable progression for one gaiwan if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Lentil Asana]

Inference
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: Copper Cliff 2025 Shui Xian / roasted oolong in a setup close to porcelain gaiwan.
Evidence: inference from the posted parameters, not a test of this exact tea.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.

[Author]

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