The hen lives in time, and the yolk remembers the season. To treat all layings as equal is the same barbarism as ignoring wine harvests. Below — the vintage calendar and the ratings of recent years.
March — May
A ringing white of high minerality, with a pronounced chalky trace.
A light, grassy yolk the color of morning light.
Egg Qi: pure Verticality. The best season for the Blanc Style.
Drink it young. Aging kills the spring nervousness — and with it, the point.
June — August
A relaxed white; the wateriness of the Outer Terrace runs higher than usual.
A bright yolk prone to pastiness: the hen drinks much and thinks little.
A scattered, midday Egg Qi. Suitable for a neophyte's first steps.
A season of compromises. Seek the morning batches and keep the Temperature Pause short.
September — November
A composed, resilient white: the Albumin Cloud outlined like a halo.
A grainy, deep yolk with notes of stubble and late grain.
An even, meditative Egg Qi. Batches of this season age with the most dignity.
The perfect candidate for the Archive Style: 21 days of aging reveal the cellar depth.
December — February
A dense, silent white with a closed minerality.
A heavy, brothy yolk of maximum umami concentration.
Egg Qi: deep Grounding. The season of the Bouillon Style and long finishes.
Do not rush a winter batch. It requires the full Temperature Pause and silence.
Rated in Domes, on the Guild's five-point scale.