I'm looking to purchase one or two inexpensive sheng cakes for immediate drinking - not for storage. I'm not sure which vendor to go with. I'm also going to be purchasing a few odds & ends like a strainer holder but both vendors seem to offer them so that's not a big issue.
Which vendor would you choose (and which cakes, if you know) to drink a raw/sheng cake from right away?
both are really good vendors. Yunnan Sourcing is my usual choice simply for the larger selection. Although Pu-erh shop will have your order to you much sooner.
The latest tea's I've been drinking from YSLLC are the
2008 Xiaguan FT "For Taiwan #6 Cake
2008 Yun Zhou "Jing Mai meets Lin Cang
and it may be cheap as all hell, but I've really enjoyed the 2008 Yuan Nian "Blue Mark Iron Cake"
The latest tea's I've been drinking from YSLLC are the
2008 Xiaguan FT "For Taiwan #6 Cake
2008 Yun Zhou "Jing Mai meets Lin Cang
and it may be cheap as all hell, but I've really enjoyed the 2008 Yuan Nian "Blue Mark Iron Cake"
Jul 19th, '09, 16:48
Posts: 1633
Joined: Feb 15th, '08, 10:15
Location: Pennsylvania
for 1 or 2 cakes I would hit puerhshop, much quicker and cheaper. If you are buying 5+ cakes YSLLC is absolutely the way to go, with that quanity it is much cheaper and you get a great selection.
haven't had this cake yet, but its Dayi so it must be good. i recommend it.
http://www.puerhshop.com/index.php?main ... cts_id=788
haven't had this cake yet, but its Dayi so it must be good. i recommend it.
http://www.puerhshop.com/index.php?main ... cts_id=788
I forgot to say that I need to buy an inexpensive yixing pot too. I brilliantly dropped the lid to my current one on my hardwood floor and the clay shattered. The only ones on PuerhShop start at $36, while YSLLC has a lot of pots for as little as $10. This kind of weighs in YSLCC's favor for my current order!
This is one of the only pu-erhs I've had and I really enjoyed it, which is why I'm interesting in making a larger purchase or similar sheng teas. http://www.puerhshop.com/index.php?main ... cts_id=686
I can't store to age them b/c I don't have any proper storage space for puerh and I'm moving essentially every year as I'm a college student changing apartments often.
I can't store to age them b/c I don't have any proper storage space for puerh and I'm moving essentially every year as I'm a college student changing apartments often.
Last edited by Sam. on Jul 19th, '09, 20:10, edited 1 time in total.
OOPS! I put the wrong link. I meant to link this one, which is raw. http://www.puerhshop.com/index.php?main ... cts_id=686 That's really the one I have right now. 
I'll edit my other post.
I'll edit my other post.Jul 19th, '09, 20:28
Posts: 238
Joined: Sep 17th, '08, 23:36
Location: Home, home on the range
Make this easy and more interesting. Just contact Scott at Yunnan Sourcing and tell him you have $X to spend on a pot and a handful of drink-now sheng samples. He'll come up with a good assortment and you'll learn a lot more about sheng and what you like than you will by buying two cakes. Pick out the pot you want or ask him for a suggestion. If you have not had any shu, you may want to have him include a few shu samples, too.
Jul 19th, '09, 22:01
Posts: 1633
Joined: Feb 15th, '08, 10:15
Location: Pennsylvania
if a yixing is to be included, hit YSLLC. As everyone here is well aware, I think samples are a waste of money unless they are of aged sheng. However in your case if you are completely unfamiliar with puerh maybe it is the way to go. idk, I just dont like getting bags of fannings at $4 when the cake can be had for $12.
+1shogun89 wrote:if a yixing is to be included, hit YSLLC. As everyone here is well aware, I think samples are a waste of money unless they are of aged sheng. However in your case if you are completely unfamiliar with puerh maybe it is the way to go. idk, I just dont like getting bags of fannings at $4 when the cake can be had for $12.
Dragon Tea Shop
I order mostly from Dragon Tea Shop
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Dragon-Tea- ... QQ_armrsZ1
It does not have the same selection as Yunnan but it is close. I really like the correspondence that I have had with Gordon, the owner. He is quite helpful and the tea comes perfectly packaged. I think for a China based seller, Dragon should be considered along with the others. Curious if anyone else has ordered from Gordon.
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Dragon-Tea- ... QQ_armrsZ1
It does not have the same selection as Yunnan but it is close. I really like the correspondence that I have had with Gordon, the owner. He is quite helpful and the tea comes perfectly packaged. I think for a China based seller, Dragon should be considered along with the others. Curious if anyone else has ordered from Gordon.
Jul 20th, '09, 12:58
Posts: 152
Joined: Sep 11th, '08, 17:15
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Location: PA, USA
I've never had problems with samples of 'fannings' from any of these vendors (though I've never ordered from puerhshop), or from vendors in general. Typically I get a nice chunk (or chunks) of a cake, with some small amount of loose leaf, quite suitable for the 3-4 sessions that I'll need to evaluate the tea. I almost always look for a sample before buying tea that I'm unfamiliar with.
However, I see that the original poster is specifically looking for sheng to drink now and has asked about vendors: I've had good experiences with Yunnan Sourcing. Also note that there's a more local reseller of some of the YS stock, here:
http://www.premium-chinese-teas.biz/
However, I see that the original poster is specifically looking for sheng to drink now and has asked about vendors: I've had good experiences with Yunnan Sourcing. Also note that there's a more local reseller of some of the YS stock, here:
http://www.premium-chinese-teas.biz/