Raw vs cooked puerh: what gives?

[chittychat]

So at my age I will have to stop buying raw pu-erh since I do not expect to see the fruits of the taste. I will have to stick with my ripe pu-erh presently a 10 year old of excellent quality so full of aroma and flavor.
Manufactured
Yunnan Tea Import & Export Co.,Ltd.

Production Area
Xishuangbanna,Yunnan,China

[bearsbearsbears]

So at my age I will have to stop buying raw pu-erh since I do not expect to see the fruits of the taste.

At age 45 & up buying young pu'er to age is a bad idea unless you have children and they like fine tea.

But puerh threw me for a loop. Based partly on the advice in these posts, I'm going age my top raw puerhs as long as I can. I'll continue to enjoy good ripe puerh. Finally, I'll enjoy brewed puerhs at the Imperial Tea Court, where I know I can taste superior aged puerh without fear of improper brewing.

On the topic of what to drink now, yes, unless you have a fondness for bitterness (I thank my Sicilian lineage and exposure to rapini, campari, etc.), young sheng pu is a poor choice to drink now. Cooked pu is the way to go if you can't afford aged stuff too often.

Many moons have passed since I last tried their aged sheng, but as of 2006 I felt the aged pu'ers at ITC don't taste very aged; most were too dry stored to have developed much flavor.

One last recommendation before you completely give up on young sheng: if you have a chance or inclination, try some large leaf sheng pu and/or loose leaf sheng pu ("mao cha"). They tend to be sweeter, less bitter, and much more enjoyable an experience for the now.

[wyardley]

Finally, I'll enjoy brewed puerhs at the Imperial Tea Court, where I know I can taste superior aged puerh without fear of improper brewing.

Many moons have passed since I last tried their aged sheng, but as of 2006 I felt the aged pu'ers at ITC don't taste very aged; most were too dry stored to have developed much flavor.

Most of the "aged" stuff they sell is shu, and as usual, their menu and site are fairly short on details.

[debunix]

Getcherself lao baozhang maocha from Norbu (I think) to find out why that stuff is expensive

Just placed another order with Norbu and included some of this stuff. I was afraid of it at first because it was described as bitter, but I tried it as part of a tasting on egullet, did a long 'rinse' to draw out the bitterness, and found an amazing rich sweetness hidden inside, and kept that going for many, many infusions. Imagining this aged to mellow the bitter, well, sounds like nirvana to me. But it's pretty awesome right now as is.

[llouie]

Raw Pu-erh should not taste bland. Pu-erh teas are not made equal - the types of tea trees from which the leaves are harvested, the season of harvest, the mountain where the tea is grown - all play a role in the flavor of the tea. Not all young raw teas are bitter. For example, raw Puerh from the famous Yiwu mountain is delicate and sweet with no bitterness at all. Some good raw Pu-erh teas may start out a bit bitter, but should quickly transform the bitterness to sweet. Teas with lingering bitterness is a sign of poor quality Pu-erh. Try to buy Pu-erh that are made with leaves picked from old growth arbor trees. They are flavorful, rich, and can age quicker and nicer over time.

[TIM]

Raw Pu-erh should not taste bland. Pu-erh teas are not made equal - the types of tea trees from which the leaves are harvested, the season of harvest, the mountain where the tea is grown - all play a role in the flavor of the tea. Not all young raw teas are bitter. For example, raw Puerh from the famous Yiwu mountain is delicate and sweet with no bitterness at all. Some good raw Pu-erh teas may start out a bit bitter, but should quickly transform the bitterness to sweet. Teas with lingering bitterness is a sign of poor quality Pu-erh. Try to buy Pu-erh that are made with leaves picked from old growth arbor trees. They are flavorful, rich, and can age quicker and nicer over time.

Very Well Put IMO. Yiwu is more Pungent then delicate, but the changes from tannin to sweet floral is quick and complex. Nannuo is the most delicate, besides White Puerh.
Thanks IIouie. ~ T