Taobao Tea. TOPIC MOVED FOR REVIEW

[shah82]

My feeling is that good Youle costs well more than 700RMB/kg. There isn't that much of the truly good stuff. There is a lot of Youle out there though, including the not as good gushu.

It's interesting to consider that the Zhenrenyufeng is a Yishanmo, because that tea is very different from the other two Yishanmo I have had. Admittedly it's twice as expensive, but still...

Understood that GFZ is a loose apellation, there are two very different styles of puerh labeled GFZ out there.

I don't particularly care about internal consumption only label. I own an internal consumption only tea--the controversial dinjin nuer from Sanhetang. More than that, internal consumption only, when it's truly internal consumption, is crazy expensive. Check out 135F2's meeting with Zhou Yu and that single tree LBZ in the puerh of the day thread. *THAT'S"* internal consumption only tea. When Imen sells an internal consumption only dancong, it's for well more than three dollars, up to and past four dollars a gram. Baohongyinji just got what they got, and made 300 cakes, posted as being available on an internet website. That's not really super exclusive. The reality is that teamakers who's got the goods that can compete with or surpass Sanhetang rarely ever even put up a website. Moreover, none of those guys, not Sanhetang, YQH, BHYJ, Zitenglu, etc, will let you order from them online, really. I can't even find TIM's tea online, and I've tried quite hard to do so. They amount to a tea club with a bunch of rich people taking their share of the best leaves.

[the_economist]

I can only thank my lucky stars that Origintea had some of the BHYJ Bingdao (http://www.origintea.net/2013-spring-bhyj-bingdao）.

[Ljung93]

the less people buying tea I like, the better. I was commenting on a link that someone found heavens knows how - and regret it.

This link has been public on a known blog for some time now. If my posting this here annoys the Grinch in you - too bad. I don't think anybody here cares if you would like to be the only tea drinker in the west to know this vendor.

[puyuan]

the less people buying tea I like, the better. I was commenting on a link that someone found heavens knows how - and regret it.

This link has been public on a known blog for some time now. If my posting this here annoys the Grinch in you - too bad. I don't think anybody here cares if you would like to be the only tea drinker in the west to know this vendor.

Dear Ljung93,

Indeed it has, I mentioned it by name. I was being obviously facetious with that Grinch remark, since I spent that entire post, and indeed, this entire session of speculative bashing, commending the very link you posted. I don't care either, my point was simply that I'm not inclined to heated argument and that if people want to dismiss it, ok, I'm not personally losing anything, on the contrary. How or if that offends you I don't know, but I apologize if it did.

[puyuan]

I don't particularly care about internal consumption only label. I own an internal consumption only tea--the controversial dinjin nuer from Sanhetang. More than that, internal consumption only, when it's truly internal consumption, is crazy expensive. Check out 135F2's meeting with Zhou Yu and that single tree LBZ in the puerh of the day thread. *THAT'S"* internal consumption only tea. When Imen sells an internal consumption only dancong, it's for well more than three dollars, up to and past four dollars a gram. Baohongyinji just got what they got, and made 300 cakes, posted as being available on an internet website. That's not really super exclusive. The reality is that teamakers who's got the goods that can compete with or surpass Sanhetang rarely ever even put up a website. Moreover, none of those guys, not Sanhetang, YQH, BHYJ, Zitenglu, etc, will let you order from them online, really. I can't even find TIM's tea online, and I've tried quite hard to do so. They amount to a tea club with a bunch of rich people taking their share of the best leaves.

Oh, I was merely speculating about the Bingdao, but I'll be happy to try it and compare notes.

[chrl42]

but it might be a case of comparing any number of distinct "GFZ" areas (Baishahe, Baichayuan, Chawangshu, or Tongqinghe Wangong and other places) with something completely different. With the Bingdao the idea probably was getting some of the more rarified material, since it's one of their productions supposedly meant for internal consumption only, which makes that sample very interesting.

Sorry to butt in, as a total Pu newb here

But is Tongqinghe spelled as 同庆和?

[puyuan]

but it might be a case of comparing any number of distinct "GFZ" areas (Baishahe, Baichayuan, Chawangshu, or Tongqinghe Wangong and other places) with something completely different. With the Bingdao the idea probably was getting some of the more rarified material, since it's one of their productions supposedly meant for internal consumption only, which makes that sample very interesting.

Sorry to butt in, as a total Pu newb here

But is Tongqinghe spelled as 同庆和?

Hi, Charlie. Almost, it's 河. I usually see Baishahe written with the same character, it seems to be common in Yiwu.

[chrl42]

but it might be a case of comparing any number of distinct "GFZ" areas (Baishahe, Baichayuan, Chawangshu, or Tongqinghe Wangong and other places) with something completely different. With the Bingdao the idea probably was getting some of the more rarified material, since it's one of their productions supposedly meant for internal consumption only, which makes that sample very interesting.

Sorry to butt in, as a total Pu newb here

But is Tongqinghe spelled as 同庆和?

Hi, Charlie. Almost, it's 河. I usually see Baishahe written with the same character, it seems to be common in Yiwu.

Thanks, that was a sample from my friend who sells Pu. Thought it tasted like Yiwu, but sorta powerful like GFZ. Thanks

[puyuan]

but it might be a case of comparing any number of distinct "GFZ" areas (Baishahe, Baichayuan, Chawangshu, or Tongqinghe Wangong and other places) with something completely different. With the Bingdao the idea probably was getting some of the more rarified material, since it's one of their productions supposedly meant for internal consumption only, which makes that sample very interesting.

Sorry to butt in, as a total Pu newb here

But is Tongqinghe spelled as 同庆和?

Hi, Charlie. Almost, it's 河. I usually see Baishahe written with the same character, it seems to be common in Yiwu.

Thanks, that was a sample from my friend who sells Pu. Thought it tasted like Yiwu, but sorta powerful like GFZ. Thanks

I was talking to someone about it and apparently the more accurate writing would be 铜箐河 because there was copper there (?!), although it's not the spelling I normally see. I think it's worth mentioning.

Also for the sake of completeness, 2013's Youle average was 450-550 per gushu kg, not 700, according to a worthy producer. (Obviously prices can go higher, or lower.) I don't know if it's worth mentioning because I can't so far confirm if it's genuine, but Jiamutang/Chenyuanhao pressed a new version of their Youle for a Guangdong teashop, on the same price range, give or take the 12-13 variation in price (250ish for 275g.)

[MarshalN]

but it might be a case of comparing any number of distinct "GFZ" areas (Baishahe, Baichayuan, Chawangshu, or Tongqinghe Wangong and other places) with something completely different. With the Bingdao the idea probably was getting some of the more rarified material, since it's one of their productions supposedly meant for internal consumption only, which makes that sample very interesting.

Sorry to butt in, as a total Pu newb here

But is Tongqinghe spelled as 同庆和?

Hi, Charlie. Almost, it's 河. I usually see Baishahe written with the same character, it seems to be common in Yiwu.

Thanks, that was a sample from my friend who sells Pu. Thought it tasted like Yiwu, but sorta powerful like GFZ. Thanks

I was talking to someone about it and apparently the more accurate writing would be 铜箐河 because there was copper there (?!), although it's not the spelling I normally see. I think it's worth mentioning.

Also for the sake of completeness, 2013's Youle average was 450-550 per gushu kg, not 700, according to a worthy producer. (Obviously prices can go higher, or lower.) I don't know if it's worth mentioning because I can't so far confirm if it's genuine, but Jiamutang/Chenyuanhao pressed a new version of their Youle for a Guangdong teashop, on the same price range, give or take the 12-13 variation in price (250ish for 275g.)

Even at those prices the guy is still making basically no profit at all from his cakes.

[honza]

There is longpa (yanuo) and other villages.
Longpa is the best tea and prices was last year much more than 700rmb for spring gushu. Many villages around in jinuoshan have gushu but the quality of tea is not the same. Price was in the range 400 to 500rmb for these not famous villages last year. If count all money in processing abd profit for laoban, the cake is not spring gushu. Late spring or blend with smaler tea trees is possible and can taste pretty good too.

[MarshalN]

Late spring or blend with smaler tea trees is possible and can taste pretty good too.

Of course, but he calls it gushu and frankly, I don't see how that's possible.

[Jingjiatang]

Hi, a friend referred this topic to me couple of days ago when I was making spring tea in Hekai. Wow, it’s my very first time watching my tea recommended in a foreign tea web forum in the past eight years. Appreciations.

I understand that there was some very straightforward suspiciousness, also with explains, and assumptions on the quality of Jingjiatang Pu’er tea, basing on the prices that some people may think “too good to be true”. I did think about to clear up those doubts one by one, for example, in fact costs of fresh leaves/maocha is very essential business secret and would never be leaked out accurately to any third party (instead, most likely a wide range). For me, I will also ask around about prices before going to villages, but no matter how firm resource I got the information from, I can merely take it as a reference, not standard. Even in mountain/village, it’s common to get different price offers from the same tea farmer for the same tea…

Anyway, it’s still a concern that the more I explain here, the more suspicious some people may feel. The good part is that although people may tell lies for many reasons, tea does not. A tea should be fairly judged by tea itself, not by whom it’s made, by whom it’s recommended, nor how much it’s sold, that’s my opinion. And I believe most of people here has the capability of and is willing to taste pu’er tea precisely.

And, thanks again for everyone’s very straightforward opinions here shared, which are very interesting and I also learn a lot from. I’d like to have this topic translated into Chinese and share with my customers later, so that they will know how deeply foreign pu’er drinkers know about tea and Tea Mountains.

Be happy.
Liu Yang

[Tead Off]

Jingjiatang,

Thanks for your input. It is very rare that a producer will post here and I salute your effort. What you say makes perfect sense to me. This is not the New York Stock Exchange where prices fluctuate in very small amounts. Asia can be very flexible in these matters.

Since I live in Thailand, how can I get some samples of your teas. You can send me a private message if you like. Thanks.

[AllanK]

Hi, a friend referred this topic to me couple of days ago when I was making spring tea in Hekai. Wow, it’s my very first time watching my tea recommended in a foreign tea web forum in the past eight years. Appreciations.

I understand that there was some very straightforward suspiciousness, also with explains, and assumptions on the quality of Jingjiatang Pu’er tea, basing on the prices that some people may think “too good to be true”. I did think about to clear up those doubts one by one, for example, in fact costs of fresh leaves/maocha is very essential business secret and would never be leaked out accurately to any third party (instead, most likely a wide range). For me, I will also ask around about prices before going to villages, but no matter how firm resource I got the information from, I can merely take it as a reference, not standard. Even in mountain/village, it’s common to get different price offers from the same tea farmer for the same tea…

Anyway, it’s still a concern that the more I explain here, the more suspicious some people may feel. The good part is that although people may tell lies for many reasons, tea does not. A tea should be fairly judged by tea itself, not by whom it’s made, by whom it’s recommended, nor how much it’s sold, that’s my opinion. And I believe most of people here has the capability of and is willing to taste pu’er tea precisely.

And, thanks again for everyone’s very straightforward opinions here shared, which are very interesting and I also learn a lot from. I’d like to have this topic translated into Chinese and share with my customers later, so that they will know how deeply foreign pu’er drinkers know about tea and Tea Mountains.

Be happy.
Liu Yang

Thank You for responding to this discussion. Do you produce all the teas at the website alltea.taobao.com or just a portion of them. It is good to see a Taobao vendor and tea producer would be good enough to respond to an English language website.