"Cost-effective" puers for beginners?

[Potapka]

Thanks for your input!

As I live in a country near Russia, it seems to be more logical to order tea directly from China, rather than at some Western shops. Right now I'm interested in these 'reasonably priced' teas from Taobao:

1) http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=201 ... 9162599983
2) http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z ... 8857577415
3) http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z ... _comment=1
4) http://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?id=357 ... 0.0.KUFttH (got this one as a sample, liked it very much)

Are they a good choice for a beginner? The final price will double at least, due to MisterTao or similar agent services, however, I can't find these teas at Aliexpress. I've tried buying at Ali a couple of times and got a fake CNNP with a green label and a legit DaYi 7572. Ironically, I liked the CNNP better

(I'd use Ali all the time due to its very flexible and simple payment system, but I'm warned about a chance to get fake or improperly stored puers. However, I've bought lots of green tea and oolong at Grandness shop there and was very pleased.)

[honza]

Shu Dai Zi http://dzpuer.taobao.com/ is not bad choice. Their products are normal quality, some sheng are smoky but some are not bad. Shu is better, most of their shu is fermented in Yongming, they make fine shu.
But this shop is good example of the business style - sell super cheap big factory products and make good money from their own products... I think is better buy there some big factory products, new ones.
Shu Dai zi have another taobao shop where they sell higher quality products but price is like 200-300 or more yuan per cake.

[TimsMom]

I live in the "Outback" here and we have 1 grocery store so I have to order on line. I just bought my first pu erh cake on sale @ the Pu erh store, along with a sharing pitcher. [Boy, this chat sure is costing me money]. But I don't smoke or drink so I'm going for it .. "broke, that is". My next order will include the pick. I will follow the chat on pu ehr cake/bricks. Thanks for the tips.

[AllanK]

Have you gotten anything aged from them AllanK?

Nothing older than 2000 or so.

[AllanK]

As I live in a country near Russia, it seems to be more logical to order tea directly from China, rather than at some Western shops.

If I had known you live outside the US I would have recommended www.yunnansourcing.com. They have excellent teas in a variety of price ranges. I have bought decent Shu from them for under $20 a bing and excellent Sheng for under $50. I am not yet sure what I think of their cheaper sheng.

[bonescwa]

Have you gotten anything aged from them AllanK?

Nothing older than 2000 or so.

Well those are the only things he sells that are worth faking, something about a 1998 cnnp, I don't remember the specifics

[chrl42]

For me it's XG tuos...07 XGs can be still very bitter.

[Andrew15_06]

Has anyone tried any of the 7572 choices from yunnan sourcing?

[AllanK]

Has anyone tried any of the 7572 choices from yunnan sourcing?

I have tried the 2010 7572 from Yunnan Sourcing and several other dayi teas from there. Consider the Menghai Tea Factory 0532 if you are looking at the 7572 ripe tea. I think it was better than the 7572. The 7572 was good too.

[shah82]

Third grade ripes are a different category than seventh grade ripes, one way or another.

[Tead Off]

For me it's XG tuos...07 XGs can be still very bitter.

How can you stand that stuff? Cheap Charlie.

[shah82]

I *like* Xiaguan. They tend to be *great* cheap tea, and if anything, you pay less for the quality than almost anything else in puerh (especially if you know what you're looking for). They aren't brilliant, or even very good in stark terms, but that's not what the thread is there for. We want something to drink, that can be pleasant. Xiagun fits the bill.

[Andrew15_06]

Thanks! I will look at trying both 0532 and 7572, any thoughts on where to find legit 9016?

Thanks again!

[William]

I *like* Xiaguan. They tend to be *great* cheap tea, and if anything, you pay less for the quality than almost anything else in puerh (especially if you know what you're looking for). They aren't brilliant, or even very good in stark terms, but that's not what the thread is there for. We want something to drink, that can be pleasant. Xiagun fits the bill.

I am of the opinion that private productions, although more costly from an economic perspective, such as those from EoT, TU, HT, and many others of which I am not aware of, win hands down.
Ultimately, we must not accumulate tons of tea to be happy .. therefore from my point of view, I found the rule of the few but good teas, much more meaningful.

[shah82]

Sometimes, William, costly is costly. If you want cost effective, then go to Houde and snatch that last XZH '07 Kuzhushan. It's underpriced by about $200-$500, given what the current retail price is, these days. However, not a whole lot of people have the money to pay $185 up front for 400g of tea!

People very often have to have a budget, and the thread is clearly about exploration and daily drinking. How many people have the financial ability in terms of upfront space to buy $60-$120 cakes at TU, EoT, etc, let alone the $150 plus to buy anything particularly genuine? As it is, I think I have enough trouble telling people that they have to spend real money to get real tea (and be careful that they do get real tea) in appropriate forums. What made it okay for you to tell others (what is meaningful is) to drink good teas, but rarely, in a thread like this? Cheap tea serves a real function, and should be respected as such.

I get decent enough pleasure from drinking good ole 8582 and v93, enough so that I think, "ah, I'm having a good session!". Everyone should have as many chances as they desire for good sessions. If they are rich and have the stomach for it, then sure, drink fantabulous tea every day! If they are poor and want tea to drink every day, then I think it's really rather okay for them to open a bing of Xiaguan, look away as the overpowering smoke escapes (while rolling their eyes as they think "That's Xiaguan for you!"), and fix a session that they enjoy *anyways*. If they predominantly drink sencha like Chip, and only have a bing or two of the good stuff, that's good too. Or, if like Mosomoso, they like the cheap stuff that's all gnarly, that's okay. Or, if like Apache, they want to drink the teas that they grew up drinking, for the most part, even if that means factory tea, that's great too!

Are you getting the picture, man? OP wants a toe in the water, and plenty of tea. Having an idea of Russian preferences, I suspect he/she will not be put off like you or TeadOff by cheap/smoky tea.