Strange flavor from aged Raw Puer.

[JeffMI]

So, I have a question for all of you experienced Puer drinkers out there. Over the past couple of years, since I began to start drinking Puer, whenever I have had Raw Puer, it has always been young tea (under 5 years of age). No problem for me at all since I love the stuff.

Well in the past couple of months I figured that it was finally time to experience Raw Puer that had some age under it's belt. So, I ended up getting 4 different samples that were close to 10 years in age each. After trying them all, I liked them overall but noticed that they each shared a very unpleasant taste. The taste is something that I can only describe as a "plastic" chemical-like flavor. I notice it in the aroma when I smell the brewed leaves as well. I really can't think of any other way to describe it, unfortunately. It's pretty off-putting and unfortunately they all have this same odd flavor.

Does anyone know what this could be from? Is anyone familiar with the flavor I am describing?

I was just curious because I would like to explore aged Raw Puer further but if it's possible to avoid this "flavor profile" altogether, I would very much like to do that.

[TomVerlain]

Plastic/chemical is not a pleasant attribute of any tea. It is not standard flavor of aged puerh. Did you get the samples all from the same vendor ? Possible bad storage or they shipped them in a left over box from their formaldehyde embalming fluid business

Medicinal or red date or smokey are more likely puerh flavor profiles.

[Drax]

Do you recall the type of pu'erh? I remember that in my early days of pu'erh drinking, I used to think that some sheng had a plastic quality to them. I'm trying to remember if those ones were particularly Xiaguan, or some other brand....

[shah82]

1) retired bad smokiness

2) plastic baggie umaminess

3) some flavor of poor humid storage

Not really able to say what is what, especially without knowing where they come from, and thus allow us to lean on the rep of the source.

[tingjunkie]

If it's distinctly a plastic/chemical aroma or flavor, I'd say it's something wrong with the storage since it's across all 4 samples. Try taking some out and letting it breathe in the open air for an hour or more before you brew.

Other than that, mid-aged puerh does often go through an awkward phase. Happens in the wine world too where they say a wine is asleep. I'm often not a big fan of most mid-aged sheng for this reason. It's too mellow to have the excitement and power of a young tea, but not yet refined enough to have the integration and complexity of an older tea. I can see how some aromas or flavors at this stage may come off as "chemically."

[JeffMI]

Sorry everyone. I should have posted what I got exactly when I started this thread. I have 2 samples from Yunnan Sourcing and 2 from White2Tea.

2003 Feng Qing Jia Er Deng
http://yunnansourcing.com/en/fengqingte ... -cake.html

2004 Nan Jian Phoenix Aroma
http://yunnansourcing.com/en/nan-jian-t ... -cake.html

2006 Old Bear Fangcha
http://www.white2tea.com/tea-shop/2006- ... uer-brick/

2007 Repave
http://www.white2tea.com/tea-shop/2007-repave-hekai/

2 different vendors and they all have that chemical/plastic taste.

Thanks for all the responses so far. I hope this helps further.

[Drax]

Hrm, I've had the Repave, and I remember it being potent, though not necessarily plastic-y... I vaguely recall thinking it would need more time to mellow out a bit...

I haven't had the old bear, but it's coming in a recent order. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a bit... odd, given the brick type that it is.

Can't speak for the YS offerings, as I have not had those particular ones...

[shah82]

You don't like smoky tea.

[JeffMI]

The smokiness is not the problem. The unnatural taste to it is....

[shah82]

/me raises eyebrow...

[puyuan]

That's surprising. Could I ask what you are brewing with? And more importantly, what your kettle is like.

[tingjunkie]

If I remember correctly, I did think the White Whale from White 2 did taste a bit plastic like. I should revisit it and confirm.

[William]

Please stop immediately the discussion because shah82 raised his eyebrow!

[Drax]

If I remember correctly, I did think the White Whale from White 2 did taste a bit plastic like. I should revisit it and confirm.

Yeah, I would agree with that. If not plastic-like, then it had a flavor tone that I was not too fond of. I think I preferred Repave over White Whale, but I'd have to re-taste both to confirm, as it has been awhile.

[bonescwa]

Repave tasted fine for me as well