Show off your Pu!!!!!!!

[heavydoom]

I'm new to the board and thought I'd introduce myself by showing my collection.



These are the teas I have in tong or tong-equivalent quantity or more.

Row 1: some 2004 600g Silver Tip cakes, 2004 7542, 2003 7542, 2003 or 2004 Tonq Qing (Jiu Wan) Centenary.

Row 2: more 2004 7542, Probably fake but damn good anyways 2003 Big Green tree, 2005 6FTM Yiwu

Row 3: 2004 Haiwan Lao Tong Zhi, 2003 Dadugang 1 kilo wild arbor brick.

All Sheng. All but the Big Green is from YSLCC.

I got introduced to good pu'erh in KL in 2002 and acquired TAD really badly after I got home (sadly too late to capitalize on some deals that are insane by today's standard: 1997 7542 for $7.50, anyone?). After looking in vain for good pu'erh in my home town of Winnipeg, Canada for about a year I found Scott of YSLLC who was still Babywrapper on ebay at that point and a year or so later I had a collection of 40 kg.

respect!! that's a lot of tea to drink on those long winter nights in canada.


KL = KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA??

[Manatoa]

Yep, Kuala Lumpur. China Town there was and probably remains a tea-addict's wonderland. Lots of good shops very close together with a bunch of crusty regulars and owners ever-ready to brew tea.

My first experience with good (non-dimsum restaurant) pu'erh came in a KL teashop when, a well heeled Chinese couple invited me, as a bedraggled young gwailoh backpacker, to share some tea with them. Some very good tea.

I didn't know what it was at the time, but it immediately took me back to wet cedar groves deep in my old stomping grounds in the Canadian shield. Woody like wet bark, with a resiny tang, and a menthol-cool finish that lasted forever. Very good, very old sheng. I was deathly homesick after four months in sweaty, crowded Asia, and in that moment I was transported back to the cool and clean forests of home.

Addicted.

[Salsero]

I didn't know what it was at the time, but it immediately took me back to wet cedar groves deep in my old stomping grounds in the Canadian shield. Woody like wet bark, with a resiny tang, and a menthol-cool finish that lasted forever. Very good, very old sheng. I was deathly homesick after four months in sweaty, crowded Asia, and in that moment I was transported back to the cool and clean forests of home.

How wonderfully evocative!


Is gwailoh a term that is actually used? I have heard it before, and find it funny and attractive in much the same way the I enjoy the pejorative gringo in South America.

[Manatoa]

I can't remember if "gwailoh" is used much in KL, but when I was a kid my grandparents lived in Hong Kong and when we'd go visit them I heard it a lot. For whatever reason I find the casual racism of many Chinese amusing. I guess it's because it's never been a vicious and bigoted sort when directed towards me.

I've seen some pretty disgusting (not at all amusing) treatment of non-Chinese Asian guest workers in Hong Kong, though.

[brandon]

You've probably seen most of these, but I was just cataloging my collection. Perhaps it will serve to entertain some of you.

[beecrofter]

Heavydoom is that avatar Nusrat?

[shogun89]

Very nice collection Brandon, I must ask you about your thoughts on the Hiawan 9928 and 9948 as they have always been on my list.
Thanks.

[pb2q]

Heavydoom is that avatar Nusrat?

Unmistakable. Definitely Nusrat.

Please forgive the off-topic blurb but any Quawwali fans that haven't already should immediately buy a Sabri brothers album. The Nonesuch recording from way back is a great start, and on cd.


Nice lookin stash Manatoa

[thanks]

Manatoa, I think I have the same "fake" 04 7542. I immediately thought it was a fake when I first tried it, but after it's spent some time in my storage, the flavor has improved dramatically. Did you also get yours through a Hong Kong vendor?

[TIM]

I'm new to the board and thought I'd introduce myself by showing my collection.



These are the teas I have in tong or tong-equivalent quantity or more.

Row 1: some 2004 600g Silver Tip cakes, 2004 7542, 2003 7542, 2003 or 2004 Tonq Qing (Jiu Wan) Centenary.

Row 2: more 2004 7542, Probably fake but damn good anyways 2003 Big Green tree, 2005 6FTM Yiwu

Row 3: 2004 Haiwan Lao Tong Zhi, 2003 Dadugang 1 kilo wild arbor brick.

All Sheng. All but the Big Green is from YSLCC.

I got introduced to good pu'erh in KL in 2002 and acquired TAD really badly after I got home (sadly too late to capitalize on some deals that are insane by today's standard: 1997 7542 for $7.50, anyone?). After looking in vain for good pu'erh in my home town of Winnipeg, Canada for about a year I found Scott of YSLLC who was still Babywrapper on ebay at that point and a year or so later I had a collection of 40 kg.

respect!! that's a lot of tea to drink on those long winter nights in canada.


KL = KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA??

How is the one kilo brick from Drangon Garden? Interesting one.

[brandon]

Very nice collection Brandon, I must ask you about your thoughts on the Hiawan 9928 and 9948 as they have always been on my list.
Thanks.

Sorry, but I don't plan on tasting these any time soon. I have been drinking the excellent 2006 Haiwan raw brick pictured, and would recommend one.

[heavydoom]

Heavydoom is that avatar Nusrat?

yes.

[shogun89]

Very nice collection Brandon, I must ask you about your thoughts on the Hiawan 9928 and 9948 as they have always been on my list.
Thanks.

Sorry, but I don't plan on tasting these any time soon. I have been drinking the excellent 2006 Haiwan raw brick pictured, and would recommend one.

Geez I could never have a cake in front of me and not open it, You've got guts. I respect your opinion in keeping it a full cake, Thanks for your recommendation of the ripe however, I will be taking a look at that.

[brandon]

Geez I could never have a cake in front of me and not open it, You've got guts. I respect your opinion in keeping it a full cake, Thanks for your recommendation of the ripe however, I will be taking a look at that.

Did you mean brick? Because I don't currently recommend the 9978 ripe beeng - we will revisit it in a few years.

[Manatoa]

Manatoa, I think I have the same "fake" 04 7542. I immediately thought it was a fake when I first tried it, but after it's spent some time in my storage, the flavor has improved dramatically. Did you also get yours through a Hong Kong vendor?

I don't actually think the 7542 is fake (and were you referring to the purple or blue label), I did at first but now that I have tried about 6 or 7 vintages of 7542 I'm convinced that it's the real deal judging from the flavour and the leaf appearance and grades on the front and back of the cake. Only the label (on the blue beeng) looks suspect. If it's a fake, it's a good one. I bought it from Scott a long time ago.

It's the Big Green Tree that I think may be fake. I bought it in '03 (or maybe early '04) for about $17 a cake from mandjs.com (now defunct) and had no idea what it was. It's quite delicious in a raisiny-woody way. Very good tenacity on the palate, good qi, and goes on for quite a few brews. It just seems to good to be true that it'd be legit Big Green.

To TIM

The brick is really nice. I'm drinking in right now since you brought it up. They got pretty wet stored on the slow boat to Canada when I bought them and at first I thought they were ruined. After a few years in very dry storage they have a distinct shicang flavour with a very strong notes of camphor and bark. Like the basenotes of a 7542 but much stronger and without the musk. Quite energetic too.

Cam