TeaChat

Today it's 1990's Fuhai Tea Factory '7532' from essence of tea.

The first infusion (after the rinse) was too musty for me (and I normally have a soft spot for "old" tasting teas...but this was too bitter. yuck.)

Happily that is fading with the next infusions. But the tea brews very dark. It tastes just as aged as the 80s and even the one 60s tea that I had. Time isn't the only variable.

I took a peek at the leaves in the pot, they still have much of their original form though the tea is dark.

This is not a sweet tea, though the bitterness in it (now that the initial bitterness is gone) is like the bitterness of very dark maple syrup-- and yet not sweet at all. (did that make any sense?)

It has very little aroma.

There is a very lovely after taste, the after taste is better than the taste. I find I take a tiny sip, the just sit and enjoy what lingers.

Now on the 4th infusion what was the after-taste is the taste of the tea itself. Again it's a dry, subtile tea-flavor, something like maple tree bark or maple syrup but without any sweetness.

On the early infusions I was worried I would not like it. Now I really do. Something about it makes ones nose a little warm and tingly. You find yourself in that nice place where tea can take you.

In the end I like it!

Dayi 7532 batch 801...


I swear if they compressed these cakes any more I'd need a table saw to cut away chunks. I wonder if it tastes better now, I rarely have these because I always need to vacuum afterwards.


Not sure what to say, fruity, lots of assorted topical fruits, a little grassy. Honestly reminds me of a Single Malt Indie bottled Dufftown I had. Just to give you an idea that was a very delicious bottle, so this tea is really hitting the spot for me right now.

Second infusion was not as good. Not quite sold on this Puerh, but I have the cake, and its almost half gone, at this rate it should be gone in about 5 more years.

Another sample today, 2011 "Hui Run" Ripe Pu-erh tea cake of Bu Lang Mountain from Yunnan Sourcing. Infused 3 grams of tea including the few crumbs in this sample, in a very small porcelain gaiwain. Flash rinsed x 1, then a 10 second infusion with about 40mL water at 195 degrees: a teasing impression, a little sweet, a little earthy, promising a lot more with longer infusions. It is quite nice through 10 or so infusions—where I am now—earthy, sweet, plummy. Nice stuff.





Edited to note that I'm well into sweetwater, and it's particularly nice and fruity at this point. Very nice pu.

Adam -- I think a jeweler's saw is an often neglected tea tool.

deb -- looks beautiful; I love the arcs on the table.

I dipped into the "way back" machine today and pulled out another pu purchase that I made 4 years ago and haven't touched since... a 2007 Yong Pin Hao Yi Wu. Again, the beeng is quite clearly red in tone. The pu brewed up was powerful, but not aggressively so. Great mouthfeel, actually quite smooth.

AdamMY wrote:Dayi 7532 batch 801...


I swear if they compressed these cakes any more I'd need a table saw to cut away chunks.

I'm having the issue with this "1980 bamboo wraped toucha" from essence of tea.

Most of what he sent me was quite not to bad but there is this big hunk..

This reminds me I nee to review this one. I've been falling way behind on the reviews.

2007 Spring Yong De Mao Cha from Norbu. A lovely tea that helped with a difficult day of dealing with a new computer system that really screwed up the schedule. I think it deserves a lot of credit for the survival of both me and the computer through through the day. Without it, one or both of us might have gone through the window. Hooray for the mellow mao cha!

Revisiting an old sample of the EoT 2010 Bu Lang. Man, this tea has incredible bitterness but in a good way (ku wei, not astringent). The first couple infusions knocked me out and there's a slight rush of caffeine to my my brain. I think I'm too old to be drinking young sheng.

3 teas in reverse order:
Early 80s Guanyuen tribute tea, followed by 2002 wild DXS and 2010 Yiwu Mahei over 5 hours with some friends. Slightly tea drunk after that.

Magical unicorn tea!

No it's real name is "Yiwu Golden Unicorn" 2005 Spring from Bana Tea.

This tea is confusing. It's one moment like a soft, but still kickin' sheng. Then the next it tastes more aged. It is as if I've caught it in the process of turning from young to something older and less green.

The first infusion was very much like many other young teas I've had, vegetable flavored, slightly sour, astringent.

But the 2nd was softer. No more astringency. Hints of something -- more plain-- I wish it had more sweetness though!

The wet leaves are dark dark green.

I just have one sample so I will need to get some more to make up my mind on this tea.


Are there any teas that are both sweet like old sheng but with some of the bite of a young tea?

Teaism wrote:3 teas in reverse order:
Early 80s Guanyuen tribute tea, followed by 2002 wild DXS and 2010 Yiwu Mahei over 5 hours with some friends. Slightly tea drunk after that.

Wow only slightly-- we have one here who can hold his tea

futurebird wrote:[/i]

This tea is confusing. It's one moment like a soft, but still kickin' sheng. Then the next it tastes more aged. It is as if I've caught it in the process of turning from young to something older and less green.


Are there any teas that are both sweet like old sheng but with some of the bite of a young tea?

Just curious what aged teas have you had? There is a difference between aged and showing signs of aging. Teas that are several years old can show signs of aging but will almost never be called aged. Heck its only close to the 10 year old point where you can start to see teas that people would call "aged" but that more depends on the person.

There are 15 year old teas that people wouldn't consider aged, because they just do not have those characteristics through rather dry storage and what not. Now these 15 year old teas do not taste "young" but aged is not simply being not young. In fact these types of tea can sort of fall into the category you are asking about in your question.

I've had quite a few 25+ year old teas they are my favorites, some 15 years old teas, but not as much in the 2-8 year range. (But I've also had a lot of 2012 and 2011 teas, which I like but in a different way)

Maybe that's why I find it strange.

03 Menghai factory Bulang jin pin. This tea is starting to turn a corner into a nice aged taste . It does not have any akwardness often found in teas at this stage. But seems to jump back and forth between a healthy Bulang ku wei and something a more mellow with slight hints of powder. good stuff

90s traditionally stored Xiaguan. Look at how clear the soup is - One of my favorite sessions with a tea I was not previously enamored with

Wow, that beautiful crackled cup reminds me of the tea-eggs I once made

I tried my first ever pu-erh today, from a Chinese tea sample pack from a Melbourne tea shop. It didn't disappoint! It was just a bit too strong, cause I was talking with my husband and forgot the brewing time I had to add some sugar, which didn't interfere with the special taste too much. Geez, I've never seen such dark tea before in my life!