TeaChat

80's Yin Min Hao this morning, and 2003 7542 yesterday and the day before, both from teclassico, both are properly traditionally stored in HK and then Taiwan. Learned a lot!

7542 is semi aged. I guess, it would take 10 years more of a proper storage to get there. Nevertheless, it is very nice the way it is now. There is no storage smell and a lot is going on. On the first few brews one can feel its plantation nature, yet, it is rather astringent (but not too much) and a little bitter. There are hints that I associate with Xiaguan bings and do not like, but they are distant and go away quickly. Then the taste changes and keeps changing with each brew staying very dense. It lasts for very long - I have made more than 20 steepings over 2 days and could have had a little more, I think, but was hesitant to leave it in the pot for another night. The huigan is strong and pleasant, it lasted at least few hours. And the tea is rather strong, made me fully awake and clear-minded.

The Yin Min Hao is fully aged. The first 2 or 3 brews are deeply red, almost black, and it tastes like a shu. The taste alone would compare with a decent, somewhat aged shu, with no wodui, but nothing too special. But the qi is instant, and no shu and very few shengs do have this kind of qi that makes you relaxed and awake at the same time, and lots of positive feelings. Starting the 4th brew it is more clearly a sheng, a little woody and sweet, still dence. And the qi is still there. Had to stop after 7 or 8 brews, will make more later on today, or tomorrow.

Another revisiting of the 2007/2014 Repave. Finally beginning to calm down from the pressing a month ago. Sweet and clean.

2009 Gushu. I am not sure which region this tea is from but the wrapper just says Gushu. The taste is incredibly sweet and fruity. It was the tea that no one was interested in when I bought it in 2009 as the crowd was looking at wild spring tea, so I was lucky with some spare space to buy and store it. I thought that time the tea leaves was really so beautiful and nicely processed, the price was good, so I just grab the whole lot. No regrets as now everyone is playing the Gushu note.

Yummy!Yummy!
Cheers!

I just made my first Pu Erh from a cake. I steeped 2 gr @ 195 d for 2 minutes the first time, then increased both heat and time for the 2nd and 3rd cups in my new Yixing bamboo mug. I was really surprised, as the 1st time I made pu erh I thought it would be too strong because of the beautiful deep color. I am hooked on this one; I was prepared to send it to my son.

Winter is here in Australia!!
I brewed up some Sheng that came with a sampletea order as a free sample.
"limited edition Yang Pin Hao year 2007"
I NEED MORE OF THIS TEA! I cant find where to buy any though can anyone help?

More about it on sampleteas homepage:
http://www.sampletea.com/

TimsMom wrote:I just made my first Pu Erh from a cake. I steeped 2 gr @ 195 d for 2 minutes the first time, then increased both heat and time for the 2nd and 3rd cups in my new Yixing bamboo mug. I was really surprised, as the 1st time I made pu erh I thought it would be too strong because of the beautiful deep color. I am hooked on this one; I was prepared to send it to my son.

Sounds lovely TimsMom!!! What kind of puerh was it?

Enjoying some 2012 Wu Jia Zhai from Yunnan Sourcing today. Straight forward grain goodness with a persistent aroma and pleasant chaqi.

Unknown shu puerh from yesterday. Woodsy, slightly musty.

brewed up some of Teade's 1000 Year gushu tea (2014 produce), from tender early spring buds. easily one of the most delicious teas i ever had this year.

in "incense terms" it is like a condensed bouquet of forest flowers, wild orchids, honeyed overtones on the olfactory profile, the brew is crystal clear, thick, juicy, and soft, in a feminine way. i think the comment on this being the "anti-thesis" of LBZ, which is masculine, brash, strong, bold, assertive, is pretty apt. smooth with no hints of bitter nor astringency, it is an excellent tea that is ready to for drinking from the start. impressive!

estimated retail in thailand/bkk is about 700-750 usd / 500g tuo. not very cheap, but one has to pay premiums for the very best stuffs usually.

kyarazen wrote:

Look at all those pots!

Will you drink it or try to age it? If you don't have it, would you have decided to drink it or age most of it?

kyarazen wrote:

brewed up some of Teade's 1000 Year gushu tea (2014 produce), from tender early spring buds. easily one of the most delicious teas i ever had this year.

in "incense terms" it is like a condensed bouquet of forest flowers, wild orchids, honeyed overtones on the olfactory profile, the brew is crystal clear, thick, juicy, and soft, in a feminine way. i think the comment on this being the "anti-thesis" of LBZ, which is masculine, brash, strong, bold, assertive, is pretty apt. smooth with no hints of bitter nor astringency, it is an excellent tea that is ready to for drinking from the start. impressive!

estimated retail in thailand/bkk is about 700-750 usd / 500g tuo. not very cheap, but one has to pay premiums for the very best stuffs usually.

I've been meaning to get down to his shop to try this stuff. It's at the other end of Bangkok from where I am. Maybe your post will motivate me. His Xigui is excellent, too.

Kyarazen, u piqued my interest in the 1000 gushu puerh. Where did u buy it from ? Seems very pricey for a new puerh.. But don't mind to buy if it has ageing potential as well

Poseidon wrote: Look at all those pots!

oops. apologies for the messiness of the picture, was actually doing some measurements and forgot to pack up the place

dilettante wrote:Kyarazen, u piqued my interest in the 1000 gushu puerh. Where did u buy it from ? Seems very pricey for a new puerh.. But don't mind to buy if it has ageing potential as well

check PM in a while, an incredibly helpful and nice teachat member. it is pricey for a new pu-erh, but still slightly cheaper than new 2013 LBZ/Bingdao from reliable sources.

as for the aging potential, it is hard to tell with limited data on the aging on such teas and the best storage method for it.

early spring buds of ancient trees, these tea leaves probably havent seen much sunlight and thus no bitter/astringency has developed, leaving no necessity for "aging" to let the bitter recede. the aroma wise, it reminded me 50% of a 2013 lincang si-pai shan (四排山) gushu early spring tea that i have left in storage. the sipaishan gushu has a nice strong bitter in it, and after almost a year now the raisiny honeyed like scent in it has thickened. the teade1000 is already thick, complex, smooth from the start...

shah82 wrote:Will you drink it or try to age it? If you don't have it, would you have decided to drink it or age most of it?

i only procured a 10g sample as i didnt know what to expect. together with it i also procured some of that of Xigui 13, Bingdao 13, and a GFZ13 which i'll be taking my time to go through them.

it has turned out that the 1000 year gushu is indeed uniquely excellent, being the only tea i had sampled from Teade (teadezhang) so far and i'm a little tempted to make a purchase. if i do, i'll drink it whilst it ages over time to see how the transitions would be like.

Tead Off wrote:I've been meaning to get down to his shop to try this stuff. It's at the other end of Bangkok from where I am. Maybe your post will motivate me. His Xigui is excellent, too.

i'll try his XG13 tonight, and maybe the GFZ as well.

If the xigui is the same I came into contact with, it's pretty good, but good gongfu skills are a necessity to control bitter-tart. It's not green, just a weird bitter-tart that can be obnoxious in strength.