Official Pu of the day

[debunix]

Surprised that his topic is so quiet!

A tasting of four sheng puerhs, 2005-2008 vintages

2005 Menghai "Early Spring" Raw Pu-erh tea tuo (Yunnan Sourcing)
2006 A-Gu Zhai Wild Arbor Pu-erh tea * Bu Lang Shan (Yunnan Sourcing)
2007 Rui Cao Xiang "Wu Liang Wild Arbor" Raw Pu-erh tea (Yunnan Sourcing)
2008 Yi Wu Mountain Bamboo Raw Pu-erh tea (Norbu)

This was particularly fun because these were all such lovely teas. I liked the first and last best, but all were sweet and spicy and complex and not bitter.

Used 1.2-1.3 grams of tea in small 40 mL gaiwans
boiling water flash rinse
Infusions 185°F/85°C-195°F/90°C
10”, 15”, 20”, 25”, 30”, 35”, 40

2005 Menghai "Early Spring" Raw Pu-erh tea tuo (Yunnan Sourcing)

Dry Leaves: sweet, earthy aroma; 250g tuo

Liquor, 1st infusion: sweet, spicy, smoky, love it
Liquor, 2nd infusion: same
Liquor, 3rd infusion: spicy, earthy, sweet, smoky
Liquor, 4th infusion: Sweet, spicy, earthy, smoky
Liquor, 5th infusion: sweet, earthy, smoky
Liquor, 6th infusion: sweet, spicy, smoky, yum
Liquor, 7th infusion: smoky, earthy, trace of sweet

Wet Leaves: sweet, spicy, floral scent; broken leaves of variable sizes, red tint


2006 A-Gu Zhai Wild Arbor Pu-erh tea * Bu Lang Shan (Yunnan Sourcing)

Dry Leaves: sweet, hay/straw, earthy

Liquor, 1st infusion: sweet, camphor, spice
Liquor, 2nd infusion: sweet, spice, less smoky
Liquor, 3rd infusion: sweet, earthy, smoky
Liquor, 4th infusion: sweet, earthy, little spice again
Liquor, 5th infusion: sweet, smoky, spicy
Liquor, 6th infusion: sweet, spicy, bit astringent
Liquor, 7th infusion: warm, earthy

Wet Leaves: sweet, spicy, floral scent; broken leaves, variable size, redder veins, reddish tint to some leaves


2007 Rui Cao Xiang "Wu Liang Wild Arbor" Raw Pu-erh tea (Yunnan Sourcing)

Dry Leaves: sweet tea aroma; sample portions broken from a beeng

Liquor, 1st infusion: sweet, vegetal, rounded and deep
Liquor, 2nd infusion: same
Liquor, 3rd infusion: earthy, vegetal, smoky
Liquor, 4th infusion: same
Liquor, 5th infusion: sweet, earthy, vegetal
Liquor, 6th infusion: vegetal, astringent, but still sweet
Liquor, 7th infusion: vegetal, warm, astringent

Wet Leaves: sweet, spicy, floral scent; more intact leaves, variable sizes, some reddish tints

2008 Yi Wu Mountain Bamboo Raw Pu-erh tea (Norbu)

Dry Leaves: fruity, earthy, black tea scent

Liquor, 1st infusion: floral, fruity, sweet, warm
Liquor, 2nd infusion: peachy, floral, sweet, caramel
Liquor, 3rd infusion: peachy, caramel, sweet
Liquor, 4th infusion: peachy, floral, sweet
Liquor, 5th infusion: same (mmmmm)
Liquor, 6th infusion: sweet, still peachy, floral
Liquor, 7th infusion: peachy, warm, caramel

Wet Leaves: sweet, spicy, floral scent; broken leaves of variable size, twisted leaves that don’t want to be opened, red tint to leaves

Photos:
Upper left 2005 Menghai "Early Spring" Raw Pu-erh tea tuo (Yunnan Sourcing)
Upper right 2006 A-Gu Zhai Wild Arbor Pu-erh tea * Bu Lang Shan (Yunnan Sourcing)
Lower left 2007 Rui Cao Xiang "Wu Liang Wild Arbor" Raw Pu-erh tea (Yunnan Sourcing)
Lower right 2008 Yi Wu Mountain Bamboo Raw Pu-erh tea (Norbu)

[nonc_ron]

I received an order of Pu-erh tea today from RJ-Tea-House.
http://stores.ebay.com/RJ-Tea-House
Also some free samples of "organic mini pu-erh cake". 6g in each box,
Just the right size to plop into the teapot for 5-7 cups of tea.
(Objects in your monitor may appear larger than actual size)


I didn't detect any shavings of Angles wings or notes of artichoke.
I didn't detect any smokiness or bitterness ether. It was earthy with a sweet aftertaste (hui gan) that leaves you smacking your lips until you can get that second cup.
I give them two thumbs up.

[Chip]

They would be nice for Pu-erh on the road.

[nonc_ron]

This was my last free sample of "organic mini pu-erh cake". 6g
Once I'd had my first cup I went online and reordered (not the right word but you know) My money this time.
They're so dam convenient, no dragging out the scales. Just plop one into the pot. Nice on those days when you can't make up your mind.
So much Tea so little time.

[shogun89]

hahah! i like the tuocha "pick"

[nonc_ron]

Hi All,
I'm looking for a 150-200ml Gaiwan thats more of a match to my cups & bowl below. I'm looking for something large, this one is 4-1/2 oz. But it's out of stock.

I saw a 6 oz with a little too much red, but it was also out of stock.
All leads will be appreciated.

[debunix]

Have only seen the smaller sizes in that style at my local shop.

Today's puerh (from a URL tasting organized by the tea group on egullet) was the first time I've take one tea and compared it between gaiwan and seasoned yixing pot. The term 'seasoned yixing' should be taken lightly here: this is a very cheap pot ($6.99) that has been simmered in hot water, simmered in tea, and had a lot of tea steeped in it overnight--part of a redone seasoning program for all of my clay pots. But it is genuine unglazed clay, holds water and heat, and tea can be made in it.

The tea was spring 2009 Lao Ban Zhang Mao Cha Sheng Pu-erh (loose tea) from norbutea.com. I used 1.6 grams leaf (did trade a few straight overly long leaves for some slightly curled ones to get all to fit without breaking leaves), trying to keep about 1g leaf to 1 oz water.



50 mL water close to boiling

One very small gaiwan
One very small 'yixing' pot



2 20-second rinses first (this tea has a strong bitter start)
5-second infusions thereafter: wait 5 seconds, start pouring, takes about 10 seconds to get all out), have gone up to about 12 previously, so far only up to 5 on this pair, but running out of space for more liquid even with these tiny vessels



Leaves are variable sizes, mostly intact, twisted and curled but not rolled tightly. The liquor is yellow, sweet, delicious, some vegetal and herbacious notes, a bittersweet undertone, little astringency, and really no earthy or smoky notes.

As for the gaiwan vs yixing, I found the sweetness and liquor seemed slightly stronger from the gaiwan, as though the yixing clay is keeping some sweet for itself. Just a tiny difference, not so obvious in every infusion, but when I could detect a difference, it was the gaiwan-brewed that was sweeter.

[Zpro]

2009 Boyou "Grade 7 Brick" Ripe Pu-erh tea of Menghai

Menghai area brick pressed in 2009 made of an average of grade 6 material that was fermented in October 2007.

7.65$ US for one 250g brick at Yunnan Sourcing











Astringency - None
Smoke - Small (3.5/10)
Dryness - Moderately Dry (4/10)
Mouthfeel - Heavy (8/10)
Hui gan - None (1/10)
Flavor - Apart from an average dui wei presence tasting something like enoki, this cake has some interesting flavors such as sap, plantain and bamboo scent. It is rich and dry, coarse and heavy.
Overall value - Good
Purchase again - Probably not (simply because i like trying lots of different pu`s )

On the 4th brew, it started taking a much different taste. Earthy and very woodsy forest tastes started presenting themselves for the remaining brews and the dui wei greatly diminished.

I am guessing this brick would benefit immensely from further aging.

[debunix]

I'm drinking a 2007 Menghai Golden Needle White Lotus ripe puerh from YS today. It's a smooth lovely puerh, and I was able to share it today with someone who pulled a bunch of tea bags out of his pocket when I offered him some tea, by way of demonstrating that he too is a tea-aholic. And he didn't know what puerh was. Heh!

I think a few chunks of puerh cakes may end up slipping into his pocket shortly!

[shah82]

Check your own mailbox on occasion ?:~)

Anyways, I'm pretty curious about shu because I've have had 5 of them recently...
3 Xizihaos...
Gift set mini bing--This was fannings from their other sheng work. It's actually quite tasty, if of exceptionally short endurance for a shu. Does the creamy deep really well for the first couple of brews. Okay for the next couple, and around 5 or 6, a neat kind of translucent and ephemeral berry taste pop on your buds for a sec or two, and then collapse at around 6 or 7. Definitly good shu for mugs.

Mensong Palace Shu--Really good, many subtle flavor profiles lurking under a dense sweet cereal-wood-malt-caramel. The bland cereal at the end is actually pretty tasty.

Xi Shang Jia Xi--Pretty bitter for a shu on the outset (very quick brews are necessary for a start if you don't rinse), and pretty close to not being a shu at all. Despite the neither nor, I truly adored it because it really tastes quite a bit like aged sheng for a shu, and it's really dynamic in an appealing way, especally after brew 5 or so. At the end, it's rather intensely sweet in that licorice fashion that some aged tea has.

Then the other shu's from HouDe I tried...
2006 2nd trade memorial--It was tasty, but it was just deep.
Jing Mei Tai Si De--I have not really had a good sit down with it, but more careful brews promise an interesting spicey interplay.

The cheapest tea is 29.50. What shu from Menghai or Haiwan is likely to give me most of that value for much less? The mention of the 2007 Golden Needle White Lotus reminded me of this...It would be nice to have a none-drink money shu to have around and just make when you feel like it.

On topic:

Sheng of the Day was Imen's Bada Yesheng from 2004...

Very, very, very, very sour. Gentle, soft, and salty sour, but *sour*. Otherwise, it's actually pretty excellent, surprisingly, after I recovered some. The texture is unusual besides being thick. The flavor is pretty deep for something with a floral basis (not fruity at all). It can endure at least 15 brews (my throat gave out from the horseradishy ku), and there are a ton of hints of interesting flavors (as well as the soft, mild huigan) that pop up in your mouth. This is something, that if you're successful at aging the sour away, you'd have liquid gold, I think. The finished leaves were still fragrant, and the yesheng nature of those leaves are without question on inspection. No wulonged red, not too thick, but very healthy and large. It was sort of fun trying this one out, though I'd not buy the beeng (already sold out anyways) since I'm not sure I can age anything for as long as this will need.

This stuff reminded me of Hobbe's review of Zitenglu 2004 Taihe but much better than that tea.

[bearsbearsbears]

The cheapest tea is 29.50. What shu from Menghai or Haiwan is likely to give me most of that value for much less?

Pretty much any Menghai/Dayi shu would do you as good or better for cheaper. My personal faves are:

Hong Yun Mini Bing
7562 brick
7452 cake
7262 cake
aforementioned golden needle white lotus

Also try lao cha tou from Haiwan or Menghai/Dayi. I think there are some other brands of this type of shu floating around, but I haven't heard anything good or bad about them.

[auhckw]

2010 Xiaguan Organic Old Tree Iron Puer Cake 400g


*Photo not mine

I think this is still too new to drink. Can even smell the smoke without drinking it.

When drinking; smoke taste came first, followed by bitter, then with strong Hui Gan and can feel the dryness in the mouth/throat.

On 3rd infusion onwards, it tasted better. Less smoky.

Colour wise looks quite yellowish brown unlike other 2010 raw i've tried.

[Zpro]

Interesting review auhckw,

I was thinking of maybe purchasing that cake.

Thanks,
Zach

[nickE]

2010 Nada Bulang

Astringency - moderate to high.
Smoke - almost none.
Dryness-(mouth) - Infusions 6-10 (at peak bitterness) had a touch.
Mouthfeel - Oily & textured, very decent.
Huigan - Exceptional. Nice ku wei leading to 2min + huigan.
Flavor - This tea lives in its aftertaste. While there is some depth, the energy & huigan steal the show.
Overall value - I'd say it's a decent value. Priced at $60/400g there is not much give, but this is good stuff. Strong chaqi, very relaxing & heavy.
Purchase again - I only purchased a sample, and I don't plan on buying a cake. Maybe if I had more cash to throw around...

Seriously though, it was well worth buying the sample just to familiarize myself with tea of this quality. Quite a display of power, intensity, and energy.

[shah82]

Heh, I was under the impression that it was 50 pounds and not 40 pounds. $63 is much better than the $78 I originally thought. This is roughly about as good as the good cut-rate Banzhangs, and they are in the $60s as well, and this tea is better as a bulang than something like Douji Banzhang or Hai Lang Hao Ban'E. Tho' some might say that the 2007 Star of Bulang might be a better deal. I wouldn't know, but I see that tea praised some...

My pus of the Day was XZH '06 menghai brick and Nada Mansai. Both were excellent.