Official Pu of the day

One of the intentionally aged teas, Pu-Erh has a loyal following.


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Apr 18th, '13, 15:20
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by lordsbm » Apr 18th, '13, 15:20

Wu liang mountain tea is still very affordable. 2012 100g early spring gushu can be had for <25RMB. And yes it's real gushu, the boss of that shop is well respected in Xiaguan (location) tea community.

They also have 2012 wild arbor from wu liang >357g going for <40RMB. Not fantastic but decent enough. Some who tried it said it'll likely turn into something nice. I tested myself, it's good value for money. If anyone from Singapore want to try I can send a sample.

Like what theredbaron said, don't rule out XG. There are some decent drinkable new tea which you don't need wait a few years.

I also agree it's best to age your own tea, which is the most cost effective way. I recall someone posted here on age tea in a day. I'm using that as a reference to guess how well the tea will likely age. Not 100%, but should increase the odds.

One of the tips given to me is look for rough looking leafs if you want to age. Reason? 普洱本是粗茶 :lol:

Lucky for me is I can enjoy any taste, as long as it's complex and interesting. This means new tea also good to me :lol: If not tasty enough, just make your own blend. Just like when I cook, if the recipe don't turn out good, add sauce and spice. :D

Apr 19th, '13, 11:40
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by theredbaron » Apr 19th, '13, 11:40

Inspired by this discussion i had another nibble at the "2003 CNNP Yi Wu High Mountain Wild Arbor" i bought back in 2008 from Yunnansourcing (http://www.yunnansourcing.com/store/pro ... roduct=409), and stored since here in Bangkok. It has developed lovely so far, only a tiny bit of astringency left, but no green taste anymore, very solid, complex, and a long lasting cooling aftertaste.
I have no idea how the teas stored until now in Kunming developed, maybe i one day i should order a sample for comparison.
But i am very glad that i bought three cakes back then.

Apr 19th, '13, 13:31
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by ethan » Apr 19th, '13, 13:31

First time for some 2000 CNNP Green Stamp Sheng. Prepared gong fu style w/ less tea than many teachatters would use, I taste simple mild earthiness w/ definite but mild fishiness. I'm glad that I did not let the fishy aroma stop me from drinking the tea. I can pay attention tasting several infusions of this today, when Bostonians are supposed to stay at home.

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Apr 19th, '13, 13:54
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by Catfur » Apr 19th, '13, 13:54

ethan wrote:First time for some 2000 CNNP Green Stamp Sheng. Prepared gong fu style w/ less tea than many teachatters would use, I taste simple mild earthiness w/ definite but mild fishiness. I'm glad that I did not let the fishy aroma stop me from drinking the tea. I can pay attention tasting several infusions of this today, when Bostonians are supposed to stay at home.
I've never smelled fishy sheng. Even basement pu. Interesting.

Apr 19th, '13, 14:46
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by ethan » Apr 19th, '13, 14:46

Correction: There is no aroma nor taste of fish under normal conditions. I had eaten salad w/ oil & vinegar that altered my senses.

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Apr 20th, '13, 04:39
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by Tead Off » Apr 20th, '13, 04:39

BioHorn wrote:
theredbaron wrote:
Tead Off wrote: Funny, I thought this a rather weak tea. Not much character or power. A 10 year old cake for $44. Can't expect much. I thought the Wu Chi Dao you mentioned to be a much better buy. But, we all are not going to agree about everything.

Both teas aren't *great* teas, but i find them very good for every day drinking purposes, especially considering the reasonable price. The Ancient Spirit is not a very complex tea, but nice enough. I only tried the samples of the Wu Chi Dao, maybe three pots, and found it more complex in character. I will see later, in a year or so, when i plan to break up my first cake, how i will feel about it then.
I agree. After sampling it, I bought two cakes of the Ancient Spirit. I is quite drinkable and one of the few offerings from Scott to have more of that traditional aged pu taste. The cakes arrived in very good condition. It was clear they had seen careful handling.

I think RB is correct in it being at a very nice price point.
The Anicient Spirit is also a slightly wet stored tea, not heavily wet, but enough to flavor the tea and mask its tastelessness, IMO. I think this is a common occurence in teas stored not in optimal conditions. Loss of flavor and aroma is a real concern to me. Smoothness occurs in many aged teas but is not really a sign of quality and good storage, IMO. Loss of bite is easier to achieve than retention of flavor and aroma.

This tea is about at my limit for wet stored. Any more than this and I really lose interest.

Apr 20th, '13, 07:03
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by JakubT » Apr 20th, '13, 07:03

Tead Off: Hmm, I think that some Yiwu teas just age this way (btw., have you met, e.g., Luoshuidong with any significant taste? I have not...). The sample I had did not really smell of storage, just "aged".

I disagree on thickness not being a significant quality. After having some not-that great loose leafs and cakes (e.g., Grand yellow label) and too dry stored thin, sour stuff, I surely do appreciate such a thickness and "presence". Besides, the tea affected me more, qi-wise, than a lot of more expensive teas. But that's largely personal, I guess.

My piece had plenty of taste anyway... indeed, it was not like young Yiwu. But if I want young Yiwu, I drink young Yiwu.

I don't mean this badly/offensively or anything, just debating :) I think it really depends on what one seeks and what he's like. I used to dislike wetter tea a lot, but then I found a way to it eventually.

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Apr 20th, '13, 08:04
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by Tead Off » Apr 20th, '13, 08:04

JakubT wrote:Tead Off: Hmm, I think that some Yiwu teas just age this way (btw., have you met, e.g., Luoshuidong with any significant taste? I have not...). The sample I had did not really smell of storage, just "aged".

I disagree on thickness not being a significant quality. After having some not-that great loose leafs and cakes (e.g., Grand yellow label) and too dry stored thin, sour stuff, I surely do appreciate such a thickness and "presence". Besides, the tea affected me more, qi-wise, than a lot of more expensive teas. But that's largely personal, I guess.

My piece had plenty of taste anyway... indeed, it was not like young Yiwu. But if I want young Yiwu, I drink young Yiwu.

I don't mean this badly/offensively or anything, just debating :) I think it really depends on what one seeks and what he's like. I used to dislike wetter tea a lot, but then I found a way to it eventually.
Excellent Yiwu teas with very good flavor are Gua Feng Zhai and Mahei teas among others.

I can usually suss out wet stored teas quite easily. Maybe I'm overly sensitive. But, as I said, it didn't really bother me with this tea as much as the lack of flavor did. The darkness of the liquor also seems like it is from the storage. Some of the aged samples I've had from EOT have been heavily wet stored but still had flavor and nuance. I still wouldn't buy them. I can get past the wet flavor, too, but I don't want to have to. People can be taught to accept almost anything.

But, I think you misread what I wrote because you talk about 'thickness' which I didn't mention. I said 'smoothness'. I also like thickness of mouthfeel and good huigan which I didn't really get from this tea.

I do realize that we all experience things differently and accept that my tastes will not necessarily be the same for others. But, the only thing I can offer up regarding teas is my opinion and I'm trying to list the reasons behind my opinion. Not that it really matters that much. :D But, I do think there are way better Yiwus to be had than this one. Yes, it's affordable, but for me it doesn't reflect what a good Yiwu is all about.

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Apr 20th, '13, 15:19
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by futurebird » Apr 20th, '13, 15:19

Red barron, thank you for the excellent response and advice.

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I've been reading about this famous "Banzhang" so I got few sample not really knowing what to expect. This tea is quite bitter, but not in a bad way. It wams my throat and tummy long after it goes down leaving me wanting a bit more.

I'm not really blown away. But,if it keeps it kick as it ages I think this tea would be even better when it is older and less bitter.

You can see from the spent leaves that it has a lot of stems, but there were some whole intact leaves in the mix.

Is this tea "2003 Tian Di Ren Lao Banzhang Cha Da Shu" (Raw) representative of Banzhang? If not what other *samples* could I get to find out if I'll like Banzhang?

PS. As I've moved in to the later infusions it has gotten sweeter and sweeter and it's keeping that "kick" -- something like the astringency and drying action of a young tea turning to more of a flavorful camphor. It has a wonderful smell even when dry.

PPS. there was also something slightly "wet stored" about the taste of this tea in the later infusions.

Apr 21st, '13, 02:21
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by JakubT » Apr 21st, '13, 02:21

Tead Off: Ah, indeed, sorry, I confused smoothness and thickness. Yes, smoothness is pretty common in aged tea.

Of course, there are better Yiwu teas, much better :) But as you say, the price is good here.

And my Pu Of the Day - 2000 Apple green 7542 - very good, it has the character of good 7542, good storage, very nice meizi aftertaste, a right lovely tea.

Apr 21st, '13, 15:30
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by JakubT » Apr 21st, '13, 15:30

futurebird wrote:Red barron, thank you for the excellent response and advice.

Image

I've been reading about this famous "Banzhang" so I got few sample not really knowing what to expect. This tea is quite bitter, but not in a bad way. It wams my throat and tummy long after it goes down leaving me wanting a bit more.

I'm not really blown away. But,if it keeps it kick as it ages I think this tea would be even better when it is older and less bitter.

You can see from the spent leaves that it has a lot of stems, but there were some whole intact leaves in the mix.

Is this tea "2003 Tian Di Ren Lao Banzhang Cha Da Shu" (Raw) representative of Banzhang? If not what other *samples* could I get to find out if I'll like Banzhang?

PS. As I've moved in to the later infusions it has gotten sweeter and sweeter and it's keeping that "kick" -- something like the astringency and drying action of a young tea turning to more of a flavorful camphor. It has a wonderful smell even when dry.

PPS. there was also something slightly "wet stored" about the taste of this tea in the later infusions.
I had it today. I liked it, rather. I think it's quite a nice Banzhang (I can't tell Laobanzhang from Xinbanzhang yet). I think that the Banzhang character was mingling with a certain class of tastes coming from large tips amount.

Alan of Finepuer has some nice Banzhang cake from 2005, you may ask him about that via e-mail. It's a bit young for drinking, but I think that if you make the intersection of that cake and this 2003 Banzhang, you'll have the idea of Banzhang is like :)

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Apr 21st, '13, 19:36
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by AdamMY » Apr 21st, '13, 19:36

Origin Tea 70's loose leaf. A nice sunday night night cap before starting up finals week.

Apr 24th, '13, 07:39
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by JakubT » Apr 24th, '13, 07:39

2011 Baoshan Yeshengcha by Chawangshop - yay! Definitely an interesting cake. It starts very lightly smoky and of pleasant dung/leather, then it transitions to fruitiness and quite lovely floralness.

It is not particularly long and/or great outside the main taste, which makes it, in my opinion, preferably a blending material, rather than single-origin cake. Nevertheless, the tea is quite good and interesting as it is.

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Apr 24th, '13, 17:29
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by tenuki » Apr 24th, '13, 17:29

Some Grand Tea 2009 Nan Nou Shan - got a tong of this to age on a whim and after this first sample I think I'm gonna be very happy with the value. Already showing some nice age. :)

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Last edited by tenuki on Apr 25th, '13, 14:33, edited 1 time in total.

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Apr 24th, '13, 18:24
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Re: Official Pu of the day

by tenuki » Apr 24th, '13, 18:24

Some 90s yellow label. tasty.

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Last edited by tenuki on Apr 25th, '13, 14:32, edited 1 time in total.

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