Official Pu of the day

[Frisbeehead]

haha thanks for the suggestions, I already have a filter actually
Its one I put on top of my glass chahai. So I don't get the bits in my cup, but it does get everywhere else. I feel like I'm losing a bunch of leaf that gets stuck in my filter, though it's only tiny bits so I'm sure I'm not losing much taste out of them.

And wyardley, indeed I have been keeping the lid on a bit tighter for shou.

So yes I have the cha hai (fairness pitcher) and the filter. So I'm not drinking the little pieces but they indeed get everywhere. I think with shou it is an inevitability I'll definitely be getting a different gaiwan soon so that I don't lose heat so quickly and have a wider size to work with.

I'm still drinking that YS 2006 Chang tai hao bulang today, and still enjoying it. It's definitely on the more mellow and sweet spectrum of shou, like Yiwu from what I understand. Still haven't actually tried Yiwu yet...

[CWarren]

EDITED

[jayinhk]

2012 Jin Ma 8682 via ChaWangShop--one of the ripe pu erh stuffed tangerines. First time I've tried one of these and it's interesting drinking. Quite the change from my morning sencha! I don't know if I'd buy this stuff again but it was certainly worth the $7.90 or so to try it. I feel like the orange peel tastes somewhat musty. EDIT: Ah, this must be the 'pine' fragrance they describe this tea as having!

I had a lot of trouble getting my order from ChaWangShop. Not their fault at all. Courier services from China are prohibited from transporting tea. I thought it was just an SF Express thing, then remembered I had trouble receiving jiaogulan from a Taobao dealer, who had to reship by EMS ($$$). My order was returned to ChaWangShop, and I absorbed the original shipping fee as I was the one who suggested ZTO.

They sent my package right back out by EMS, but they used the China International Express service, which is a little cheaper. Unfortunately this service is NOT handled by postal services outside China. A company called TGX was tasked with delivering my tea to me, and didn't. The tracking showed that they couldn't deliver it, and they lied and said they couldn't contact me. After Honza (from ChaWangShop) finally got hold of the right people, I called TGX and what I'd suspected all along was true...they didn't want to deliver to my part of Hong Kong (outside the urban area) even though they were supposed to under their agreement with China Post.

They finally delivered to my area for US$13/HK$100 more. They originally said they could deliver to urban HK for free or I could come pick it up, but I was like NOPE, you were paid to deliver to me. Honza reimbursed me for the extra US$13, which he'll be getting back from China Post.

Honza and co. were very responsive throughout, and worked with me to get this mess sorted out. They're definitely good to go and get an A+ from me for all the effort they put in and for their communication. TGX on the other hand are terrible and never got in touch with me at all, and held my tea for almost two weeks without any info!

[honza]

When your pack already arrived to you, that was our Christmas gift yesterday Really, I was really happy ...

Drinking some semi-aged Hong Tai Chang cakes and can say these Thai pu taste really not bad !

[jayinhk]

That Thai pu erh sounds interesting! Trying the 2004 Dehong raw brick now. I know you said to let it rest, but it's already been resting in Hong Kong for two weeks thanks to TGX!

This is nice tea...would make for a good everyday drinker. Yes, there is a touch of wet to the flavor but it's smooth and pleasant sheng, and inexpensive too.

[CWarren]

Edited

[jayinhk]

2014 Laos Ban Komaen (Black) Gu Shu from ChaWangShop. Really nice tea. No bitterness--sweet, if anything, and a definite wildflower aroma as described. This is good stuff. Much better than expected and I wonder how it would age. I'm tempted to buy a few of ChaWang's Laos cakes as this stuff is exceptional, even for drinking now.

[CWarren]

Edited

[jayinhk]

2013 Shen Shan Lao Lin Lao Man'E Gushu from Chawangshop. My first Lao Man'E and it's decent. I was warned about the bitterness in Lao Man'E, but the first few infusions were light and floral. I can't find this tea on their site, and from Googling that particular page is down. This is good stuff--bitter when I let it go longer, but still very drinkable and a very alluring floral aroma, much like wild pu erh, but more distinct. Almost orchid-like. Decent cha qi too, but didn't put me to sleep like the wild Northern Vietnamese Hmong green tea I had this morning (which always sends me back to bed in the morning)!

EDIT: This tea is still going and the aroma is still very prevalent, after more than 10 brews. Strong, clear aroma. This is really good pu erh.

I think I'm done with plantation pu erh...strictly wild/old tea tree for me now!

[jayinhk]

2012 Autumn Naka from Chawang. Nothing at all like I expected. Cheap at $5.50 and quite pleasant and clean. Sweet and not the bamboo aroma I expected. Much nicer than I thought it would be.

[gasninja]

Tonight i am enjoying a perfectly stored 1994 menghai 8582. Out of my favorite zini pot. 8582 is by far my favorite Menghai recipe. There are layers of herbal and even floral notes coming out of this beauty.
The 88 8582 that Tea master has available is a great example of an aged 8582.

[Frisbeehead]

Tonight i am enjoying a perfectly stored 1994 menghai 8582. Out of my favorite zini pot. 8582 is by far my favorite Menghai recipe. There are layers of herbal and even floral notes coming out of this beauty.
The 88 8582 that Tea master has available is a great example of an aged 8582.

After I read this, I went to check out the 88 8582 on their site. Oof, my wallet can't handle that right now

[shah82]

GN, one of the pities of my puerh drinking life was not fully appreciating how good I had it when I was drinking 8582 of this family: https://translate.google.com/translate? ... rev=search

It's only after drinking a number of thin and narrow tasting late '90s 8582 that I realized too late just what that 80's tea was...

[BioHorn]

GN, one of the pities of my puerh drinking life was not fully appreciating how good I had it when I was drinking 8582 of this family: https://translate.google.com/translate? ... rev=search

It's only after drinking a number of thin and narrow tasting late '90s 8582 that I realized too late just what that 80's tea was...

"Indian Rhubarb Big Mouth"
Now there is an iconic pu monicker!
Hit with a big hammer? Right?

Am I right that one point made was copy cakes can be good?! Really good...

Having some kindly donated crispy Mid-west (20-30%RH) dry storage 2007 Menghai sheng. A lesson in every cup.

[Rui]

2015 GU MING XIANG "YI WU MEETS BU LANG" RAW PU-ERH TEA from Yunnan Sourcing. A very decent young pu'er tea, smooth, thicker liquor than usual for such a young pu'er tea, slightly sweet and with a light tobacco like aroma. This tea's aroma reminds me of a certain Shiraz wine of a few decades ago. It made my start of the day!