Loose-leaf puerh recommendations?

[Dartfrogger]

A few months ago I tried the Special Reserve loose-leaf puerh from the Imperial Tea Court in Berkeley. It was a revelation to my very inexperienced (puerh-wise) tastebuds. I was told it's 28 years old; they state that it's a "finished" tea. (I'm not sure if that means "cooked"). I then tried their Imperial puerh, and though I liked it a lot, it doesn't have the depth and richness of the Special Reserve, in my opinion.

I am now in love with puerh and want to explore it more fully. Can you who are wise in the way of puerh recommend some other loose-leaf aged puerhs? I've tried a couple of cups from other tea shops (here in San Diego and in Berkeley) and found them less than thrilling. Keep in mind that I'm on a budget and can't afford expensive, aged cakes, and that I'm too old to buy young ones and wait around for them to age to their potential. I want it now!

Thanks for your recommendations.
Dartfrogger

[nonc_ron]

Hi and welcome to the TeaChat.

[debunix]

I wouldn't recommend limiting yourself to loose-leaf puerhs. The supply is much more limited than the compressed cakes, bricks, domes, etc.

And if you don't need a whole cake/brick/dome/etc, you can very often buy samples, especially of special ones.

[debunix]

I wouldn't recommend limiting yourself to loose-leaf puerhs. The supply is much more limited than the compressed cakes, bricks, domes, etc.

And if you don't need a whole cake/brick/dome/etc, you can very often buy samples, especially of special ones.

[jktea]

You can go to Jas-etea. they have the 2007 loose leave old tea tree Pu Er. Super good quality.
http://www.jas-etea.com/products/2007-M ... aocha.html
or his new collection of pure old tea tree ripe Pu Er, 2009. No piling fermentation aroma, strong and smooth throat feeling, mellow taste.
http://www.jas-etea.com/products/2009-S ... 200g-.html

[edkrueger]

You might go to Red Blossom in Chinatown if you want some locally.

Edit: I thought you lived in SF, so RB isn't exactly local.

[Dartfrogger]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I don't live in San Francisco, but I do visit now and then. I'll stop by at Red Blossom...or I'll send my brother over from Berkeley. Any particular suggestions there (RB)?

[beecrofter]

If you fell in love with the low end loose puerh offerings then you will be overjoyed with something like a Menghai V 93 tuo. Some years are better than others, try to buy one at least a year or two old it will have lost it's processing smell/flavor.

[edkrueger]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I don't live in San Francisco, but I do visit now and then. I'll stop by at Red Blossom...or I'll send my brother over from Berkeley. Any particular suggestions there (RB)?

I've actually never bought pu-erh form the, but I know they have a few loose leaf ones. Sorry that I can't be more helpful.

[entropyembrace]

Jing Tea Shop has a pretty good selection of loose leaf pu-erh now...they would be worth checking out...I can´t give specifics though, they don´t have any of the puerhs I bought from them in stock anymore but I´ve enjoyed everything I´ve ordered from Jing.