Official Pu of the day

[bryan_drinks_tea]

Cheap tea tonight.. the 2008 Changtai 'Beauty of Changtai' cake.

Since my acid reflux recovery i've been able to dip into a few teas that I have sitting around.

I brewed this strong, 8 grams in a 120ml gaiwan. It has some good flavour and a lasting aftertaste along with plenty of ku hanging around in the back of the throat. As far as qi...meh. Wasn't there that I could tell. the 'water' sat level with where my collarbones meet. The leaves looked good, didn't see any issue with processing that I could tell.

I think that this tea, given some good solid traditional storage could turn out okay.

[apache]

@apache: might that EoT 'Bangwai" be a typo?
How about 邦崴 Bangwei - which is (according to this list) in Simao, just like Jingmai. But as I understand things Bangwei/Bangwai is not within Jingmai, which might account for its lack of similarities to Jingmai teas.

Thank for checking, there's some confusion with the spelling.
http://half-dipper.blogspot.co.uk/2010/ ... ngmai.html Look out for the comment from EoT on 18 May 2012. I think I would adopt the spelling on the wrapper, which is Bangwai.

I check a map produced by EoT
http://www.essenceoftea.co.uk/blog/page/4/

Jingmai is near Lancang and Bangwai is further north near Shaungjiang. You are right, the two places are not that near.

[chabaka]

@apache: might that EoT 'Bangwai" be a typo?
How about 邦崴 Bangwei - which is (according to this list) in Simao, just like Jingmai. But as I understand things Bangwei/Bangwai is not within Jingmai, which might account for its lack of similarities to Jingmai teas.

[apache]

EoT 2010 Bangwai today. Under my care for 2 and half years, this cake hasn't changed much, soup still very pale yellow. I looked up other taste notes, I'm told this is a Jingmai? but I can't taste Jingmai and I'm not too fuss if it isn't a typical Jingmai. Anyhow, it has some interesting floral notes but I wish it got more body. Some hint of huigan.

[apache]

Drinking 2008 HLH LBZ & Man'E.

Time fly, this cake now is almost 5 years old and colour of the soup is deep orange yellow and the insane bitterness has subsided. It's a little bit resemblance of EoT's legendary 2009 - 2011 Bulang cakes. I'm no big fan of Man'E, and this probably is my only Man'E collection and it is mixed with a bit of other material, they say it's LBZ (I took it face value) makes the Man'E more bearable. Thus said, it has very good huigan, if any of you don't understand the term huigan, have a sample of this will shed you some light.

[ChengduCha]

Had some 2012 Yunnan Sourcing "Ye Sheng Cha" Wild Tree Purple Tea of Dehong again.

If you know what to expect it can actually be quite nice, although the taste of smoked mackerel with hui gan is an acquired one.

[teaisme]

some 2009 Nan Jian "Silver Tips Mini Cake" from YS mixed with a couple leaves of nice shou

surprisingly good, esp for the price ($5/125g mini cake sample)
Someone else must have thought so too since YS had a lot and now its all mysteriously gone, prices on other sites are significantly higher now too.

A pu that is rich and decently thick, and pungent, yet will not get too bitter with extended infusions, makes for an excellent work tea. Tea has a certain wild primitiveness to it. Took my stomach a session or two to adapt. Makes the happy tou of the same price (well was) seem so unrefined. Abundant stems and buds, along with nice thick veined small whole leaves.

[ChengduCha]

Had some 2003 Tai Lian * Yi Wu Mountain * Raw Pu-erh from YS today.

It's already pretty aged, which you can see in the color of the liquor as well as in the taste, however it's still rather acidic. Some would say it's in the middle of it's aging process.

I think it might turn into a good pu in 5-10 years and given the aging that has already taken place $45 is a good price.

[chado.my.teaway]

some sheng. lao cha. very cheap 1$ per 10 gram.

[TIM]

2003 Millennial Old-Tree Yunnan Chitsu Pingcha. Jingmai.

From Best Tea House HK. Mr. Chan's Storage.

Nice touch of humidity, sweet and floral.

[Drax]

I think you are correct. If those were the only two, then "plantation" is probably the same as "old plantation" (I have my purchase notes as "plantation" so I was trying to figure out if that was the same as "old plantation").

In any case, I'm on the 9th steep of the Nannuo at this point. It has packed quite a wallop (at least on the caffeine level). The subtle sweet and floral tones I noted at the beginning have faded away into a strong and still young sheng, typical flavor for the later brews.

Also, I was QUITE depressed when I noticed that I had bought a couple beengs of this Nannuo for only 10 pounds each (and the Bulang that year was 24). I had forgotten just how much the prices had gone up.

[AdamMY]

Actually, stupid question time, it's been so long... I remember that there were two versions of the Nannuo that year. My sample is marked "old plantation" -- is that the one you're talking about? (I think the two versions were old plantation and a qiao mu, but i can't remember)

I honestly don't remember that well. I have a half depleted cake of the less expensive one. I think it was the Old Plantation with Qiao mu being the more expensive one. But I could have that backwards.

[Drax]

Actually, stupid question time, it's been so long... I remember that there were two versions of the Nannuo that year. My sample is marked "old plantation" -- is that the one you're talking about? (I think the two versions were old plantation and a qiao mu, but i can't remember)

[Drax]

Crazy small world, Adam, I've had that sample on my counter in order to brew it for the last week. I think I'll go enjoy it right now... thanks for the reminder! (I've just had it sitting in its paper container on *top* of my pumidor, so will be interesting to see how it has done in the last few years).

[AdamMY]

Some either 2009 or 2010 Essence of Tea Nannou. This is from the year he had two offerings, this is the plantation one.

I am sure my storage has not done it a lot of flavors, but its decently mellow, oddly leathery, and some nice subtle sweetness too.