Starter PU-ERH TEA

[Curly]

Can anyone recommend a first Pu-erh cake for me to try? I've been looking over the options at yunnan sourcing, and it's really daunting.

[Rui]

We all go through that stage. Do not worry.

Another option is to buy several 25g samples of both sheng (raw) or shou (ripe) pu'er teas to start experimenting.

Otherwise raw pu'er cakes from around Yi Wu tend to be smoother than most other regions. On ripe pu'er cakes they are all much smoother so you should be OK with most choices.

[apache]

Just my two cents worth of opinion, a cake of this would do.
http://www.teahouse.com.hk/shop/product/50-6?category=6
(approx. US $77 for a 380 g cake)

Opinion from the tea critic His Highness Hobbes:
http://half-dipper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/ ... years.html

Fairly easy to drink yet with backbone, I could see it got good ageing trajectory. Those have been stored in HK for the last 4 years should be even better.

[bellmont]

Looking over old posts, I decided to edit this one because I cannot recommend Yunnan Sourcing anymore.

[BioHorn]

Just my two cents worth of opinion, a cake of this would do.
http://www.teahouse.com.hk/shop/product/50-6?category=6
(approx. US $77 for a 380 g cake)

Opinion from the tea critic His Highness Hobbes:
http://half-dipper.blogspot.co.uk/2012/ ... years.html

Fairly easy to drink yet with backbone, I could see it got good ageing trajectory. Those have been stored in HK for the last 4 years should be even better.

Wise suggestion. We are fortunate to have so many tasters around!

If you want relatively mature puerh may I also add suggestions for samples of:

http://yunnansourcing.com/en/otherfacto ... grams.html

http://yunnansourcing.com/en/otherfacto ... grams.html

The former cake has gone up quite a bit!

Please let us know what you like!

[mr mopu]

I will second the Ku Zhu Shan and the Da Si cakes. Both are excellent teas.

[Curly]

Thanks all!

[Proinsias]

Samples!

357g is a lot of tea

If you're struggling with the selection Steve at Jas-eTea might be worth dropping an email, I think he's pretty handy with starter packs and is a friend of Yunnan Sourcing.

I'd also suggest putting a little of the budget towards a few crumbs of well aged sheng. This sort of thing.

[toby]

If you are shopping at YS.
Get a sample of their own Mengfei (Spring)
For raw, they have a few southern China storage ones.

Yiwu is good for newbie too:
03 Tai Lian Yiwu Brick is nice.
I tried a few of their Yang Ping Hao too.

Ripe:
Get some aged tulin or Xiaguan Xiaofa.

Personally I don't like that cake from Lau Yu Fat. Their roasted iron goddess, however, is amazing.

[Curly]

Thanks toby and proinsias.