Pu-Erh from DTH

[Xeractha]

Hi!

I'm about to buy tea from Dragon Tea House, haven't tried other sellers on ebay yet (maybe I'll buy from Berylleb). I don't want to buy tea randomly again so I'm here to ask about your opinions which teas are worth their price. I wouldn't want to pay more than 13$ now (only if it's highly recommended) because I've already ordered another tea. I don't want to buy loose pu erh because breaking up the cakes or tuos just feel too good to leave out of the tea drinking procedure.

To avoid being a simple recommendation topic I'll write a few sentences about my experiences so far.

The first pu I bought was Xin Yi Hao Qin Tuo Menghai Puer Tea (2014). It tasted really bitter and reminded me about a medicine I took for my throat. It didn't stop me but made me curious and I started experimenting with temperature / leaf ratio etc. Once or twice it tasted quite good. When I drank the whole 100g I realized I was supposed to put it away for aging. I liked it for the experience.

The next package was 10 Lao Cang Mini Tuo Cha. I won't write much about it, I didn't like them except one. Somehow a raw mini tuo got mixed into the package from 2008. It tasted really good, quite sweet. Too bad it was only a 5g piece.

I bought a Beauty of Moonlight White Yunnan Puer Tea Cake 2012. I liked this one, though I can't detail the taste because I ran out of it a long time ago.

The next was a Green Cake * Cai Zhe Yunnan Pu-erh Tea 2012 . Awful. It smelled like manure and tasted the same. Maybe a billion years later it might be good.

Then I bought a Xiaguan Te Ji Tuo Cha Puer Tea 2006 Raw. I expected a bitter thing that tasted like gunpowder tea but it didn't taste like that. It was really good and I love this tea. The first 2-3 infusions were a little bit bitter and less sweet (probably I didn't even brew it perfectly). After that I couldn't feel any bitterness (only if I oversteeped) and only the sweetness remained. It wasn't just sweet or bittersweet taste but I won't go into more details because I'm bad at detailing flavours. I like buying different teas everytime that's why I didn't order it again but I might do it.

The next tea V93 * Menghai Dayi Pu-erh Tuo Cha 2010 (Ripe). Maybe my expectations were too high because I read that Dayi is really good. Might be true but not for the cheap ones. Maybe It's my water or I didn't brew it right but it felt really weak. Tasted more complex than those mini tuos or the loose pu erh I bought in the country where I live (Hungary). It's not bad but I don't like it.

A really cheap thing appeared on DTH (3 or 4$): Xin Yi Hao Menghai Tuo Cha Puer Tea 100g Ripe. I like this one. It tastes simpler than the V93 but it makes me curious, I want to experiment with it (leaf ratios etc). Maybe because of the price but I don't regret buying this one.

Few weeks ago Jia Ji Tuo Cha * Menghai Dayi Pu-erh Tea 2009 100g Raw arrived. This one tastes a little bit like gunpowder tea mixed with younger sheng. I will drink the whole 100g soon but I don't like it so far.

Maybe I should forget buying whole tuos/cakes (cheap ones) and buy loose pu erh if it comes to Dayi. Probably the next pu will be a Xiaguan again though I don't know what to expect if it comes to age. I thought older teas cost more but there are younger teas with the same or higher price as some older (same grade I think).

[PurplePotato]

Well, if your favorite tea was a ten year old Xiaguan, then you might as well buy more ~10yr old Xiaguan. But I guess you already knew that. I can't recommend a particular Xiaguan tea, but if you are willing to pay a bit more, you might like either of these, which should be somewhat similar, from White2tea: http://www.white2tea.com/tea-shop/2004-jianshen-tuo/ http://www.white2tea.com/tea-shop/2006- ... uer-brick/. I quite like the former, and have heard good things about the latter. The only "catch" is that you have to pay $15 flat rate shipping.

[mr mopu]

Well, if your favorite tea was a ten year old Xiaguan, then you might as well buy more ~10yr old Xiaguan. But I guess you already knew that. I can't recommend a particular Xiaguan tea, but if you are willing to pay a bit more, you might like either of these, which should be somewhat similar, from White2tea: http://www.white2tea.com/tea-shop/2004-jianshen-tuo/ http://www.white2tea.com/tea-shop/2006- ... uer-brick/. I quite like the former, and have heard good things about the latter. The only "catch" is that you have to pay $15 flat rate shipping.

You can add the tasting set in there and get free shipping. It is about $30.00 more though. berylleb is a go to seller for me usually. Their items are always authentic and I have never had any issue with them. DTH , I got one that wasn't what they sold it as so I am cautious there.

[Xeractha]

Thanks for the reply. That Jianshen looks nice. I might buy it next month 'cause I spent a lot this month that's why I didn't want to go over 13-15$.
I drank again of my cheap 2009 Dayi and it tasted way better than the first time I drank it. Maybe storing it for a few weeks did something to it or the shorter steeping time.
The reason I always use DTH is because I saw it in the vendor guide and thought it was a safe bet. Unfortunately I couldn't find berylleb there. I checked the threads and I saw fakes might appear on DTH. :/ As you can see I don't have that much experience with pu erh and I don't think I'd be able to differentiate between original and fake. The next purchase will be from berylleb then.

I saw you have a lot of tasting notes on steepster Mr mopu. You praised the 2011 Dayi Old Tea Nubs pretty much and I think I either buy a 50g sample of that or the 2014 Dayi Old Tea Nubs (from berylleb). Though the 2011 Yunnan Xiaguan Nan Nuo Tribute Teardrop Raw looks interesting too.

*edit: Oh, it's mrmopar on steepster not mopu. I should read more carefully.

[mr mopu]

Thanks for the reply. That Jianshen looks nice. I might buy it next month 'cause I spent a lot this month that's why I didn't want to go over 13-15$.
I drank again of my cheap 2009 Dayi and it tasted way better than the first time I drank it. Maybe storing it for a few weeks did something to it or the shorter steeping time.
The reason I always use DTH is because I saw it in the vendor guide and thought it was a safe bet. Unfortunately I couldn't find berylleb there. I checked the threads and I saw fakes might appear on DTH. :/ As you can see I don't have that much experience with pu erh and I don't think I'd be able to differentiate between original and fake. The next purchase will be from berylleb then.

I saw you have a lot of tasting notes on steepster Mr mopu. You praised the 2011 Dayi Old Tea Nubs pretty much and I think I either buy a 50g sample of that or the 2014 Dayi Old Tea Nubs (from berylleb). Though the 2011 Yunnan Xiaguan Nan Nuo Tribute Teardrop Raw looks interesting too.

*edit: Oh, it's mrmopar on steepster not mopu. I should read more carefully.

No worries as I visit quite a few forums. I try to keep the name close to the original on every site.