Official Pu of the day

[AdamMY]

A sample from Hou De. '98 Chung Cha 8582.

Sadly no pictures right now.

[shah82]

Alright, I have no clue what you're talking about, but the wiki is hilarious...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moët_%26_Chandon

[TIM]

Now that is interesting...What Dayi products are good after 2000, and why is 2000 such a marker? I get 2005, mebbe ~1995, but why 2000?

I dont know, and I dont pretended to know... coz, if they only start 7542 or 8582 after 2002-2003, then why do I care for it.

To me, its like drinking a Moët & Chandon from Napa. http://www.chandon.com/

[shah82]

Now that is interesting...What Dayi products are good after 2000, and why is 2000 such a marker? I get 2005, mebbe ~1995, but why 2000?

[TIM]

I'm pretty curious about the early 2k Dayi. There were lots of interesting ones. How was this different from a recipe cake of that age, say an 8582?

Lighter, easier and mellower. Yielding less infusions compare to Menghai 2000 and earlier. But again, I don't drink 8582 production after 2000.

[shah82]

I'm pretty curious about the early 2k Dayi. There were lots of interesting ones. How was this different from a recipe cake of that age, say an 8582?

[TIM]

03 Dayi 'Organic' green cake. Taste great with leftover chocolate truffles.

[auhckw]

2003 Qiu Xiang Raw - 500g Beeng


Dry leaves. Beeng quite loose. 6g:140ml

2 flash rinse,
1st - 15s, 2nd - 15s, 3rd - 30s, 4th - 30s, 5th - 45s, 6th - 45s


7th Brew - 1m

Quite unique taste tea. A bit smokiness. No bitter. No astringency. Not too strong. Quite easy/smooth to drink for its age. Feels very warm when drinking.


Wet leaves. Big leaves.


My Zhuni teapot after 3 months of usage...

[nickE]

American Hao 0909 from Puerhshop. This is made from Bada material and I'm proud to say I could taste it. If I was given this as a blind tasting, I'd have said it was a bad version of EoT's Manmai. It's got no mouthfeel, the leaves are terribly broken, and the bitterness slices across the tongue. However, I did recognize that grassy, smooth Bada taste.

[bearsbearsbears]

Heh, 3B, that description sounds like a Nannuo than a Yiwu! I've never tasted anything that was Yiwu, pretending to be Yiwu, or an acceptable substitutes for Yiwu, that was ever very root herbal. I've also never had anything like that last beyond about 12 meaningful cups.

I thought the same when I got the licorice note. I'm on infusion 21 now, and the licorice has since disappeared. There's still flavor in the brews but I couldn't name it. At infusion 20 the first hit of camphor cooling.

Also interesting how much the leaves expanded after the 15th infusion or so. I didn't think the leaves could drink more, but they're almost at the top of my gaiwan now.

It's monotone and expensive, but if I'd tried this tea when it first came out and was cheaper, I might have bought some.

[shah82]

Heh, 3B, that description sounds like a Nannuo than a Yiwu! I've never tasted anything that was Yiwu, pretending to be Yiwu, or an acceptable substitutes for Yiwu, that was ever very root herbal. I've also never had anything like that last beyond about 12 meaningful cups.

As for why I drink the brick...

Well, it's for essentially the same reason Hobbes drank that Douji Banzhang when his residency was unsettled. I want good tea? I want *no fuss* good tea? I don't want to feel guilty for drinking said good tea? Then I whip out that brick. Relatively expensive (tho' now cheap--ish compared to peers in hedons), but not such a refined tea that you care about your settings.

Plus, I'm also just danged used to it and its quirks. Wasn't very sweet, but very woody and a bit tannic today.

I did decide I want *moar* good tea and finished off the '09 Zheng Si Long Yishanmo with 1.7g of '04 Yang Qing Hao Special Reserve. My lord, that was gooooooooood. The younger tea provided big taste while the older tea, which is danged potent for all its lightness, contributed extreme refinement. Sometimes, a little judicious blending of leftovers too small to be served on their own makes for unique sessions.

[bearsbearsbears]

2006 Douji Yiwu
Sweet, licorice, buttery, soft mouthfeel...lasting about 15 infusions so far.

[nickE]

XZH nuercha brick in my cup this morning.

One day I'm going to try that, as you seem to like it so much.

Yesterday's Pu was a sample of the American Hao 1005, which is a ripe brick. Pretty disappointing, some wo dui still there, and really not much to like. I prefer Dayi for Shupu.

[shah82]

You can get it from puerhshop $10 cheaper, if you like...

XZH nuercha brick in my cup this morning.

[heatwaves]

Which blogs do you read?

As many as I can find.

My personal favorite is Hobbes' Half-Dipper. He's a humble, approachable writer with a great deal of knowledge in the (western) world of pu.

There are also many tea chatters who have very informative blogs. MarshalN's Tea Addicts Journal was actually the first tea blog I ever read. MarshalN, when did you start your blog? 2004?

His blog is super informative, if you don't mind your blogs laden with pretense and grouchiness. (kidding)

Bears Bears Bears has another great blog (and an exceptionally helpful section for puerh beginners). Unfortunately, he doesn't update it as much as others would like.

Basically, I visit Half-Dipper everyday and then "spin-off" that one with the other recently updated blogs that he lists on his site.

You might also check out: http://www.teabloggers.com/?q=content/member-blogs

This is a pretty large list of tea bloggers.

So as to not entirely hijack this thread, I'm drinking 2005 Changtai Qian Jian Feng (Red Lantern Tea). I'm not as big a fan of it as others, particularly for the price tag.