Show off your Pu!!!!!!!

[MarshalN]

I have had really bad luck with sheng samples being really harsh and difficult to drink. So I was really surprised and happy when the owner of a tea shop in Taichung Taiwan, served me some of this. He said it is from 1999. The language barrier was pretty high as I don't know Mandarin, but from what I could understand, this was a special recipe commissioned by him? Could any of you shed some light on this?

I wonder if all the sheng samples I have received off the internet are bad or if they were just too young for my taste. All of the samples I have had are around 2-3 years old.

Anyway, after drinking this, I had to buy it. Now that I have been back for a while, I opened it up and brewed it up. Very smooth, earthy... and almost a minty taste... hard to describe, but very good.

Looks like it's been traditionally stored, a bit. At least I see mold? That might be why you like it.

[MarshalN]

Got back from Hong Kong when I should have spent the week in KL at the Tea Expo instead. I did spend time visiting some tea shops in HK, and ended up buying mostly dry stored new raw teas (which is still not widely accepted by HK tea drinkers).
The HK ripe fermented teas sold and served in most yamcha places do have it's own unique flavor not commonly found in drier stored ripe teas sold in China (perhaps with the exception of Guangdong).

The 200gm bings were sold in a basket of 3, no tasting. From SFTM. Do not even know which 3 of the 6 mountains these teas are produced!

IMG-20120626-00163.jpg

I always maintain that traditionally stored ripe tea is superior and better than dry stored ones - that's the special taste you're talking about. Of course you knew that already.

[DVS]

Just received this today, 1997 Menghai Tea Factory 7542

[TIM]

Just received this today, 1997 Menghai Tea Factory 7542

thats some interesting 7542 you got there. Hows the taste?

[DVS]

thats some interesting 7542 you got there. Hows the taste?

Hi Tim,

That comment does not sound good. I was surprised at how young it tasted.

[TIM]

thats some interesting 7542 you got there. Hows the taste?

Hi Tim,

That comment does not sound good. I was surprised at how young it tasted.

Perhaps some good pic of the inside and the brew color?

[DVS]

Here's a close-up.

[MarshalN]

Doesn't look like 7542

[DVS]

Hi MarshalN,

Do you have any ideas of what it might be? I purchased the cake from Best Tea house.

[MarshalN]

Hi MarshalN,

Do you have any ideas of what it might be? I purchased the cake from Best Tea house.

Really? Which branch?

The surface of the cake looks a bit suspect for a Menghai 7542, but maybe this is one of those private runs?

Any more pics? The whole cake, side, back will all be useful.

[TwoDog2]

thats some interesting 7542 you got there. Hows the taste?

Hi Tim,

That comment does not sound good. I was surprised at how young it tasted.

My initial impression was the same...interested to see the brew pics. Does not look like 7542 though

[DVS]

Here are some more pics.

[DVS]

I purchased this cake from the Vancouver branch.

[DVS]

Top pictures.

[shah82]

You've got the 97 Green Cake? Not necessarily a 7542, and no, that really doesn't look like a 7542. Too tightly pressed, not chopped enough leaves, not enough buds.