I beg to differ, there is indeed criteria for selecting pu. The only way to select is to sample. You must find whether the pu in question will have the capacity for aging. However, if you drink pu young this of course is of no consequence. A good pu will have enough potency to age in terms of its acidity, viscosity, depth, bitterness in the right amounts, etc. Next you need to find whether what you are sampling is reasonable for the price. Remember, an flimsy airy puerh will undoubtably become even more so as it ages.oldmanteapot wrote:Here's something for thought, hopefully could generate some traffic here.
What is your criteria / preference of selection when you buy Pu?
Do bear in mind that there are no fixed rules on how you should buy your Pu, but just for discussion's sake. Since there have been quiet a few posts being raised pertaining to buying Pu.
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Nov 11th, '09, 22:12
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Re: Pu Selection Criterias
Re: Pu Selection Criterias
Well, I usually follow my taste buds and my stomach.oldmanteapot wrote:What is your criteria / preference of selection when you buy Pu?
For tea to drink now, sampling is a must. I get some samples from vendors and see which ones I like. It should be under a good storage condition (brief wet storage or natural storage), taste should be smooth, no bitterness, and no dryness in the throat, and definitely not upset my (empty) stomach.
For tea to drink in 5 ~ 10 yr, again sample with less restrict requirements. Look for potentials. Usually go with Shu (5 ~ 10 yo), since 15~20 yo Sheng is a bit too expensive.
For tea to drink in 15 ~ 20 yr, good quality Sheng (5~10 yo) can be purchased within reasonable price range and it starts to show the trend of aroma change. This minimizes guess work on what 1~3 yr Sheng will become.
Beside these, sometime I look for Pu-Erh with interesting aromas. Still looking for good quality Shu with camphor aroma, and one with orchid aroma.
Re: Pu Selection Criterias
I really disagree with this whole idea of storage climates based on geographical location. Do you people not use heaters or air conditioning? I live in a fairly humid environment (surrounded by the Great Lakes), but my cakes aren't sitting outside. If I didn't use air conditioning or heating, then it'd be a different story. In the winter my teas lie dormant, displaying very little aroma, and when brewed they usually disappoint. Flash forward to spring, summer, and fall and my teas have matured ever so slightly, the aroma is strong, and they brew up more familiar from the first time I tried them.
As far as what I look for, I don't really drink a lot of pu'er on a daily basis as I can't afford to drink really good pu'er that my stomach can handle daily. The past few years I've been sampling so much pu'er that I think I have a pretty decent handle on what I personally like in one, and it turns out that I like older stuff the most. I do enjoy the flavors of young stuff, but I don't like the way it sits in my stomach, or the raw qi that sometimes makes me feel uncomfortable. I find oolongs and hongcha make much better daily drinkers. The big factory stuff is usually a safer bet if you stick to classics like the older recipes, but who knows if they'll age into something as good as their older siblings? I could only dream of my 7532's aging into something even half as good as the 96 orange in orange! I've gone through that phase of hunting through the smaller or lesser known factories for diamonds in the rough, and it just really wasn't worth it. I now have only a couple cakes that when brewed just taste like hollow tea water. That's only after three years of storage, too. Then again I also don't think that only a select few cakes will age into something good. I'm definitely far from an expert as I haven't aged anything into maturity, but I am seeing most of my teas aging into the right direction. I mostly very much dislike tweaked teas as those are the ones to turn into hollow tea water, but I have a sweet spot for some when they're younger. This also explains my appreciating the HLH Star of Bulang cake when it first came out. I don't trust Mengku or Guoyan products, as all of my experiences with these factories have been sub-par. Mengku teas to me are usually far too weak for my tastes, and Guoyans usually turn into metallic hollow tea water within just a few short years. That's if they aren't just plain bad or weak. Both factories make gorgeous looking teas, but I'm not into pu'er for it's aesthetic qualities.
When I sample young stuff I try to absorb all the characteristics of the tea. I have a very esoteric selection process that's kind of my own personal experience. For example, I think Nadacha's 08 Bulang cake is the best cake I've ever had under three years old, and I can't wait for it to get a few years on it to see how it starts to develop. I doubt everyone who's tried it will agree with me, but that's what makes talking about tea so interesting. I guess at the end of the day, the way I used to look at and appreciate pu'er is not the same as it is now. When I first started, there were so many factories, mountains, and price variances I wanted to learn about that I was overwhelmed. Everything was exciting and new. I wanted to drink pu'er all the time, and even enjoyed drinking the bad ones. Now a session with an excellent pu'er tea, especially one that's older, is a very special occasion. I make sure that I set hours aside for a great session, and devote my full attention to the tea for a full session that might last several days. For where I'm at now in my pu'er journey, I enjoy trying to find out what to buy next by sampling once in a while adolescent and older cakes almost as rewarding as a rare session with a tea I know and love. I also drink shu, but I've already rambled on for too long to get into what kind of shu I like.
As far as what I look for, I don't really drink a lot of pu'er on a daily basis as I can't afford to drink really good pu'er that my stomach can handle daily. The past few years I've been sampling so much pu'er that I think I have a pretty decent handle on what I personally like in one, and it turns out that I like older stuff the most. I do enjoy the flavors of young stuff, but I don't like the way it sits in my stomach, or the raw qi that sometimes makes me feel uncomfortable. I find oolongs and hongcha make much better daily drinkers. The big factory stuff is usually a safer bet if you stick to classics like the older recipes, but who knows if they'll age into something as good as their older siblings? I could only dream of my 7532's aging into something even half as good as the 96 orange in orange! I've gone through that phase of hunting through the smaller or lesser known factories for diamonds in the rough, and it just really wasn't worth it. I now have only a couple cakes that when brewed just taste like hollow tea water. That's only after three years of storage, too. Then again I also don't think that only a select few cakes will age into something good. I'm definitely far from an expert as I haven't aged anything into maturity, but I am seeing most of my teas aging into the right direction. I mostly very much dislike tweaked teas as those are the ones to turn into hollow tea water, but I have a sweet spot for some when they're younger. This also explains my appreciating the HLH Star of Bulang cake when it first came out. I don't trust Mengku or Guoyan products, as all of my experiences with these factories have been sub-par. Mengku teas to me are usually far too weak for my tastes, and Guoyans usually turn into metallic hollow tea water within just a few short years. That's if they aren't just plain bad or weak. Both factories make gorgeous looking teas, but I'm not into pu'er for it's aesthetic qualities.
When I sample young stuff I try to absorb all the characteristics of the tea. I have a very esoteric selection process that's kind of my own personal experience. For example, I think Nadacha's 08 Bulang cake is the best cake I've ever had under three years old, and I can't wait for it to get a few years on it to see how it starts to develop. I doubt everyone who's tried it will agree with me, but that's what makes talking about tea so interesting. I guess at the end of the day, the way I used to look at and appreciate pu'er is not the same as it is now. When I first started, there were so many factories, mountains, and price variances I wanted to learn about that I was overwhelmed. Everything was exciting and new. I wanted to drink pu'er all the time, and even enjoyed drinking the bad ones. Now a session with an excellent pu'er tea, especially one that's older, is a very special occasion. I make sure that I set hours aside for a great session, and devote my full attention to the tea for a full session that might last several days. For where I'm at now in my pu'er journey, I enjoy trying to find out what to buy next by sampling once in a while adolescent and older cakes almost as rewarding as a rare session with a tea I know and love. I also drink shu, but I've already rambled on for too long to get into what kind of shu I like.