ITD Tasting Club March Signup -- Beginners Pu'erh

[Chip]

I received my sample yesterday! It appeared to be in good shape. But I need help identifying what is what...exactly.

First one is still caked together.
2nd is loose but more than the...
3rd which is also loose but less leaf than 2nd and smaller leaf particles.

Thanx Brandon!

[Victoria]

Thanks Brandon, mine arrived too!
And I am the winner!!

I found a ticky in mine!!

[Chip]

FIX!!!

[Salsero]

I got all excited today because I received three baggies with attractive looking, dried vegetative matter. wOOt! Just as I was about to go out and buy some papers it struck me ...

... Dang, I think it might be tea.

All kidding aside, BH, it looks wonderful and is in great condition. I'm actually more excited about this stuff than if it actually had been ... well, you know.

[brandon]

Ah, sorry, I considered sticking in a note, but here it is.

The large pieces are from the 2005 sheng (or uncooked/raw) meng hai cake.

The smallest leaf with brown flecks is a nice shu (or cooked) puerh. Rishi labels this "Puerh Maiden".

The last one - larger, evenly colored loose leaf is the 70's Vietnamese mao cha. This is an aged pu'erh.

I am hoping you will have an enjoyable experience tasting the three major types of pu'erh. Of course, there are hundreds of possible variations based on the source and quality of the leaf, the initial production, the storage condition, and age.

[brandon]

Please, rinse all of these teas for 10 seconds or so in boiling water before the first infusion. After that, get into some gong fu cha! The cake should be a nice clear yellow when infused - the other teas should be reddish.

[Sydney]

Got mine!

[Chip]

Ah, sorry, I considered sticking in a note, but here it is.

The large pieces are from the 2005 sheng (or uncooked/raw) meng hai cake.

The smallest leaf with brown flecks is a nice shu (or cooked) puerh. Rishi labels this "Puerh Maiden".

The last one - larger, evenly colored loose leaf is the 70's Vietnamese mao cha. This is an aged pu'erh.

I am hoping you will have an enjoyable experience tasting the three major types of pu'erh. Of course, there are hundreds of possible variations based on the source and quality of the leaf, the initial production, the storage condition, and age.

Brandon...can you start a sticky thread for the tasting, sort of like Sal's Dan Cong. We can post notes, reviews, comments, bong info there.

Sal, I actually had a deja vu experience with the pieces. Smelling it through the bag, looking at it...well...it was like deja vu all over again.

[Proinsias]

Just had confirmation from my other half - pu-erh samples have made it through the trans-atlantic postal system, wehee.

I probably won't get a chance to write up reviews until the weeekend if that's ok.

Did my package beat some of the USA bound packages?

Cheers brandon!

[Wesli]

Did my package beat some of the USA bound packages?

[Proinsias]

mmwahahahaha

[tenuki]

Did my package beat some of the USA bound packages?

[tenuki]

Ah, finally came today.

edit: looks/smells like pretty good pu too, won't get around to tasting it till this weekend probably but now looking forward to it.

[Wesli]

Ah, finally came today.

[Salsero]

So this stuff gets to Scotland before the Pony Express gets it to the West Coast. You guys really are backwards out there. Do you still see a lot covered wagons and gunfight showdowns? It must be very exciting for you.