Official Pu of the day

[bagua7]

Question: what puerhs provide the camphor taste some people report? Any specific factory?

Ta.

[brandon]

Do you pair cigars with tea?
I'd be interested in some recommendations.

Tea and cigar pairing is the speciality of Mr. Tim, cigar makes my eyes puffy and red...

Please enjoy his tea blog
http://themandarinstea.blogspot.com/
And smoke blog.
http://themandarinstearoom.blogspot.com/

[TomVerlain]

Question: what puerhs provide the camphor taste some people report? Any specific factory?

Ta.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pu-erh_tea

Wild trees (gŭshù, 古树; literally "old tree"): Teas from old wild trees, grown without human intervention, are the highest valued pu'er teas. Such teas are valued for having deeper and more complex flavors, often with camphor or "mint" notes, said to be imparted by the many camphor trees that grow in the same environment as the wild tea trees. Young raw pu'er teas produced from the leaf tips of these trees also lack overwhelming astringency and bitterness often attributed to young pu'er.

No specific factory, but be wary of too much for too little, camphor might be used in the storage or chemicaly added to give the illusion of tea better than it's origin.

[bagua7]

Hmmm. Tricky/worrying issue, especially the last bit you wrote. I am not too keen of this, so will put it aside for now until the day comes where I can buy that particular cake "in situ."

Thanks anyway.

[brandon]

Been storing this since 2008. Once again, the storage may be better than the tea. Still has a very acid finish, but the body and sweetness are filling in well.

Back in the box for another few years.

[gasninja]

I fell like I discovered Pu-erh after everyone else is getting over it. well at least getting over talking about iton the net. Yesterday I tried a 90s song pin hao from puerhshop definetly has seen some wet times in its life but that fades after the first coupleof infusions really suprised by the sweetness thatcomes out of nowere aroundthe 9th infusion. I didn't like this tea at first now i'mcontemplating buying another cake to let air out for a few years and see what happens.

Today I have been having a pu marathon I woke up to trying to get infusuion 13 out of the songpin wich seemed to be gowing strong when ileft it for the night at around 2am. But itdefinetly lost something I kept itin the refriderator over night heard someone else recomend this don't know if its the best way.
Moved on to a 09 dayi 7552 nice drinkable young shu but not interesting enough for me today. I got through about 5 steeps before switching to a sample 2001 grandyellow mark I had about 10 grams left I tried going with 4 grams so i could have one more decent sesion with this tea as I really enjoyed it previously. It wasn't as potent as with seven grams but still quite pleasent nice buzzing in my mouth but it has definetly mellowed from its ten years of ageing. I wish their where whole cakes available. Even with the pitiful amount of leaf I used I still got about eleven steeps could have gone longer but myattention span waned.
Now Im starting a 2003 Yiwu Zhengshan Old Tree Round Tea Cake from yiwu Manlou company. Hobbes has reviewed the 2005 cake here http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/10 ... gshan.html .which he said was a traditional storage cake. which I asumed was why he described the cakes taste and smell as dirty (but in a good way). The cake I accuired from pu-erh shopis supposebly dry stored but has almost the same tastes and smells. Definetly Earthy Definetly tastey. I never thought I would ever enjoy a tea thats main flavor profile I would desribe as sandpit.

[debunix]

I never thought I would ever enjoy a tea thats main flavor profile I would desribe as sandpit.

Sandpit just doesn't bring the right positive associations to mind. I prefer to think of the soft floor of an old forest, or rich garden soil....

But the best mix so much more in with the earthiness. I just had a very nice session with an old faithful shu pu, one that I'd set aside as not so appealing, but it was quite remarkable on this day, with sweet, fruity, and spicy notes that were delicate but clearly there. Tasty indeed!

[MarshalN]

Today I have been having a pu marathon I woke up to trying to get infusuion 13 out of the songpin wich seemed to be gowing strong when ileft it for the night at around 2am. But itdefinetly lost something I kept itin the refriderator over night heard someone else recomend this don't know if its the best way.

Not sure if it's wise to keep it in the fridge. Room temp is just fine.

[tenuki]

Had some very tasty '93 menghai shu last night. today - coffee.

[gasninja]

tonite im brewing 2000 excellent Brick not sure its either fu hai or CNNP either way this is the best shu I've had in my limited time with pu-erh. Ive only been drinkin pu a few months but it seems like im ordering more pu every week. (do they make 12 step meetings for tea?)this is the only tea ive gotten more than a sample of that I think about drinking every time I reach into my tea chest. Iactually havn't found another shu that I really like. First few infusions Start off real creamy woody and progresses into a cooling sweetness.

[whatsinaname]

The Dingxing has really improved after being aired out for several weeks!

After a day of HMT, my body said, "where da pu?!" I think I have a problem.

[MarshalN]

The Dingxing has really improved after being aired out for several weeks!

After a day of HMT, my body said, "where da pu?!" I think I have a problem.

HMT?

Dingxing should improve after some airing. When you first open it it's probably a bit musty

[whatsinaname]

HMT~ high mountain tea~ gaoshan oolong. I favor Shiuwen's selections at floatingleaves.com.

MarshalN, please accept my gratitude for your tea scholarship. How do you feel puerh will fare for 20 years of storage in balmy New England?

My fix yesterday was a pinch of leaves (Dingxing), grandfather style, in my large gaiwan. Just enough dusty-musty to scratch that puerh itch.


Cheers!

[MarshalN]

I think the dry winters in your house is a problem, and the summers aren't really wet enough. Where in NE are you? It's a big difference from, say, coastal Connecticut to inland MA.

[debunix]

1980s (early) Snow Mark 7532 by The Essence of Tea today. I got a tiny sample of this and to stretch it out, brewed only 3 grams of it in a tiny yixing--each infusion about 40 mL. It's a lovely earthy sweet spicy tea. Mmm. Very tasty 'dirt'!