Show off your Pu!!!!!!!

[nonc_ron]

A Mini Tong for beginners and only $23.00 (7x100g samples)
The small size is ideal for a book shelf or under the Christmas tree.
I just ordered one from YS, 50/50 chance of getting it by Christmas.

2009 Yunnan Sourcing "Yi Dian Hong" Ripe Pu-erh mini tea cake of Menghai * 7 cakes in Tong (700 grams of tea)

This little tea cake is made from Gong Ting and 1st grade Menghai area ripe pu-erh tea. The cake is compressed from 2007 ripe pu-erh stored in an un-compressed form. 2+ years of aging has given this tea cake a smooth and rich sweet taste without that funky "just fermented" flavor of newer ripe teas. Tea soup color is a deep burgundy red!

[nicolas]

42 x 2009 Menghai 7572 901

[nonc_ron]

42 x 2009 Menghai 7572 901

It's times like this that I wish I lived in Hong Kong.
Or that I could buy pu-erh at their prices.

[Drax]

*drool* is that 6 tongs??

*drool*

[nicolas]

*drool* is that 6 tongs??

*drool*

Yes, for US$300. Shipping excluded.

[nonc_ron]

I love these mini tongs, Ideal for the book shelf.
I've just ordered this one from http://www.yunnansourcing.com

2005 Gong Ting Tribute Ripe Pu-erh Mini Tea Cakes 7 cakes at 100 grams ea.

Highest quality "gong ting" tribute Pu-erh is fermented and then compressed into these mini tea cakes. Gong ting Pu-erh is the smallest (and most expensive) grade of fermented Pu-erh and is packed with flavor. These mini-beengs are inside and out gong ting leaves! The flavor is earthy and with a creaminess, not heavily fermented, but needs a few months to mellow, as this is Fall 2005 production.

Vintage: Fall 2005
Region: Baoshan and Lincang
Process: Fermented
Producer: Ganquan Tea Factory

[nonc_ron]

42 x 2009 Menghai 7572 901

I've read your post on counterfeit 7572.
I hope you didn't find it out the hard way.

[apache]

Here are my latest pu'erh collection, first on the list is Yiwu "Gua Feng Zhai" from Yunnan Sourcing (or should I say from Steve!):


Cake inside


A closer look.


From left to right,
Top row: Douji Banzhang (2009), Douji Yiwu (2009), Douji Naka (2009)
Meddle row: Douji Jingmai (2009), 2007 12 Gentlemen Yiwu "Wei Zhong Wei", Yiwuzhengshan (2006) Xingshunxiang Tea Factory
Bottom row: (Cakes bought from Hong Kong) CNNP 7542 2004, Menghai 7542 2003

(Acknowledgment: a very big thanks to Hobbes for the 12 Gen. cakes and the purchasing of some of the cakes)

A closer look of the CNNP 7542 2004


And the back with labels of the tea trading company and the best before date

I don't think I have any other food stuffs in my house have such a long best before date!

Please don't expect me to write review on these cakes soon, as a lot of these cakes just down right "undrinkable" at the moment, especially those that I bought from Hong Kong!

[Maitre_Tea]

I would think that being from HK, these cakes might be more drinkable because of the wetter storage, unless they're still a bit rough around the edges still. I can't wait for my order to come in for Tao Bao...should be here by early next week, maybe late this week if Santa thinks I'm a good boy

[apache]

I would think that being from HK, these cakes might be more drinkable because of the wetter storage, unless they're still a bit rough around the edges still. I can't wait for my order to come in for Tao Bao...should be here by early next week, maybe late this week if Santa thinks I'm a good boy

I can tell you that, they were dry storage. I tried them before I bought them, the level of astringency was unbelievable, I nearly fell off my chair when I tried the CNNP 2004. Nothing likes any cakes from the last 2 or 3 years. It sounds insane to pay a small fortune on tea which I cannot drink, but I think very likely they have potential to age nicely.

[Drax]

I don't think I have any other food stuffs in my house have such a long best before date!

Wow, I'm surprised they even bothered. . . must be some sort of requirement?

I can just see the tragedy unfolding now for some unwitting person -- "Oh, this strange tea is past its expiration date, time to get rid of it. . .!"

Gaaaaaaaaaah!

[apache]

I don't think I have any other food stuffs in my house have such a long best before date!

Wow, I'm surprised they even bothered. . . must be some sort of requirement?

I can just see the tragedy unfolding now for some unwitting person -- "Oh, this strange tea is past its expiration date, time to get rid of it. . .!"

Gaaaaaaaaaah!

If this ever happen, that will be over my dead body.

Well, it only has the last two digit, it could mean 2130.

[oldmanteapot]

I would think that being from HK, these cakes might be more drinkable because of the wetter storage, unless they're still a bit rough around the edges still. I can't wait for my order to come in for Tao Bao...should be here by early next week, maybe late this week if Santa thinks I'm a good boy

I can tell you that, they were dry storage. I tried them before I bought them, the level of astringency was unbelievable, I nearly fell off my chair when I tried the CNNP 2004. Nothing likes any cakes from the last 2 or 3 years. It sounds insane to pay a small fortune on tea which I cannot drink, but I think very likely they have potential to age nicely.

Astringency is not the only factor to consider when we're looking at the aging potential of a particular Pu. But nevertheless, it's usually a good sign that a Sheng still remains astringent after aging for 5 years. This is one of the reasons why we would store our Sheng and drink them at maturity at about 12 - 13 years. There are some Sheng who would still remain astringent and dry even after aging for 10 years, which brings us to another topic of the "Xing Cha" process.

Cheers!

[apache]

I would think that being from HK, these cakes might be more drinkable because of the wetter storage, unless they're still a bit rough around the edges still. I can't wait for my order to come in for Tao Bao...should be here by early next week, maybe late this week if Santa thinks I'm a good boy

I can tell you that, they were dry storage. I tried them before I bought them, the level of astringency was unbelievable, I nearly fell off my chair when I tried the CNNP 2004. Nothing likes any cakes from the last 2 or 3 years. It sounds insane to pay a small fortune on tea which I cannot drink, but I think very likely they have potential to age nicely.

Astringency is not the only factor to consider when we're looking at the aging potential of a particular Pu. But nevertheless, it's usually a good sign that a Sheng still remains astringent after aging for 5 years. This is one of the reasons why we would store our Sheng and drink them at maturity at about 12 - 13 years. There are some Sheng who would still remain astringent and dry even after aging for 10 years, which brings us to another topic of the "Xing Cha" process.

Cheers!

Those teas from Hong Kong not only astringent, but after the initial shock, the astringency turn into very nice and long lasting hui gan, without hui gan, I would never buy those teas.

The seller also told me that, if those teas were Banzhang, they would be more astringent even after aged for 10 years. This experience completely changed my concept of what is a good young sheng pu'erh.

I don't know the "Xing Cha" process, could you tell me more about this?

[Maitre_Tea]

Xing Cha (醒茶) is the process of awakening a tea, which can entail different things, but with the purpose of letting a tea rest for a bit before drinking it. Anyway, MarshalN puts it best here:
http://marshaln.xanga.com/622427471/awakening-a-tea/

PS: Did you get your HK cakes also via Tao Bao?