Hi there,
I've been drinking Sencha from Japan for quite a while now (several years, don't remember exactly when I started) - mostly after I thought it was time for something new tastewise after drinking a lot of (well roasted, home roasted ...) coffee.
Rather Recently this year I discovered Oolongs and Pu Erh.
Since then my brewing habbits changed from 1-2 minutes brews for Sencha to Gong Fu Cha brewing for chineses greens, oolong and pu erh.
My collection of pu erh kind of exploded within the last few months from a few samples to something around 20+ cakes. Another one arrived today - so there's quite a strong possibility for this one to be No. 30 in my "collection".
I really enjoyed trying lots of samples first but not tend much more to buy cakes of tea of which I think I might enjoy drinking - which leaves a lot more opportunity to really get to know a tea. Somehow cakes became my new prefefed sample size.
I've tried and liked several teas from Yunnan Sourcing, Crimson Lotus, Dayi (really enjoying the 7542), Xiaguan (like the smokiness), Changtai, Mei Leaf, Chawang.
Teaware wise I really enjoy brewing in pottery from eastern european artists, mostly shiboridashi or gaiwans though, rather than kyusus or teapots.
I prefer raw pu erh over ripe, though I like to drink a ripe in the morining sometimes. And something I found out just recently is that I seem to like a really well made young pu erh very often more than older ones.
Not because I am afraid of an aged or stored taste, but because of the intensity and bitterness a young pu erh can deliver. But I am sure this may change like tea does over time.
Oolong wise I ofter end up drinking duck shit oolong or tie guan yin. And I really like the name duck shit oolong.
I guess that's all for now - cheers everyone,
ChaPanda