View Full Version : SOTD- sheng of the day
kimble22
03-18-2009, 08:08 AM
I myself drink tea in the afternoon if I can... Does anyone know the chinese thoughts on when to drink tea? Evening tea on a mountain side seems perfect to me though
kimble22
03-18-2009, 08:09 AM
Ouch, your icon cracks me up!
joyfulwoogie
03-18-2009, 08:18 AM
Ouch, your icon cracks me up!
Hey kimble22, your icon is pretty hot, too! :)
joyfulwoogie
03-18-2009, 08:26 AM
I myself drink tea in the afternoon if I can... Does anyone know the chinese thoughts on when to drink tea? Evening tea on a mountain side seems perfect to me though
I am not formally educated in this but from what I have heard and learned, many Chinese herbalists tell me that drinking well-made green tea is not preferred when the sun is not up.
Shengpu, green tea, and lightly roasted oolongs are not preferred at night time.
I personally find herbal teas such as baby bamboo shoot tea, various root teas, flower teas are good in the evening. Aged shu or luian, luibaos are good as well. I don't find young shupu good for evening drinking because of its high caffeine and unaired baterica killing chemicals.
I often find myself drinking shengpu of 3-7 years old in the early morning. I love the idea of starting the day with nice quiet time while drinking tea.
Ouch, your icon cracks me up!
Don't get too used to it.
'08 Xiaguan Fei Tai jin cha
Smokier than a good Latakia, sweeter than a Virginia, more aromatic than Turkish leaf- Camellia Sinensis, meet Erica Arborea. :thumbup1:
kimble22
03-18-2009, 12:11 PM
Ok I won't :-)
I've got some teamasters stuff coming soon, older stuff than Hobbes, I will report on it when I get a chance. Has anyone tried Cloudwalker puerh teas?
Hobbesoxon
03-18-2009, 02:11 PM
I can't remember ever seeing Chinese people drinking tea in the evening - morning and afternoon, yes. I think that's fairly sensible, given that you'll still have plenty of caffeine in your system during sleep if you drink in the evening, which doesn't do much for the depth and quality of sleep.
"The quality of life is determined by the quality of sleep"!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
P.s. I really miss those days when I didn't worry about drinking tea in the evening. Sure, I didn't sleep very well, but I had great evening tea sessions!
Scotto
03-19-2009, 06:51 AM
2008 Yuan Nian "Gathering of Heroes"
Not sure what heroes they are talking about, but given the quality of this tea, it is likely this guy:
Wnjb8Hx76u8
Hobbesoxon
03-19-2009, 07:24 AM
:lol: @ Yuan Nian
Today, I had a tea which was actually worse than Yuan Nian. Not surprising in itself, but the producer was Xizihao. Amazingly bad!
It was the 2007 Dingji Nu'ercha. Entirely repulsive, and available for $100 / 400g. I'm not sure whether the quality of the tea or the pricing is most breathtaking...
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
'06 CNNP 5961 tie bing
I enjoyed this today. What's wrong with me?
I have not been drinking much tea lately, I have had a bad run of insomnia :frown:.
I have been enjoying it vicariously through you gents though,
Thanks
I have not been drinking much tea lately, I have had a bad run of insomnia :frown:.
I have been enjoying it vicariously through you gents though,
Thanks
+1
Well, sort of. I haven't been drinking sheng lately. I did have a thermos of Gunpower tea to keep me going on the drive to the east coast yesterday. And I might get to NYC and pick up some bings. Maybe.
kimble22
03-19-2009, 08:54 AM
:lol: @ Yuan Nian
"It was the 2007 Dingji Nu'ercha. Entirely repulsive..."
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
I usually stay away from cakes labelled Dingji or GriMee.
Sorry for the terrible joke.
Hobbesoxon
03-19-2009, 10:23 AM
'06 CNNP 5961 tie bing
I enjoyed this today. What's wrong with me?
I'm sure they get it right sometimes :)
What did you make of it?
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
And I might get to NYC and pick up some bings. Maybe.
If you can find any, let me know where. This one horse town is a barren wasteland when it comes to pu'er.
I'm sure they get it right sometimes :)
What did you make of it?
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Mild, monotone, uninteresting, yet pleasant. Tea doesn't have to be great to be good, and this was a (very) simple yet enjoyable cup.
Hobbesoxon
03-19-2009, 01:18 PM
I usually stay away from cakes labelled Dingji or GriMee.
Sorry for the terrible joke.
Haha.. still laughing :lol:
If you can find any, let me know where. This one horse town is a barren wasteland when it comes to pu'er.
I thought there were places in Chinatown where I could find some!
There are a couple of shops in my area that sell puerh, but it's always the $50 and up price range.
TFrankMac2140
03-20-2009, 11:22 AM
Ito En Organic Makaibari Estate Muscatel Darjeeling
kimble22
03-20-2009, 03:04 PM
Hmm, it really does suck that NYC doesn't really have any good tea galleries. I went to the Tea Gallery once and talked to some haughty girl about cakes. She told me that they don't do "brands" and when I asked for some older cakes she said she likes to grow old with the cakes she has, so they specifically don't carry old cakes... Anyway, it was a little dissappointing to say the least. On a better note I got a shipment from HK with a few interesting things including '88 QingBing sample that notes wet-storage. Is this an oxymoron? My guess is that its '92 7542 but not the famous batch. I am understanding this wrong? Anyway, I will have a few reports soon.
Hobbesoxon
03-21-2009, 09:25 AM
Week-end drinking with a 2006 Yongde Ziyu "Qing Bing", with thanks to the generosity of Jamus.
Sweet and fruity - my wife loved this, praising its delicacy. A bit thin for my taste, with maybe hints of plantation roughness sticking to the walls of the mouth, and around the throat, but I enjoyed the grainy-savoury Lincang character in it.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Scotto
03-21-2009, 12:01 PM
2008 Mengku Shuangjiang Bingdao.
This tea has a lot to offer. Sweet shiitake mushroom, malted grains, oily, and cha qi to knock your socks off. Not the most intense tea out there, but quite refined and honest.
Hobbesoxon
03-22-2009, 12:36 AM
A Salsero cup from Scotto!
Hobbesoxon
03-22-2009, 10:02 AM
SotD of the Day: 2005 Mengyang Guoyan "Laobanzhang" (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2008/03/at-home-with-2005-mengyang-guoyan-lao.html).
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t24/HobbesOxon/Norpel-2005-Guoyan-BZ-03b.jpg
I really like this cake. It's still available from Yunnan Sourcing, and is the only Mengyang Guoyan I've really enjoyed. That is was never actually released by the factory, and instead served only to fulfil a private order, perhaps explains why it is so pleasant compared to their usual produce, which I find rather too ordinary.
Nada first bought me a cake of this from a trip to Kunming, and I've since acquired two more through YS. The second was at the more recent, higher price (perhaps increased by 30-40%), which Scott says is just because of the increased cost of the cake for him to buy from the distributor.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Scotto
03-22-2009, 03:55 PM
2008 Xiaguan Jincha. If I had a "house pu'er", this would be it. Rich, tobacco goodness. This is the only tea in my cabinet which I have more than one of. Great stuff.
2008 Xiaguan Jincha. If I had a "house pu'er", this would be it. Rich, tobacco goodness. This is the only tea in my cabinet which I have more than one of. Great stuff.
Hobbesoxon
03-23-2009, 02:36 AM
I can't argue that the jincha is a highly deluxe bargain. I have five... and I'm always unsure if that's enough. I drink quickly!
Today, a revisit of the 2007 Simao (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/10/2007-simao-maocha.html) maocha I bought from a happy girl in Maliandao. It seems that it has quietened down and become sweeter in the last two years. Nice, but it's lost some body.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t24/HobbesOxon/2007-Simao-Maocha-PotB.jpg
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
kimble22
03-24-2009, 03:49 PM
The '99 TC discus. Its so good it gives hope to other Xiaguan products.
Hobbesoxon
03-25-2009, 03:03 AM
TC... tight codpiece? Testicular constriction? Talking cobblers?
?
http://www.wattleydiscus.com/pictures/p14.jpg
Yesterday's faux SOTD was a sencha. Scotto declared it pedestrian, but Jim added that the lawn clippings of which it was constituted seemed fresh.
Today brings pu anew.
kimble22
03-25-2009, 08:00 AM
TC Discus is Xiaguan Zhongcha Traditional Characters Discus. Have you ever read CLoud's blog before? He thinks this cake has very strong potential.
Hobbesoxon
03-25-2009, 08:39 AM
Ahh thank you.
I've read Cloud's blog - well, perhaps more accurately, looked at his pictures. Is there a blog, with writing? Link, please!
Many thanks, and toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hobbesoxon
03-25-2009, 08:42 AM
P.s. As Hobbes has previously indicated, Hobbes is driven into a bezerker frenzy by people that write in the third person!
One also finds oneself extremely annoyed when one has to read one's writing in the indirect mood.
~Rage~
Salsero
03-25-2009, 08:59 AM
:lol: +1
+2
_JP_ would have to agree.
After a solid two years of disappointment......this has given me a nice cup of tea. Nice body and flavor spectrum. Not real active and only bit of huigan but a solid performance. Thats what I love about this stuff. On the other hand I have had a couple of good ones fade away. Such is life eh?
On a different note:
kimble your gung fu is no match for mine! You must practice more to defeat my iron skin my son! :biggrin:
joyfulwoogie
03-25-2009, 01:59 PM
After a solid two years of disappointment......this has given me a nice cup of tea. Nice body and flavor spectrum. Not real active and only bit of huigan but a solid performance. Thats what I love about this stuff. On the other hand I have had a couple of good ones fade away. Such is life eh?
On a different note:
kimble your gung fu is no match for mine! You must practice more to defeat my iron skin my son! :biggrin:
I also liked that sheng. I remember this sheng being quite...chunky in powdery sense... It felt some Japanese shencha style of leave rolling/flattening was done to the tea... This is hard to explain. Some extra interesting process was done to this sheng puerh by the Menghai blender to make the tea to have more body in the first couple of infusions.
I notice this same technique is often used by middle range Japanese greens. The tea is a bit cloudy but more taste and body come out this way.
joyfulwoogie
03-25-2009, 02:10 PM
08 Menghai 08 Tuo - menghai blenders are ingenious. Lots of aging potential.
08 HLH BZ&Man'E - solid sheng puerh, thick brew
03 TaiLian Yiwu brick - smooth textured, clean, gentle
07 Yongde Meiziqing - I totally mis-judged this tea. With extra amount of leaves, this tea is actually pretty interesting. Sorry to this tea for disliking it so much for the past two years. I think I just absoluted hated one of 06 offerings that it clouded all my assessment of all YD teas.
I drank few more shengs here and there but no time to blog or write on forums until now.
Lately drinking some Korean green teas. I like the fact that Korean green teas are quite honest in its leaf preperation. No chopping to hide tea's grade nor special leaf flattening or pounding to accentuate the body. However, I am liking some Japanese greens as well. I am drinking 08 Kiyomizu sencha from The House of Tea. The brewed tea is very cloudy and wet leaves show some crafty blending. Yet its taste continue to retain my revisits.
kimble22
03-25-2009, 02:13 PM
For Cloud go to and click on the english diary on right.
http://www.cloudsteacollection.com/
PK we must do battle
Hobbesoxon
03-26-2009, 02:37 AM
For Cloud go to and click on the english diary on right.
http://www.cloudsteacollection.com/
PK we must do battle
Super, thanks for the link.
(I got three sentences in, noticed I was grinding my teeth in frustration at the writing style, and quietly closed the browser window.)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hobbesoxon
03-26-2009, 02:39 AM
Shengpu of the SotD: 2008 Hailanghao Ban'e. Even though I'm in my office, using awful water straight from Satan's kidneys, it's a nice tea.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
awful water straight from Satan's kidneys
You guys with your fancy "permanent" custom titles are pretty full of yourselves. :lol:
Hobbesoxon
03-26-2009, 06:22 AM
:biggrin:
thanks
03-26-2009, 06:27 AM
Bamboo wrapped Youle from pu-erh shop. All Youle that I've had has this similar simple sweetness about it that I enjoy from time to time. This stuff has that, but also it tastes slightly roasted. Overall it's a nice simple distraction, and the price reflects it. I wouldn't own more than one, and I don't expect anything out of it in the future so I might as well drink it now.
In other news, I just made a large order from Kunming that includes this gaiwan http://www.ynpuretea.com.cn/?product-353.html I can't wait!
Bamboo wrapped Youle from pu-erh shop. All Youle that I've had has this similar simple sweetness about it that I enjoy from time to time. This stuff has that, but also it tastes slightly roasted. Overall it's a nice simple distraction, and the price reflects it. I wouldn't own more than one, and I don't expect anything out of it in the future so I might as well drink it now.
In other news, I just made a large order from Kunming that includes this gaiwan http://www.ynpuretea.com.cn/?product-353.html I can't wait!
Thanks.....how do you make payments to ynpuretea? I just see a list of banks on the payment page. Thanks!
thanks
03-26-2009, 01:46 PM
Thanks.....how do you make payments to ynpuretea? I just see a list of banks on the payment page. Thanks!
I didn't, actually. I just asked Scott from Yunnan Sourcing if he could get one for me and he did.
joyfulwoogie
03-26-2009, 08:07 PM
Very floral. Medium bodied. Quite potent until 6th or so then its complexity faded.
Raw puerh matches well with this green yixing pot from YS. I initially had a small daohongpao clay pot for raw puerh but the tea with it came out too soft and smooth which is not a bad thing for the wet-stored teas but for raw sheng, I liked the green pot better.
Sp1key
03-26-2009, 09:06 PM
very mild astrigency, medium to thin broth, weak aroma, weak sweetness, a bit of length on the cha aftertaste but as a whole nothing attractive or stimulating about it.
lasting infusion
color: yellowish/orange to mid chestnut to orangy
Probably gone back to sleep?
Hobbesoxon
03-27-2009, 05:11 AM
2004 He Shihua "Jingmai" - not bad. Savoury and decent, if a bit rough in later infusions. Above average!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
'08 Xiaguan FT jin cha
If you're tired of reading about this- tough! :lol: This has everything I look for in a sheng.
I see that Jim of Puerh Shop has a new '06 Xiaguan Imperial Appreciation Gongtuo, 18 semolians for a 200g tuo.
What a ridiculous name. Anyone ever hear of it?
Scotto
03-27-2009, 09:48 AM
2006 Changtai 339. There are so many mild mannered shengpus out there, but not this one. It is unabashedly intense, smoky, funky goodness. Full of tips, plenty of bitterness, and a challenging brew. Me likey.
joyfulwoogie
03-27-2009, 08:58 PM
I had some people over to my place this evening and had some teas.
We covered mostly cooked puerh and I sneaked in Mengku 001 Muyechun. Some didn't like the taste but I was happy to see two of our friends detect the floral aftertaste. Shengpu is, I think, somewhat of an acquired taste.
07 Muyechun is a good enjoyable tea. Sweet, floral, and somewhat medium bodied.
kimble22
03-28-2009, 01:41 PM
Can someone please tell me the year of this tuocha? This little thing I picked up in a random chinatown shop nearly took me down... I was expecting 4-5 infusions and this thing went ~11 with an undying almost sickening huigan and strong scent. It was a lot younger than I thought it would be and I think it looks like the '98 but too me it really tastes significantly younger. Thanks all!
I can retake the first photo if other clues on the wrapper are needed. Thanks again everyone.
joyfulwoogie
03-29-2009, 04:34 PM
I have 03 Xiaguan tuos and they taste like 07. But then it has that aging taste a bit of 04-05.
Was your tuo stored in a real dry place?
I picked up a fake one of those from a Chinatown store. It tasted real funny. Yours look pretty tasty. How was the cost of the tuo? Sometimes you can find a good bargain in those Chinatown stores.
By the way, so far I encountered 4 fake menghai sheng pu. I wonder if anyone here ever make the mistakes I made.
joyfulwoogie
03-29-2009, 06:18 PM
Sweet, smooth, clean, indeed organic tasting but somewhat one dimensional.
I am liking this brick more and more. Good everyday clean decent sheng puerh.
Hobbesoxon
03-30-2009, 05:15 AM
2006 Changtai 339. There are so many mild mannered shengpus out there, but not this one. It is unabashedly intense, smoky, funky goodness. Full of tips, plenty of bitterness, and a challenging brew. Me likey.
Where's that one from, Monsieur? I don't drink enough Changtai, and would like to remedy the situation!
I see that Jim of Puerh Shop has a new '06 Xiaguan Imperial Appreciation Gongtuo, 18 semolians for a 200g tuo.
Puerh Shop's text makes me highly amused and irritated in equal measure. :)
07 Muyechun is a good enjoyable tea. Sweet, floral, and somewhat medium bodied.
Very nice, yes indeed. I wonder how they'll do? They're a bit light, but I'm enjoying my Muyechun!
Can someone please tell me the year of this tuocha? This little thing I picked up in a random chinatown shop nearly took me down... I can retake the first photo if other clues on the wrapper are needed. Thanks again everyone.
Nice! The wrapper is the same as the '98, but they've been using it ever since. It's what I refer to as the "Peacock" (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2008/04/1998-menghai-peacock-tuocha.html) tuocha, and that year is one of my favourites (even the wet-stored (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2008/10/1998-menghai-peacock-shicang.html) version).
Unfortunately, it's not easy to tell which year yours is from, unless you can get a better shot of the colour. Is it deep, rich, and woody? The '98 is like that. If it's edgy, punchy, green, then it'll be more recent.
Either way, a great find! I do love those "Peacock" tuocha.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
thanks
03-30-2009, 05:32 AM
Where's that one from, Monsieur? I don't drink enough Changtai, and would like to remedy the situation!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Oddly enough, the Changtai 339 is from Pu-erh shop. Special order I believe, and it looks really good too.
The 17$ tuocha from Xiaguan is actually well-sought after. I've only found it for slightly more elsewhere so it's actually a good deal on that particular tuo.
Where's that one from, Monsieur? I don't drink enough Changtai, and would like to remedy the situation!
As mentioned, it's from PS.
I had a sample of it last July, and still have the taste in my mouth. Violent, sauvage, smoky, and weird- it's a love it or hate it tea. You won't find it bland.
Salsero
03-30-2009, 10:27 PM
Rec'd the standard 5 bricks of 2006 Bao Yan "Tibetan Flame" from Tuocha Tea in today's mail. Oh my, this stuff responds so well to any brewing parameters! Attractive, elemental, and only 1˘ per gram.
My biggest "thank you" to the B&B luminaries for mentioning it.
I also picked up the more pricey 1998 Menghai Tuocha ... I guess it's the one Hobbes is calling the Peacock tuocha. I will try it out later in the week.
Hobbesoxon
03-31-2009, 02:30 AM
Rec'd the standard 5 bricks of 2006 Bao Yan "Tibetan Flame" from Tuocha Tea in today's mail. Oh my, this stuff responds so well to any brewing parameters! Attractive, elemental, and only 1˘ per gram.
My biggest "thank you" to the B&B luminaries for mentioning it.
I also picked up the more pricey 1998 Menghai Tuocha ... I guess it's the one Hobbes is calling the Peacock tuocha. I will try it out later in the week.
I bought exactly the same pair of teas - the '98 listed there seems to be my old friend. :)
(It's probably not worth the money, though - it's tripled in price over the last four years.)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hobbesoxon
03-31-2009, 02:32 AM
S of the D: 2008 Xiaguan "Yiming Jingren" / "Instant Sensation". I'm drinking the remainder of my sample, which must be about 13-14g, and it remains palatable and interesting. The gaiwan lid won't fit on, though!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
joyfulwoogie
03-31-2009, 03:43 AM
S of the D: 2008 Xiaguan "Yiming Jingren" / "Instant Sensation". I'm drinking the remainder of my sample, which must be about 13-14g, and it remains palatable and interesting. The gaiwan lid won't fit on, though!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Wow, 13-14g?!! How big is your gaiwan? You brew with much lower temp than usual, right?
In any case, you must have a stomach made of steel.
joyfulwoogie
03-31-2009, 03:46 AM
First 09 offering of the year!
here (http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Yunnan-Sourcing-LLC_RAW-PU-ERH_2009_W0QQ_fsubZ6634794QQ_sidZ185588277QQ_trksi dZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322)
:w00t:
joyfulwoogie
03-31-2009, 03:50 AM
Drinkning this 03 brick, I have many questions.
Kunming storage is some seriously dry storage. It really tastes like 05-06. There is faintlest vanilla aftertaste. Overal, this is a weak, sweet, fairly clean but minimally yiwu tasting tea.
What is yiwu taste? I have more than 15 yiwu claimed teas but they all differ.
I yearn for the day when I can really know what I am drinking.
thanks
03-31-2009, 04:55 AM
Drinkning this 03 brick, I have many questions.
Kunming storage is some seriously dry storage. It really tastes like 05-06. There is faintlest vanilla aftertaste. Overal, this is a weak, sweet, fairly clean but minimally yiwu tasting tea.
What is yiwu taste? I have more than 15 yiwu claimed teas but they all differ.
I yearn for the day when I can really know what I am drinking.
Sometimes I really curse that Kunming storage for robbing a tea of greatness in it's time. Case in point? 1998 Lincang CNNP Green Wrapper. This could have said 2004 and I would have believed it. Maybe even more recent than that. It's teeter-tottering on the edge of greatness, and it just needed a little push in the right direction. It'll probably take four to five years of normal storage to make it taste like a 1998 should now.
'06 CNNP 5961
These new CNNP's are not spectacular teas by any stretch of the imagination, but my initial indifference has been supplanted by mild acquiescence. They're inoffensive, and border on the bland, but they deliver wisps of honest pu'er flavors.
Drinkable, just not remarkable.
thanks
03-31-2009, 06:02 AM
'06 CNNP 5961
These new CNNP's are not spectacular teas by any stretch of the imagination, but my initial indifference has been supplanted by mild acquiescence. They're inoffensive, and border on the bland, but they deliver wisps of honest pu'er flavors.
Drinkable, just not remarkable.
Have you tried the 08 CNNP Bulang for 9$ yet? If so, what'd you think of it? It looked pretty intimidating if it is Bulang as there were almost no tips, and that would also help explain it's price.
Have you tried the 08 CNNP Bulang for 9$ yet? If so, what'd you think of it? It looked pretty intimidating if it is Bulang as there were almost no tips, and that would also help explain it's price.
Haven't tried that one yet. And judging by their more expensive offerings, I'm in no rush. :lol:
thanks
03-31-2009, 06:46 AM
Haven't tried that one yet. And judging by their more expensive offerings, I'm in no rush. :lol:
Well it's a Kunming factory produced beeng packaged by the CNNP, and I've had really good experience with older Kunming company teas. For 9$ I might as well add it to my next order.
Also, I finally ordered the XG Jincha due to all the praise it's received around here. I can't wait to try it!
The 09 teas are finally starting to roll out, but to be honest I think I'm holding off on any non-recipe releases until far later in the year unless I cave in to a releases hype. I'm still kicking myself in the pants for not buying a full tong of 7532, but it's not too late, I'll get one of 08 and one of 09. I think I'll get one every year :biggrin:
joyfulwoogie
03-31-2009, 11:22 AM
Drinking this tea on a 750ml tea mug at the college. Some teas don't do all too well with the "grandpa" brewing style.
The tea's usual thickness and sweetness aren't there. Perhaps it's the water or perhaps the salty food I had earlier.
Taste quite yiwuish a bit. I don't know much about this tea but taste something similar to Manzhuan mountain stuff. Not as sweet as the yiwu but a bit more nuttish and vegetal.
Rough notes of the plantation leaves are much more pronounced now.
Scotto
03-31-2009, 01:35 PM
I wasn't that much a fan of the Green City Peak either.
Today: 2008 Douji "Dadou" nano-brick. This one has grown on me with its chunky goodness. Sweet candies and earth; a nice tea but not a fantastic one.
Have you tried the 08 CNNP Bulang for 9$ yet? If so, what'd you think of it? It looked pretty intimidating if it is Bulang as there were almost no tips, and that would also help explain it's price.
Ive tried this one twice and found it to be so overbearing and astringent that I cannot drink it. However it seemed like there was something there worth waiting for. Someone else on teachat bought a tong of it. I think it will be a worthy ager for the price.
Sp1key
04-01-2009, 12:39 AM
08? I think its too early to tell, have to wait 3 yrs and see how it has transformed
Hobbesoxon
04-01-2009, 01:38 AM
SotD: Lincang Impersonation, by Hailanghao. I'm finishing my sample of this, and it's another gaiwan-burster in terms of leaf quantity. This one's rather potent, though :eek:
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
joyfulwoogie
04-01-2009, 04:21 AM
Yesterday coming home, I was telling my wife that the water from Bunn machine made my tea taste so much better than the kettle water we had.
I wonder the Bunn machines have their own water filteration system that re-mineralizes the water.
It was worth $.25 I paid for the hot water.
Drinking no name wet-stored loose mix puerh. I think this is too wet-stored. I love the taste but my throat is a bit tight now. Looking at the wet-leaves, I can see some good amount of well aged leaves but some small amount of charcoal hard leaves as well.
Hobbesoxon
04-01-2009, 04:39 AM
I'm not sure how much I trust those re-mineralisers... :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Only one cure for a throat that's on fire- Baoyan brick. If it can soothe the throats of the Tibetans (who consider Nanook of the North's environment a day at the beach), it can do the trick for me.
joyfulwoogie
04-01-2009, 06:10 AM
Only one cure for a throat that's on fire- Baoyan brick. If it can soothe the throats of the Tibetans (who consider Nanook of the North's environment a day at the beach), it can do the trick for me.
Yeah but then they would also have used a ton of yak butter. I had baoyan 08 the other day and I seriously thought of trying some butter tea with it.
joyfulwoogie
04-01-2009, 04:55 PM
It takes some practice to brew to my perfect liking but this tea is just lovely.
The fragrance of the tea, aftertaste, returning floral orchid breaths, its intense sweetness just make me stop all that I am doing and enjoy breathing.
The only downside is that the tea is very thin and extremely sensitive to brewing parameters.
Also even though it is 02, it tastes like 05. The wet leaves are a bit aged yet taste still very fresh. Really nice interesting tea.
Hobbesoxon
04-02-2009, 02:49 AM
It takes some practice to brew to my perfect liking but this tea is just lovely.
The fragrance of the tea, aftertaste, returning floral orchid breaths, its intense sweetness just make me stop all that I am doing and enjoy breathing.
The only downside is that the tea is very thin and extremely sensitive to brewing parameters.
Also even though it is 02, it tastes like 05. The wet leaves are a bit aged yet taste still very fresh. Really nice interesting tea.
Woogie, is that this one (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/08/2002-fuchaju-ailaoshan.html)? If so, I'll give it another go. It was a bit nondescript back in 2007, so maybe good things have occurred in the interim, given your description. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
'07 Mengyang Guoyan Star of Yiwu
Cult of mediocrity.
Hobbesoxon
04-02-2009, 05:51 AM
The remains of a 2008 Hailanghao "Ban'E" sample mixed with dianhong (!) to bring it up to quantity.
Malty, sharp, twisted, brutal, schizophrenic, bezerker. Not bad at all.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
joyfulwoogie
04-02-2009, 07:23 AM
Woogie, is that this one (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/08/2002-fuchaju-ailaoshan.html)? If so, I'll give it another go. It was a bit nondescript back in 2007, so maybe good things have occurred in the interim, given your description. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Yeah, it is the same one. I've read the review many times. :) I agree with your review mostly. I just found a particular brewing parameter that worked for me.
The tea is really lovely in its taste and aftertaste but I don't know what happened to the thickness and steaming cooling effects. Scott packages these beengs/bricks in airtight plastic bags unlike other beengs. I think the packaging is to lock in the fragrance and the taste.
In any case, I really like the tea for its flowery aftertaste and incredible sweetness.
When pushed, though, the tea simply breaks down and becomes unrecoverable. I tend to agree with your review because of its severe sensitivity to brewing parameters.
Try using 80-85C tempt water in the beginning then 90C after 4th or so infusions. If you use 100C, in my experience, the tea gets cooked up.
Hobbesoxon
04-02-2009, 07:26 AM
Try using 80-85C tempt water in the beginning then 90C after 4th or so infusions. If you use 100C, in my experience, the tea gets cooked up.
Now there's an idea! I'll give it a go, thanks. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Scotto
04-02-2009, 10:47 AM
2008 Xiaguan "Red Chamber" tuo.
My tastes don't always align with David's, but I am glad he pointed me toward this one. This is a very attractive tea. Removing leaves from the tuo, they are gorgeous little curlicues. There is a complex earthy/fruity scent to the dry leaves. Medium bodied, stewed fruit, and spice. I would imagine this would be nice with some age on it also. Thumbs up.
netsurfr
04-02-2009, 04:31 PM
Been looking at that one. May have to give it a go.
joyfulwoogie
04-02-2009, 04:40 PM
Interesting to note that this tea tastes and looks much more aged than I remember about a year ago. It may be just my bad memory but the dry leaves are darker, the brewed tea darker, and tastes thicker but still flat and hallow.
I can't be bothered to check my notes on this tea about a year or so ago at the moment. I think I like this tea much more than I did before. The highlight of this tea is its thickened sweetness. There is some creaminess about the sweetness I seemed to enjoy a lot. However, there isn't much else to taste or feel. Very little aftertaste, much lacking in taste profile other than sweetness.
When pushed with hotter brewing parameter, the tea gets sour sweet. I am not found of sour sweetness in puerh. I tend to be very careful with Mengku teas to avoid this sourness for this reason. I sometimes can really enjoy Mengkus and sometimes really dislike them. I guess much is dependant on my brewing.
--- addition ---
There is weak but noticeable aftertaste of orchid. It is a distant floral huigan but still good huigan indeed. It lasts a while as well.
Hobbesoxon
04-03-2009, 03:57 AM
2008 Xiaguan "Red Chamber" tuo.
My tastes don't always align with David's, but I am glad he pointed me toward this one. This is a very attractive tea. Removing leaves from the tuo, they are gorgeous little curlicues. There is a complex earthy/fruity scent to the dry leaves. Medium bodied, stewed fruit, and spice. I would imagine this would be nice with some age on it also. Thumbs up.
"This tea tastes great, because it is named after Hongloumeng."
Haha. Mrs. Hobbes there, on tasting this tea last year.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t24/HobbesOxon/Volume2/2008-Xiaguan-Hongloumeng-06b.jpg
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Birthday sheng-
'08 Xiaguan Happy Happy Joy Joy tuo.
Yippee! Love this one.
netsurfr
04-03-2009, 04:57 PM
Birthday sheng-
'08 Xiaguan Happy Happy Joy Joy tuo.
Yippee! Love this one.
By happenstance, tried this tea this evening for the first time. I liked it a lot. Glad I bought a number of these for the group buy.
joyfulwoogie
04-03-2009, 09:10 PM
Birthday sheng-
'08 Xiaguan Happy Happy Joy Joy tuo.
Yippee! Love this one.
Your birthday, Ouch? Happy belated birthday!
A fitting named 08 sheng for the occasion!
Thanks for all your contribution to the forum. We are grateful. Good to have you on earth.
Salsero
04-03-2009, 09:29 PM
Thanks for all your contribution to the forum. We are grateful. Good to have you on earth. Elegantly stated as always, Woogie. I couldn't agree more!
:happybday:
Now, when do the spankings commence?:taz:
Hobbesoxon
04-04-2009, 04:34 AM
Happy birthday, Ouch!
SotD: 2007 Twelve Gentlemen "Yiwu". Nice. Red + green, flavoursome, punchy, leathery.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
netsurfr
04-04-2009, 06:14 AM
2008 Hai Lang Hao Lao Ban Zhang & Man'E Ancient Arbor
Wow, I had forgotten how much I love this one!
Happy birthday, Ouch.
Good to have you on earth.
Who said I was from Earth?
Thanks!
Who said I was from Earth?
Thanks!
Good point. New Jersey is that different.
netsurfr
04-04-2009, 04:55 PM
Good point. New Jersey is that different.
:lol: :001_rolle :lol:
joyfulwoogie
04-04-2009, 09:45 PM
I had my last sheng of the coming week. Passion week has begun and I am giving up tea to spend some time contemplating about how I have been living and how I will be living my life. I will have so much time with myself that I might even have some time for God. :)
This tea, by the way, is a fierce sheng. My sample is one of the most severely chopped up sheng of 08. The brewed tea was quite cloudy until 4-5th infusion. Huigan, of course, was huge. Sweet but that bitterness just knocked all other tastes out of all my taste buds. Quite complex but too bitter to make sense of this tea. Sweetness lasts forever and aftertaste is also powerful. Too bitter to keep drinking to examine in detail.
Will be back in a week.
thanks
04-04-2009, 11:30 PM
Happy super belated birthday Ouch!
I just drank some 801 7542. An oldie but a goodie I guess. My problem is that with most aged examples I've had with this tea it's just turned into sweet wood, and I rather dislike a strong wood base in older teas. Such a shame as I really am a fan of the younger stuff. Maybe the 801 will age differently? My opinion of 7532 being the best of the well established Menghai recipes still holds true, but the 0622 is quickly rising to the challenge. I just wish this particular recipe had been invented a long time ago so I could see some aged examples and really compare it to the others.
Hobbesoxon
04-05-2009, 05:59 AM
2008 Menghai "Dowry Tea" [Nu'er Gongbing, lit. "Daughter Tribute Cake"]. Underpowered and simple. This is basic plantation tea, with the usual Menghai straw-and-mushroom character. It's sweet, but not very interesting. The cakes are baby 200g xiaobing, and Scott @ Yunnan Sourcing doesn't sell samples. My advice: don't bother.
The compression is extraordinarily tight, too. Not a great tea.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/teefanatiker/menghai/2008_mh_nvergong_bao.jpg
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
08 XG Nanzhao beeng
Was that the Nan Zhao Yu or the Nan Zhao round cake?
Happy super belated birthday Ouch!
I just drank some 801 7542. An oldie but a goodie I guess.
As they say in the Department of Redundancy Department: Thanks, Thanks.
I'm confused, though. Isn't the7542 (801) a 2008 production?
'08 Menghai 7582
The most approachable of the '08 Menghai offerings, in my estimation.
thanks
04-05-2009, 07:59 AM
I'm confused, though. Isn't the7542 (801) a 2008 production?
I should clarify. I meant the recipe in general as being an oldie but a goodie. You are correct in that it is a 2008 production.
I should clarify. I meant the recipe in general as being an oldie but a goodie. You are correct in that it is a 2008 production.
As far as I can tell. if there is a single classic recipe in the world of pu'er, that's it.
thanks
04-05-2009, 04:17 PM
Hobbes that's disappointing news as I've just ordered a bing of that particular tea. Oh well!
Today I drank some of the 04 baijiguan and 06 dianhong you sent James. Both were fantastic! It's not often I think, "hmm, I think I can afford some baijiguan", let alone find a well-aged example. The 06 dh was mellow and just right. Not as much of that strong malty tang from younger dh, but just right. Did you happen to come across that dh made with wild Jingmai leaves from Dragon Tea House? I think I might order it soon. It's been a while since I've drank dh on a regular basis.
Hobbesoxon
04-06-2009, 02:14 AM
Hobbes that's disappointing news as I've just ordered a bing of that particular tea. Oh well!
You machine! A tong without trying it? Impressive boldness!
Today I drank some of the 04 baijiguan and 06 dianhong you sent James. Both were fantastic! It's not often I think, "hmm, I think I can afford some baijiguan", let alone find a well-aged example. The 06 dh was mellow and just right. Not as much of that strong malty tang from younger dh, but just right. Did you happen to come across that dh made with wild Jingmai leaves from Dragon Tea House? I think I might order it soon. It's been a while since I've drank dh on a regular basis.
I'm very glad that you liked them - I'm drinking the Dianhong at the moment. It's my favourite so far, I think, and Geraldo rated it as his favourite in his 5000-Dianhong roundup from a while back.
I've not tried the Jingmai Dianhong - not sure how that'd work! Dianhong isn't made from "Daye" [big leaf] varietals, as far as I know, being just standard plantation bushes as used elsewhere in the PRC for hongcha. It'd be very interesting to see if that hongcha picked up any of the terroire that we associate with Jingmai (savoury, grainy, nutty type characteristics).
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hobbesoxon
04-06-2009, 02:14 AM
SotD: Lincang Impersonation, finishing up a sample.
Still nice. Not nice enough to prompt me into buying a second cake, but nice.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
thanks
04-06-2009, 03:19 AM
You machine! A tong without trying it? Impressive boldness!
I'm very glad that you liked them - I'm drinking the Dianhong at the moment. It's my favourite so far, I think, and Geraldo rated it as his favourite in his 5000-Dianhong roundup from a while back.
I've not tried the Jingmai Dianhong - not sure how that'd work! Dianhong isn't made from "Daye" [big leaf] varietals, as far as I know, being just standard plantation bushes as used elsewhere in the PRC for hongcha. It'd be very interesting to see if that hongcha picked up any of the terroire that we associate with Jingmai (savoury, grainy, nutty type characteristics).
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Sorry, meant to type beeng, as in single cake. It's still a cheap tea so I don't mind horribly. I do have the mushroom tuo on the way along with a bunch of other things- sort of my last hurrah before the 09 teas are ushered in. Speaking of which, know where I could get a good price on some bei dou?
Speaking of 09 teas, if you're a Mengku fan (I'm personally not in general) then this might be of interest. http://www.ynpuretea.com.cn/?product-355.html
This is the first production from them in 09. Note the spent leaves in the bottom picture. Rather curious.
netsurfr
04-06-2009, 05:55 AM
Too bad it is not a better tea. The wrapper is really colorful compared to most Menhai teas. And, everyone knows there is nothing better than a nice looking wrapper to attract the unsuspecting westerner like myself!
Thanks for the evaluation, Hobbes.
2008 Menghai "Dowry Tea" [Nu'er Gongbing, lit. "Daughter Tribute Cake"]. Underpowered and simple. This is basic plantation tea, with the usual Menghai straw-and-mushroom character. It's sweet, but not very interesting. The cakes are baby 200g xiaobing, and Scott @ Yunnan Sourcing doesn't sell samples. My advice: don't bother.
The compression is extraordinarily tight, too. Not a great tea.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y101/teefanatiker/menghai/2008_mh_nvergong_bao.jpg
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Too bad it is not a better tea. The wrapper is really colorful compared to most Menhai teas. And, everyone knows there is nothing better than a nice looking wrapper to attract the unsuspecting westerner like myself!
Thanks for the evaluation, Hobbes.
Agreed.
Hey, whatever happened to my best looking wrapper thread? Oh well, yet another of my ideas relegated to the dungheap of history.:tongue_sm
'05 Menghai 7542
Running mighty low on this one. What to do, what to do. Almost thirty smackers at PS, and the new ones ('08) are half the price. Should I buy both? I'll have to consult the spirit world.
Should I buy both?
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_caYUJSK96jU/SZxCqpl24gI/AAAAAAAAABE/GfpJdIiTThM/s320/magic8ball.jpg
Okay. Should I buy both the '05 and the '08?
http://www.btcnews.com/btcnews/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/magic8ball_betcherass.jpg
Will Hobbes leave me his tea collection in his will?
http://www.codeodor.com/images/magic_8ball_outlook_not_so_good.jpg
Hmm. How about Scotto, then? Think I can soak him for a few bings?
http://bp3.blogger.com/_HV9aXNpSMtg/RmS6N2-iBtI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/o-8rwgqPKdQ/s320/ball_20.gif
thanks
04-06-2009, 07:18 AM
'05 Menghai 7542
Running mighty low on this one. What to do, what to do. Almost thirty smackers at PS, and the new ones ('08) are half the price. Should I buy both? I'll have to consult the spirit world.
Should I buy both?
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_caYUJSK96jU/SZxCqpl24gI/AAAAAAAAABE/GfpJdIiTThM/s320/magic8ball.jpg
Okay. Should I buy both the '05 and the '08?
http://www.btcnews.com/btcnews/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/magic8ball_betcherass.jpg
Will Hobbes leave me his tea collection in his will?
http://www.codeodor.com/images/magic_8ball_outlook_not_so_good.jpg
Hmm. How about Scotto, then? Think I can soak him for a few bings?
http://bp3.blogger.com/_HV9aXNpSMtg/RmS6N2-iBtI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/o-8rwgqPKdQ/s320/ball_20.gif
:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
Hobbesoxon
04-06-2009, 07:37 AM
Sorry, meant to type beeng, as in single cake. It's still a cheap tea so I don't mind horribly. I do have the mushroom tuo on the way along with a bunch of other things- sort of my last hurrah before the 09 teas are ushered in. Speaking of which, know where I could get a good price on some bei dou?
Speaking of 09 teas, if you're a Mengku fan (I'm personally not in general) then this might be of interest. http://www.ynpuretea.com.cn/?product-355.html
This is the first production from them in 09. Note the spent leaves in the bottom picture. Rather curious.
A new site! Thanks for the link. The photography is superb, you can almost taste the characteristics of the leaves. These particular examples look rather overcooked, do they not :)
I wonder if they taste "red".
I'm generally in no hurry to get the next year's pu'er. I'll let the good ones find me, this year. :chinese:
Thanks again, and toodlepip,
Hobbes
P.s. I'm afraid I don't have a Beidou recommendation - anyone else?
Hobbesoxon
04-06-2009, 07:38 AM
:lol: @ Ouch
thanks
04-06-2009, 07:50 AM
A new site! Thanks for the link. The photography is superb, you can almost taste the characteristics of the leaves. These particular examples look rather overcooked, do they not :)
I wonder if they taste "red".
I'm generally in no hurry to get the next year's pu'er. I'll let the good ones find me, this year. :chinese:
Thanks again, and toodlepip,
Hobbes
P.s. I'm afraid I don't have a Beidou recommendation - anyone else?
The forums for that site are fantastic with the pictures. Sal and I have talked about wanting that particular cup as well. So sad to convert the prices for the teas though :frown:
I was told Beidou was the best value in yancha, but it's near impossible to find a good source in the western world for it. I've only found two places and they seemed to be both fairly expensive for being the "best value". Maybe it's just that good? Who knows.
Anyway to jump back on topic I'm drinking the 08 Peacock of Menghai. It's grown on me. I really should get around to purchasing a cake or two.
Thanks for the link.
Such pretty pictures. Now what the heck does it all mean?
Hobbesoxon
04-06-2009, 11:47 PM
It means prices that are around half the cost of Yunnan Sourcing for the identical teas... :001_smile
E.g., Peacock of Menghai set of 5 bing = $40.96 ($75 from YS)
Box of 5 Menghai Dowry teas (the awful things I wrote about above) = $29.26 ($42.50 from YS)
thanks
04-07-2009, 02:30 AM
Early morning called for an older tea. 1993 7542, and I'm starting to think I might be the only person in the world that's not ga-ga over aged 7542. Later I think I'll brew up the rest of my 96 green in orange sample. What can I say? I think i just love 7532's too much.
Hobbesoxon
04-07-2009, 03:13 AM
I'd take 7532, also.
Today: drinking a sample of 2008 Xiaguan XY "Big Green Tree". Much more pleasant than I remember it, but I've had a bad start to the day. It's sweet, mushroom-like, decent.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
It means prices that are around half the cost of Yunnan Sourcing for the identical teas... :001_smile
How would someone go about ordering from that site? It's all Mandarin to me.
Hobbesoxon
04-07-2009, 08:18 AM
How would someone go about ordering from that site? It's all Mandarin to me.
Very good question. One of the links was "Paypal", but written in Chinese. I'm afraid I can't really recommend anything other than find a Chinese-speaking friend. Sorry :(
Revisited the '08 Bulong brick of questionable provenance.
This is some very tasty stuff.
Hobbesoxon
04-07-2009, 11:46 PM
The future doesn't Bulong to the faint-hearted.
Scotto
04-08-2009, 09:53 AM
Needed a pick-me-up today, and 2008 Menghai 7542 is just the ticket. Chunky, bruising goodness. This one lulls you into a false sense of security for the first couple of infusions, and then assaults you full on with bitterness by the 4th. Good stuff.
netsurfr
04-08-2009, 10:59 AM
The future doesn't Bulong to the faint-hearted.
:lol: Bada beng!
I was expecting a package of samples (see custom title), so I set the bar high today- '08 Xiauguan FT mushroom tuo, one of my favorites.
Tomorrow? Choices, choices....
Thanks, Steve!
Clockwise from upper left-
'08 Xiaguan FT Nan Zhao Yu
'08 Xiaguan 7653
'08 Menghai 7542 (801)
'05 Xiaguan Cang Er tuo
Boing!!!
2008 Hai Lang Hao- Star of Bulang :biggrin1:
Its been a while.
Nice score O!
Check out the sausage I scored in Indulgence of the night. :drool:
Check out the sausage I scored in Indulgence of the night. :drool:
Save me a piece! we can smoke it up!
netsurfr
04-08-2009, 02:27 PM
Nice pic, Ouch! I am looking forward to trying some of those myself. Since I just got them in for the recent group buy, have not had time to sample them all. Had some of the Cang Er Tuo last night. It was very enjoyable. On the downside, that tuo was like a rock on the inside' the outer portions were somewhat easier to work. However, I did create a lot of dust in my efforts to take the tuo apart in an orderly manner.
I was expecting a package of samples (see custom title), so I set the bar high today- '08 Xiauguan FT mushroom tuo, one of my favorites.
Tomorrow? Choices, choices....
Thanks, Steve!
Clockwise from upper left-
'08 Xiaguan FT Nan Zhao Yu
'08 Xiaguan 7653
'08 Menghai 7542 (801)
'05 Xiaguan Cang Er tuo
Boing!!!
Aquanin
04-08-2009, 06:38 PM
I got a delivery today as well!! Thanks Steve!!
http://www.chozick.com/images/new-pu-erh.JPG
Now, which one to start of the morning with???
I got a delivery today as well!! Thanks Steve!!
http://www.chozick.com/images/new-pu-erh.JPG
Now, which one to start of the morning with???
Nice haul! :thumbup: I'd start with the Xiaguan xi zi tuo- it's a winner.
Hobbesoxon
04-09-2009, 05:42 AM
Fine choices! I have 15 of the little Xizihao things myself - love 'em. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Aquanin
04-09-2009, 07:53 AM
I think you can see which one I tried.
http://www.chozick.com/images/tuo.JPG
Today I became the first person in history to have the following for breakfast-
Early's sausage, original recipe, with eggs.
'08 Xiaguan 7653.
Best. Breakfast. Ever. No pics, as the fastest shutter speed on my camera is 1/8000 second, far too slow to have captured the action, and all that I recorded was a blur. I'll have to be brief, as Mrs. Ouch is laying on the floor, drooling like a West coast mod. The sausage is so powerful that I cannot comment on the flavors of the tea, other than it was thoroughly satisfying.
If I had to venture a guess, I'd say the 7653 is along the lines of Menghai's 7582, displaying a thick soup that is advanced for its young age. I was hesitant to order this one, as my experience with non-FT branded Xiaguans has been less than thrilling, but I feel compelled to try any and all "numbered" recipes. Very nice, and cheap. The compression was light by XG standards (ie: practically manageable), and if it's not great, it's still one of those old school cakes that I"d drink any day of the week.
netsurfr
04-09-2009, 09:24 AM
I got a delivery today as well!! Thanks Steve!!
You are most welcome! Looks like everything arrived in good shape.
Scotto
04-09-2009, 09:30 AM
Today I became the first person in history to have the following for breakfast-
Early's sausage, original recipe, with eggs.
'08 Xiaguan 7653.
Best. Breakfast. Ever. No pics, as the fastest shutter speed on my camera is 1/8000 second, far too slow to have captured the action, and all that I recorded was a blur. I'll have to be brief, as Mrs. Ouch is laying on the floor, drooling like a West coast mod. The sausage is so powerful that I cannot comment on the flavors of the tea, other than it was thoroughly satisfying.
If I had to venture a guess, I'd say the 7653 is along the lines of Menghai's 7582, displaying a thick soup that is advanced for its young age. I was hesitant to order this one, as my experience with non-FT branded Xiaguans has been less than thrilling, but I feel compelled to try any and all "numbered" recipes. Very nice, and cheap. The compression was light by XG standards (ie: practically manageable), and if it's not great, it's still one of those old school cakes that I"d drink any day of the week.
OK, you win. :ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:
Hobbesoxon
04-10-2009, 02:23 AM
SotD: the rather special 2008 Laobanzhang maocha (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2008/08/2008-laobanzhang-maocha.html) that Nada kindly provided in a small three-session sample.
To drink real Laobanzhang like this is to understand that proper laoshu [old tree] pu'er is not a bizarre new type of drink. Rather, as with higher grades of matcha, it is just like normal plantation tea, but more.
It is more smooth, more flavoursome, it has more chaqi. It is better in each direction, rather than being something separate and different.
Also, perhaps just as important, it does not contain some aspects of plantation tea: it has absolutely no roughness of any kind. There is no sharp acidic feeling on the walls of the mouth, there is no abrasive feeling in the throat. There is some energy, some smooth and youthful bitterness - but it is not rough in any way.
These two aspects of laoshu tea were my prime lessons from drinking real Lao Banzhang, and help to guide me in evaluating new teas.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
netsurfr
04-10-2009, 07:01 AM
2004 Xiaguan "Iron Cake" Raw. Niiiiiice!
'07 Xizhihao longfeng
I realize now that I have been overly critical of this tea. There is reason for this, as it is twice the price of many excellent cakes. Still, I enjoy it, and that's really all that matters.
Aquanin
04-11-2009, 06:54 AM
Had a whole session of 7532 (801) this morning. Wowzers. Along with the Xiaguan FT stuff these are the best 08's I have had so far. Not a whole lot of bitterness and by the later infusions it gets rather sweet. Great stuff. Can't imagine how this would taste in a few years. Too bad I will probably drink it all first.
msandoval858
04-11-2009, 07:47 AM
Had a whole session of 7532 (801) this morning. Wowzers. Along with the Xiaguan FT stuff these are the best 08's I have had so far. Not a whole lot of bitterness and by the later infusions it gets rather sweet. Great stuff. Can't imagine how this would taste in a few years. Too bad I will probably drink it all first.
So umm... I'll be home this afternoon if you want to drop by and share some of those score :wink:
Had a whole session of 7532 (801) this morning. Wowzers. Along with the Xiaguan FT stuff these are the best 08's I have had so far. Not a whole lot of bitterness and by the later infusions it gets rather sweet. Great stuff. Can't imagine how this would taste in a few years. Too bad I will probably drink it all first.
Simple solution- buy more.
thirdeye
04-11-2009, 08:51 AM
I'm getting bored. I need some new teas to try. Any suggestions fellows?
netsurfr
04-11-2009, 08:59 AM
Had some 2002 HLH, Menku Wild Arbor this morning. Smoooooooth!
'05 Xiaguan Cang Er tuo
Expectation probably contributes more to perception than any other factor. If I were to serve you a delicious wine, you would enjoy it. If I were to tell you that the wine you were just served was a 1986 Ch. Latour (a very good, but not great, bottling of this legendary wine), you'd probably say something along the lines of, "Gee, I would have expected more." The $500 pricetag aside, hearing that you would be sampling a 20+ year old first growth Bordeaux tends to make you go into full critic mode. The higher your expectations, the less likely they will be met.
And so it is with tea. The Cang Er tuo has a pretty good reputation, and seems to be a no brainer for laying down for future consumption. At just over three years old, it doesn't have the full benefit oage age on its side. It is a lovely tea, full of the telltale Xiaguan flavors, and the 250g tuo is beautiful. I'll probably enjoy it more when I realize that it's just not going to blow me away, as I had initially expected.
It's very nice, but so are a lot of other XG offerings.
Had some 2002 HLH, Menku Wild Arbor this morning. Smoooooooth!
You just know that bad boy is on my short list. :thumbup1:
netsurfr
04-11-2009, 09:09 AM
You just know that bad boy is on my short list. :thumbup1:
I had tried a sample previously and was impressed enough that I picked up two tongs in the last group buy. Just had a feeling it would really move once folks got a taste.
I had tried a sample previously and was impressed enough that I picked up two tongs in the last group buy. Just had a feeling it would really move once folks got a taste.
I'm on vacation, but I should placing another order in about a week or so. Deciding is the hardest part!
2006 Long Yuan Hao Banna Prince Brick -
Orange with a tinge of brown in the cup. Flavors of candied peach/orange? ...and yancha with a bit of astringency. Pronounced sweetness on the finish. Seems to be missing something though. Not bad overall but not inspiring.
Hobbesoxon
04-11-2009, 10:38 AM
2008 Nadacha "Cha Chan Yi Wei" - super sweet, great production, absurdly low price. Got to hand it to Nada.
thanks
04-11-2009, 12:27 PM
2003 Tai Lian Jingmai. This is quite enjoyable if a little simple. Delicious.
Scotto
04-11-2009, 12:31 PM
2007 Mengku Shuangjiang Mu Ye Chun. One of my favorites. This has actually gained a bit of a bottom end since I have had it, making it even nicer. Interesting how the pu'er changes, even over months.
Hobbesoxon
04-11-2009, 12:48 PM
2003 Tai Lian Jingmai. This is quite enjoyable if a little simple. Delicious.
Hear hear. Worth a fling.
2007 Mengku Shuangjiang Mu Ye Chun. One of my favorites. This has actually gained a bit of a bottom end since I have had it, making it even nicer. Interesting how the pu'er changes, even over months.
Has it?! Superb! I bought a bunch of them and then forgot them. Is it 001 or 002?
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
P.s. When I read "bottom end", I sniggered aloud.
Scotto
04-11-2009, 04:27 PM
Hear hear. Worth a fling.
Has it?! Superb! I bought a bunch of them and then forgot them. Is it 001 or 002?
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
P.s. When I read "bottom end", I sniggered aloud.
I'm still drinking the 001 tonight, many infusions in. I love the sweetness of it, and it is deliciously oily. One of my favorites over the past year.
netsurfr
04-11-2009, 05:37 PM
I'm still drinking the 001 tonight, many infusions in. I love the sweetness of it, and it is deliciously oily. One of my favorites over the past year.
I see why you were suggesting it for the next group buy. Sounds wonderful.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thanks http://badgerandblade.com/vb/macskin/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=1120949#post1120949)
2003 Tai Lian Jingmai. This is quite enjoyable if a little simple. Delicious.
This is one of my favorites too. I have enjoyed it many times.
Hobbesoxon
04-12-2009, 05:26 AM
I'm still drinking the 001 tonight, many infusions in. I love the sweetness of it, and it is deliciously oily. One of my favorites over the past year.
One might say... unctuously oleaginous?
:biggrin:
I need to find my 001. It's buried in a box in the lounge thanks to the redecoration of the upstairs rooms.
For now, I'm enjoying the 2006 Yibang Chamasi "Gedebaohao" (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/09/2006-yibang-chamasi-gedebaohao.html). Silly name, silly company, surprisingly nice tea. I last tried this almost exactly one year ago and, in the two years I've had it, I'm very happy with its aging. It has become quite distinctly darker and is turning into quite the tobacco bomb.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Edit: crikey, that Gedebao cake has increased in price from $20 to $30 in just a year or so.
netsurfr
04-12-2009, 05:36 AM
One might say... unctuously oleaginous?
:biggrin:
Now you know I had to look up at least one of those words... but isn't "unctuously oleaginous" somewhat "repetitively redundant." :wink:
Trying out a 2005 Xiaguan "Cang Er Tuo Cha" Raw Pu-erh tea tuo. I am with Ouch on this one... it was not quite all that I expected but it was very nice, nonetheless. I think the anticipation factor that Ouch mentioned came into play.
One might say... unctuously oleaginous?
You do, and you'll clean it up.
Hobbesoxon
04-13-2009, 01:20 AM
SotD: 2006 Xingshunxiang "Yiwu Zhengshan" (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2007/06/2004-xingshunxiang-yiwu-zhengshan.html)
[Shing-shoon-sheeang eewoo djung-shan]
This has lost some flavour over the last year, and has darkened into something more chaqi-filled. I count that as rather a pity, because I enjoyed its low, grain-like flavour. C'est la vie!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
'06 CNNP 5961
Yeah, yeah- where sheng goes to die.
thanks
04-13-2009, 09:58 AM
2004 Hai Lang Hao Da Xue Shan zhuan cha. I like this, but I feel like this is the only type of pu'er I've had for a while. They're starting to blend together.
joyfulwoogie
04-13-2009, 10:34 AM
After a week of not drinking any tea, I had to brew a tea I know I wouldn't be disappointed of the waiting.
To my surprise, I picked 08 XG IS. I think there are better quality teas in my storage but somehow I ended up brewing this tea.
Once again, I am affirmed that to my taste, this is the best 08 shengpuerh among big factory productions I sampled. There are some small batch productions from smaller factories I think I might enjoy just as much but I like this the most from 08.
Fruity, chunky, slightly roasty in the right way (not like the Menku hongcha-like but more like the yiwu-like roasty taste), smooth with good aftertaste of wild flower and nice steaming huigan.
Good to be drinking tea again.
Hobbesoxon
04-13-2009, 12:23 PM
Superb, Woogie :)
joyfulwoogie
04-13-2009, 02:33 PM
Superb, Woogie :)
Now that I am about to have my vacation, I am very much looking forward to carefully reviewing the generous teas you've sent me!
First one may start as early as this coming weekend.
thanks
04-13-2009, 03:37 PM
2008 Xiaguan XY 8853. This is so good, I'm not going to ruin it with words. I'm just going to say you have to try it for yourself.
Hobbesoxon
04-14-2009, 05:20 AM
2008 Xiaguan XY 8853. This is so good, I'm not going to ruin it with words. I'm just going to say you have to try it for yourself.
Crikey! I think I have a sample of this, as yet untried!
To the batmobile!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
netsurfr
04-14-2009, 05:27 AM
2008 Xiaguan XY 8853. This is so good, I'm not going to ruin it with words. I'm just going to say you have to try it for yourself.
Wow, that is saying something as eloquent as you are with your descriptions of your tea sessions!
'08 Menghai 0622 (801)
Ziggy zoggy ziggy zoggy oy oy oy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PywNMLooa8E
netsurfr
04-15-2009, 07:04 AM
2000 Fu Hai "7536" Green Mark Raw Aged Pu-erh tea cake. This was a very nice tea with which to start the day. While I don't like it as much as the 2000 Long Yuan Hao - Yi Wu Mountain, it was still very nice. Seemed like the LYH had a bit more body to it. I should try them side by side for a true comparison. At any rate, it was a great way to start the day.
thanks
04-15-2009, 04:19 PM
Wow, that is saying something as eloquent as you are with your descriptions of your tea sessions!
:blushing:Thanks for the high compliment!
Today I drank some Hai Lang Hao 2005 Ba Mong Ga Chu Nannuo. It doesn't really get too much more Nannuo than this. It's almost as if someone had asked Mr. Hai Lang Hao what the distinct characteristics of Nannuo were and he replied with this cake. It has that high pitched floral distinct Nannuo scent with a sweet and tangy soup that has enough background ku to remind you it owns a backbone. Fantastic tea From Hai Lang Hao yet again.
Scotto
04-16-2009, 06:44 AM
2008 Menghai Dayi "Big Classic".
To use an expression that David might politely use, this bing is "knackered". Here in the less polite US, I might say it is beat to $%$@. For this initial foray, I used the broken off fragments that were littering the wrapper, so I was a bit concerned about bitterness. Infusions were very short.
Aroma is low-toned and beany, with an intense aroma of those delicious little Chinese straw mushrooms. Later there is a rock candy sweetness that comes through. Complex and rich, definitely a classic Menghai taste, with perhaps a tad more acidity than their standard offerings. Later infusions bring on some nice bitterness, and a head-thumping chaqi/caffeine rush. So far me likey.
2008 Menghai Dayi "Big Classic".
On the list.
'05 Xiaguan Cang Er tuo.
I hesitate to call this even semi-aged, but it's a bit smoother than the newer releases. I'm still deciding whether I like it enough to stock up, although my initial impression is probably not.
08 Xiaguan 7653 - one of 9 samples from Steve
I could tell from the brewed leaves this was going to be a smokey one. First few brews were light as I did not pry the leaves apart. The first 6 or so brews were solid wood....liquid wood with smoke. Little sweetness with an occasional reprieve of dry orange peel. There was a roundness to it though, do to the lack of astringency. It had mellowed a bit by the eighth brew and seemed like it would have no problem going 16 or more. Clearly this is meant to be aged as you would expect from an old recipe. I think that it has the guts to improve down the road provided the smoke mellows.
joyfulwoogie
04-16-2009, 03:42 PM
I think my green yixing sucks up tea too much. Compared to gaiwan, the tea is flatter and taste more steamed.
With the yixing combo, the tea was utterly unremarkable. Around 3rd-4th infusion, nice floral aftertaste peaked out but quickly faded away. Sweetness was there but not too much. It had not so much body and not bitter. Oh, the tea has a rough edge in its aftertaste. Plantation stuff, I guess.
I am less investigative of the teas I am drinking lately. Overall, this tea is really just average to sligtly below average. Perhaps my brewing parameters were just really off or the yixing combo was not so good.
With young shengs, I think gaiwan brewing brings out the most out of the teas.
netsurfr
04-16-2009, 04:13 PM
I have to agree with joyfulwoogie on the gaiwan. If I want to really get the flavor for the individual sheng, then the gaiwan brewing is the best way to understand the nuances. If I don't care about getting any nuances, then brewing in my yixing gives the best overall flavor since it has such great seasoning from many types of pu-erh teas.
joyfulwoogie
04-16-2009, 09:56 PM
I have to agree with joyfulwoogie on the gaiwan. If I want to really get the flavor for the individual sheng, then the gaiwan brewing is the best way to understand the nuances. If I don't care about getting any nuances, then brewing in my yixing gives the best overall flavor since it has such great seasoning from many types of pu-erh teas.
Hey, you brew more than one type in one pot? Which yixing pot, shape and material do you use for all purpose brewing? Perhaps I should try brewing different teas on the same pot. Someone of the yixings I have are too new to add any flavour but only take away significant taste. I wonder how long and often I need to use the pots to come to a point where taste is added.
Hobbesoxon
04-17-2009, 03:06 AM
2008 Xiaguan "XY 8853", at the suggestion of Thanks.
A solid, beefy, rambunctious affair. Lincang mettle. Purchase imminent.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
netsurfr
04-17-2009, 05:21 AM
Hey, you brew more than one type in one pot? Which yixing pot, shape and material do you use for all purpose brewing? Perhaps I should try brewing different teas on the same pot. Someone of the yixings I have are too new to add any flavour but only take away significant taste. I wonder how long and often I need to use the pots to come to a point where taste is added.
This is the pot that I use most of the time for raw pu-erh: Da Hong Pao Clay "Ru Yi Shi Piao" Yixing teapot (http://cgi.ebay.com/Da-Hong-Pao-Clay-Ru-Yi-Shi-Piao-Yixing-teapot-250ml_W0QQitemZ320357028441QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item320357028441&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262).
This is the pot that I use for ripe pu-erh: Da Hong Pao Clay "Gu Shi Shui Ping" Yixing teapot 130ml (http://cgi.ebay.com/Da-Hong-Pao-Clay-Gu-Shi-Shui-Ping-Yixing-teapot-130ml_W0QQitemZ350186998745QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item350186998745&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262)
This is the pot that I use for oolong tea: Da Hong Pao Clay "Dragon Egg" Yixing teapot * 110ml (http://cgi.ebay.com/Da-Hong-Pao-Clay-Dragon-Egg-Yixing-teapot-110ml_W0QQitemZ320331122601QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item320331122601&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262)
Each of the pots was boiled in the type of tea that was intended to be used in the pot for several hours. Then the pot was left in the tea soup overnight.
'07 Mengyan Guoyan star of Bulang
Dragon of Bulang, star of Bulang, janitor of Bulang.
This may be a simple, inexpensive example, but it does display that nice Bulang kick.
joyfulwoogie
04-17-2009, 06:43 AM
This is the pot that I use most of the time for raw pu-erh: Da Hong Pao Clay "Ru Yi Shi Piao" Yixing teapot (http://cgi.ebay.com/Da-Hong-Pao-Clay-Ru-Yi-Shi-Piao-Yixing-teapot-250ml_W0QQitemZ320357028441QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item320357028441&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262).
This is the pot that I use for ripe pu-erh: Da Hong Pao Clay "Gu Shi Shui Ping" Yixing teapot 130ml (http://cgi.ebay.com/Da-Hong-Pao-Clay-Gu-Shi-Shui-Ping-Yixing-teapot-130ml_W0QQitemZ350186998745QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item350186998745&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262)
This is the pot that I use for oolong tea: Da Hong Pao Clay "Dragon Egg" Yixing teapot * 110ml (http://cgi.ebay.com/Da-Hong-Pao-Clay-Dragon-Egg-Yixing-teapot-110ml_W0QQitemZ320331122601QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item320331122601&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262)
Each of the pots was boiled in the type of tea that was intended to be used in the pot for several hours. Then the pot was left in the tea soup overnight.
Nice pots! I think these pots are the best pots Scott has ever sold. They are really heavy and season very quickly.
Thanks for the reply.
Aquanin
04-17-2009, 07:49 AM
Those are sweet pots. I may need to make an order.
'07 Mengyan Guoyan star of Bulang
Dragon of Bulang, star of Bulang, janitor of Bulang.
:lol:
Yeah...the Dragon of Bulang is more like the puppy dog of Bulang. I think this is the first cake that actually made me angry. It is false advertisement.
08 Xiaguan FT Yun Mei -
Tobacco, leather, herbs and just the slightest touch of smoke hidden in the backbone of the tea. In a word…meaty. The savory notes linger on the palate for an absurdly long time. Occasional glimpses of sweetness find the surface in a wall of flavor. Well balanced. I also like the fact that this is an iron cake for longevities sake. This one is a winner in my book.
netsurfr
04-17-2009, 05:42 PM
08 Xiaguan FT Yun Mei -
Tobacco, leather, herbs and just the slightest touch of smoke hidden in the backbone of the tea. In a word…meaty. The savory notes linger on the palate for an absurdly long time. Occasional glimpses of sweetness find the surface in a wall of flavor. Well balanced. I also like the fact that this is an iron cake for longevities sake. This one is a winner in my book.
OK, gotta pull some of that out of the new samples and give it a try. What a great review. Thanks for taking the time to write it up. Gives me the motivation to try that one over some of the others.
thanks
04-17-2009, 05:50 PM
08 Xiaguan FT Yun Mei -
Tobacco, leather, herbs and just the slightest touch of smoke hidden in the backbone of the tea. In a word…meaty. The savory notes linger on the palate for an absurdly long time. Occasional glimpses of sweetness find the surface in a wall of flavor. Well balanced. I also like the fact that this is an iron cake for longevities sake. This one is a winner in my book.
OK, gotta pull some of that out of the new samples and give it a try. What a great review. Thanks for taking the time to write it up. Gives me the motivation to try that one over some of the others.
I also enjoyed the Yun Mei, and Hobbes I'm glad to see you also liked the XY 8853. Earlier in the day I was drinking almost the rest of my sample of the 2005 Hai Lang Hao Ba Ma Gong Chun which is absolutely fantastic. I'm in Nannuo heaven! I feel like this tea is giving me a slight glimpse of what I can loosely expect out of Nada's 08 Nannuo tea in just a few years, and I'm very excited. Might buy a couple of these Hai Lang Hao's. I also need to try that newly listed 04 Da Xue Shan Hai Lang Hao cake, seeing as how the brick of the same mountain and year was a little less than stellar, this apparently is made of higher quality leaf than that release. Back to drinking mid 70's baozhong.
Hobbesoxon
04-18-2009, 01:07 AM
I feel like this tea is giving me a slight glimpse of what I can loosely expect out of Nada's 08 Nannuo tea in just a few years, and I'm very excited.
Yes, I was thinking of the Nadacha Nannuo while reading your description. I went back to the 2008 Cha Cha Yi Wei and had more of that floral sweetness.
Nada has just made his 09 cakes, by the way!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hobbesoxon
04-18-2009, 02:56 PM
SotD - 2008 Xiaguan FT "Yun Mei". The "Cloud Plum" name is fitting - this is a floral bing, almost Nannuo by coincidence, given what we've recently been discussing. Not bad - but a bit thin. It pales in comparison to the 8853 from yesterday, which was packed full of interesting characteristics.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
I have a friend named Mei Yun. Should make a nice gift.
Hobbesoxon
04-19-2009, 12:44 AM
I have a friend named Mei Yun. Should make a nice gift.
Pretty Cloud? :)
netsurfr
04-19-2009, 05:37 AM
2008 Menghai Tea Factory 7532. Good old standby.
Hobbesoxon
04-19-2009, 05:48 AM
SotD: 20080 Haiwan Laotongzhi "8808".
This one is really cheap ($14 before discount @ Yunnan Sourcing). It's very decent plantation tea. The opening infusions are thick and delicious, being ultra-orthodox: white-sugar sweetness with mushrooms. The soup is the very textbook definition of untreated young shengpu, being bright yellow.
It gets rough after the third or fourth infusion, as its heritage begins to give it away. The flavours are decent enough, though.
If you're looking for a solid plantation tea at a low price, this might be worth looking at if you already have enough Menghai. Ultimately, I felt it too rough to buy, and that's not the sort of thing I'd want sitting around in my cakes, hoping that it'll decrease with time: it's not bitterness, it's roughness.
The product description calls this "ultra-premium" which is surely a bizarre joke at the buyer's expense!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Pretty Cloud? :)
Her name is Dong Mei Yun.
As you can imagine, I don't concentrate on the Mei Yun part when I talk to her. :001_rolle I tease her about that mercilessly.
'08 Xiaguan FT Nan Zhao tuo
I wish they made this in a 1 kg tuo. The little 100g tuos are beautiful, and make a great gift, but they're really only good for 8-10 sessions.
thirdeye
04-19-2009, 07:06 AM
I dug deep in my cabinet this morning and found some Shuangjiang Mengku Mu Shu Cha. I am glad I did, a rather fine cup, at least to my not so discriminating palate..
joyfulwoogie
04-19-2009, 01:18 PM
SotD: 20080 Haiwan Laotongzhi "8808".
This one is really cheap ($14 before discount @ Yunnan Sourcing). It's very decent plantation tea. The opening infusions are thick and delicious, being ultra-orthodox: white-sugar sweetness with mushrooms. The soup is the very textbook definition of untreated young shengpu, being bright yellow.
It gets rough after the third or fourth infusion, as its heritage begins to give it away. The flavours are decent enough, though.
If you're looking for a solid plantation tea at a low price, this might be worth looking at if you already have enough Menghai. Ultimately, I felt it too rough to buy, and that's not the sort of thing I'd want sitting around in my cakes, hoping that it'll decrease with time: it's not bitterness, it's roughness.
The product description calls this "ultra-premium" which is surely a bizarre joke at the buyer's expense!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
thanks for the review on this cake. I have been wondering about this cake for a long time but never got around to make an order.
Scotto
04-19-2009, 02:17 PM
2008 Hailanghao Star of Bulang
My first sample of Hailanghao; it was with great anticipation given how liked this brand tends to be.
Alas - it was terrible. Super-dark orange brew, very suspicious for a 2008 tea. Despite the darkness, the soup is thin. There is a very odd aroma hiding behind the candy scents, almost like pesticide. This carries into the flavor. What little flavor there is is unpleasant. Avoid this one. I have a couple of other HLH samples lying about which I assume will be much better.
Life is too short for lousy tea....
Hobbesoxon
04-19-2009, 02:58 PM
Her name is Dong Mei Yun.
As you can imagine, I don't concentrate on the Mei Yun part when I talk to her. :001_rolle I tease her about that mercilessly.
My wife's maiden name was Wang, I know the feeling.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Hobbesoxon
04-19-2009, 02:59 PM
2008 Hailanghao Star of Bulang
My first sample of Hailanghao; it was with great anticipation given how liked this brand tends to be.
Alas - it was terrible. Super-dark orange brew, very suspicious for a 2008 tea. Despite the darkness, the soup is thin. There is a very odd aroma hiding behind the candy scents, almost like pesticide. This carries into the flavor. What little flavor there is is unpleasant. Avoid this one. I have a couple of other HLH samples lying about which I assume will be much better.
Life is too short for lousy tea....
Yes, that's a funny one. I just noticed that I've not put up my notes for it, though!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
My wife's maiden name was Wang, I know the feeling.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
I tried several permutations of what I had in mind, each more offensive than the last, and decided to just give up.:lol:
Edit: Okay, I'll give it one last shot while pusillanimously hiding behind your own words-
Wang, I know the feeling.
thanks
04-19-2009, 03:49 PM
2008 Hailanghao Star of Bulang
My first sample of Hailanghao; it was with great anticipation given how liked this brand tends to be.
Alas - it was terrible. Super-dark orange brew, very suspicious for a 2008 tea. Despite the darkness, the soup is thin. There is a very odd aroma hiding behind the candy scents, almost like pesticide. This carries into the flavor. What little flavor there is is unpleasant. Avoid this one. I have a couple of other HLH samples lying about which I assume will be much better.
Life is too short for lousy tea....
I really liked the tea when it was released, but upon repeat sessions (roughly four) I've found that I dislike it 75% of the time. That 25% is really good, though, and not only that but the chaqi of this tea seems to hit me pretty hard every time, but not in an unpleasant way either.
Also, the tea is so dark for an 08 because the maocha for the cake was stored for three years in Bulang shan of Banna leading up to 08 which explains it's curious nature. I do think some "funny things" were done to this tea after it was harvested during processing, but otherwise it does carry a little bit of that distinct Bulang taste. Generally it's a good example of what possibly poor processing produces after three years of maocha being traditionally stored on a mountain before being pressed at the Shuang Yi factory.... wait, okay this is an odd little duckling, but personally that adds a little to it's appeal for me.
thanks
04-19-2009, 04:51 PM
2005 Xiaguan Canger Tuocha. This is a perfect example of Xiaguan done right. Nothing fancy, no frills, just a solid and honest representation of pu'er done right. Incredibly thick, smooth, and bitter-sweet, this tea has everything you could ask for- except the fact that it's compressed in a tuocha and thus will take forever to age. It already tastes and looks like it's only two years old. What a shame :frown:
2008 Xiaguan Happy Tuo
A well rounded sheng with everything is in its place. Decent mouthfeel. Tasty.
Aquanin
04-19-2009, 05:31 PM
2008 Menghai 8582 (801): Can't go wrong with this one. Smooth, no major bitterness, starts getting pretty sweet after the 5th infusion or so. I was dragging a bit before I drank it and now I am awake and ready to go! Nice young tea!!
joyfulwoogie
04-19-2009, 08:24 PM
2008 Hailanghao Star of Bulang
My first sample of Hailanghao; it was with great anticipation given how liked this brand tends to be.
Alas - it was terrible. Super-dark orange brew, very suspicious for a 2008 tea. Despite the darkness, the soup is thin. There is a very odd aroma hiding behind the candy scents, almost like pesticide. This carries into the flavor. What little flavor there is is unpleasant. Avoid this one. I have a couple of other HLH samples lying about which I assume will be much better.
Life is too short for lousy tea....
I can't agree with you more. This tea after three sampling, I just could not enjoy the tea. I was very confused about the tea. Total disappointment.
joyfulwoogie
04-19-2009, 08:51 PM
I broke off too big of a chunk last time I took apart the cake. So I find myself drinking this tea now and then.
Every time I drink, I very much enjoy the flavour of the tea. Quite complex up to 5-6th. Also every time I drink, I am amazed at the absence of the usual sheng "caffein" effects. There is no "chi" it seems. Fragrance has weakened considerably since I put the sample portion in the open air.
Regardless, this is a tea that I don't mind drinking couple times a week.
'08 Menghai 7582 (801)
The red headed stepchild of the Menghai portfolio. Of the many '08 Menghai offerings, this, for me, is the one to drink now.
Scotto
04-20-2009, 09:16 AM
2008 Xiaguan FT Cosa Nostra "Exquisite Elegance"
After drinking the gross Hai Lang Hao "DDT Mountain" yesterday, I decided to dip into my sample of this Xiaguan. The FT productions are always bound to please, and this one is no exception.
Orange soup, with a distinct graham cracker aroma. Flowery too. A bit of sourness, but not unpleasant. This is the baoyan recipe, upscaled apparently. Dark and sweet, hint of typical Xiaguan smoke. Raisins are in there too. Reminds me a tad of their "Red Chamber" tuo, mixed with the notes of the baoyan brick.
This tea soldiers on and on, and I like it very much. Recommended.
netsurfr
04-20-2009, 10:44 AM
2008 Hailanghao Star of Bulang
My first sample of Hailanghao; it was with great anticipation given how liked this brand tends to be.
Alas - it was terrible. Super-dark orange brew, very suspicious for a 2008 tea. Despite the darkness, the soup is thin. There is a very odd aroma hiding behind the candy scents, almost like pesticide. This carries into the flavor. What little flavor there is is unpleasant. Avoid this one. I have a couple of other HLH samples lying about which I assume will be much better.
Life is too short for lousy tea....
Yes, that's a funny one. I just noticed that I've not put up my notes for it, though!
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
I really liked the tea when it was released, but upon repeat sessions (roughly four) I've found that I dislike it 75% of the time. That 25% is really good, though, and not only that but the chaqi of this tea seems to hit me pretty hard every time, but not in an unpleasant way either.
Also, the tea is so dark for an 08 because the maocha for the cake was stored for three years in Bulang shan of Banna leading up to 08 which explains it's curious nature. I do think some "funny things" were done to this tea after it was harvested during processing, but otherwise it does carry a little bit of that distinct Bulang taste. Generally it's a good example of what possibly poor processing produces after three years of maocha being traditionally stored on a mountain before being pressed at the Shuang Yi factory.... wait, okay this is an odd little duckling, but personally that adds a little to it's appeal for me.
Wow, you guys have me really intrigued now. Have to try that one this evening just to see how my session will compare.
By the way, "Thanks" where do you get all of the good background information like the fact that the tea sat for three years before being processed into cakes"
thanks
04-20-2009, 02:49 PM
Wow, you guys have me really intrigued now. Have to try that one this evening just to see how my session will compare.
By the way, "Thanks" where do you get all of the good background information like the fact that the tea sat for three years before being processed into cakes"
http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Hai-Lang-Hao-Star-of-Bu-Lang-Raw-tea-cake-357g_W0QQitemZ350101282106QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_De faultDomain_0?hash=item350101282106&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262
Hai Lang Hao releases usually contain more information and actual commentary from Mr. Hai Lang himself because I believe they might be acquaintances in person.
Salsero
04-20-2009, 09:42 PM
I threw the last of this sample into a 100 ml gaiwan ... 11 grams brewed up at one shot. I was disappointed in my two previous sessions with this tea; but at over twice my usual leaf amount, the result is quite nice! Nicely fruity with undertones of leather and mushroom. Now I am wondering if maybe I should invest in a whole cake ... or if I should just double the volume of all my too light flavored duds.
Hobbesoxon
04-21-2009, 12:56 AM
2007 HLH Bu Lang* Wild Arbor Pu-erh tea
I threw the last of this sample into a 100 ml gaiwan ... 11 grams brewed up at one shot. I was disappointed in my two previous sessions with this tea; but at over twice my usual leaf amount, the result is quite nice! Nicely fruity with undertones of leather and mushroom. Now I am wondering if maybe I should invest in a whole cake ... or if I should just double the volume of all my too light flavored duds.
*Bulong
Hobbesoxon
04-21-2009, 12:57 AM
SotD: 2008 Xiaguan XY 8853 (http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2009/04/2008-xiaguan-xy-8853.html)
This tea is more subdued today than when I enjoyed it at the week-end (described above), but it's a good 'un. Perhaps worth buying three cakes, at the most.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
2008 Xiaguan FT Cosa Nostra "Exquisite Elegance"
After drinking the gross Hai Lang Hao "DDT Mountain" yesterday, I decided to dip into my sample of this Xiaguan. The FT productions are always bound to please, and this one is no exception.
Orange soup, with a distinct graham cracker aroma. Flowery too. A bit of sourness, but not unpleasant. This is the baoyan recipe, upscaled apparently. Dark and sweet, hint of typical Xiaguan smoke. Raisins are in there too. Reminds me a tad of their "Red Chamber" tuo, mixed with the notes of the baoyan brick.
This tea soldiers on and on, and I like it very much. Recommended.
There was a strange occurrence at the Ouch household last night. Apparently, someone broke in, hacked into my computer, and ordered a cake of this sheng for me. I told the police that when they nab him, they should tell him, "Thanks!"
I hope he ordered other good stuff to fill out the order. :tongue_sm
joyfulwoogie
04-21-2009, 09:57 AM
This is some good sheng puerh. It has rI ealy long lasting strong aftertaste of wild grass/flower. It isn't really flowery but something like it. It has a slight smoky taste but sweet and thick. I have been drinking sheng puerh of the big factory lately and this one is by far the best among them.
I really enjoyed the much pronounced huigan and the aftertaste.
I am hoping to get to the teas I have been wanting to try but never have the peace around the house with some family guests living with us lately. Yet this tea gave me a really enjoyable semi-gongfu tea session.
One of the better teas of the big factory. Haiwan makes some good teas. 7038 was also quite good. These are the only haiwans I have but perhaps I should get some more of the recent ones.
By the way, this tea is plenty bitter so caution wit brewing parameter can really help to brew a better cup. The reason I like this tea a lot is its bitterness is good bitterness. Some really young 08 teas can give unpleasant bitterness but this 06 cake is still raw as 08 but its bitterness is more balanced with other tastes/aftertastes.
netsurfr
04-21-2009, 11:24 AM
There was a strange occurrence at the Ouch household last night. Apparently, someone broke in, hacked into my computer, and ordered a cake of this sheng for me. I told the police that when they nab him, they should tell him, "Thanks!"
I hope he ordered other good stuff to fill out the order. :tongue_sm
:lol: :thumbup: :lol:
I think the shipper may have put a little something extra in that order to make up for the break in and hacking of your computer.
:001_rolle
Scotto
04-21-2009, 02:26 PM
2006 Menghai 7582
Our own Ouch has been extolling the virtues of the 2008 version of this tea. This is the 2006 edition, which I expected great things out of based on that.
Alas, it is good but not great.
It doesn't seem to be as mulched as other Menghai numbered affairs. The brew is solid orange. There is a very attractive aroma of stewed fruits. The body is low toned and sweet. Bitterness comes in at 4th infusion, along with some sourness. This one seems a bit tired already - is that possible?
I'd be curious to compare to the 2008 tea, but this one seems to be petering out already. Perhaps one to drink young and save your 7542 for aging.
Hobbesoxon
04-22-2009, 03:45 AM
This is some good sheng puerh. It has rI ealy long lasting strong aftertaste of wild grass/flower. It isn't really flowery but something like it. It has a slight smoky taste but sweet and thick. I have been drinking sheng puerh of the big factory lately and this one is by far the best among them.
I really enjoyed the much pronounced huigan and the aftertaste.
I am hoping to get to the teas I have been wanting to try but never have the peace around the house with some family guests living with us lately. Yet this tea gave me a really enjoyable semi-gongfu tea session.
One of the better teas of the big factory. Haiwan makes some good teas. 7038 was also quite good. These are the only haiwans I have but perhaps I should get some more of the recent ones.
By the way, this tea is plenty bitter so caution wit brewing parameter can really help to brew a better cup. The reason I like this tea a lot is its bitterness is good bitterness. Some really young 08 teas can give unpleasant bitterness but this 06 cake is still raw as 08 but its bitterness is more balanced with other tastes/aftertastes.
Thanks for the excellent notes - you've motivated me to dig into my cakes! I've not touched them for two years, so it will be interesting to see what's happened to them. I wonder what UK "storage" will do to these things? It's very humid here (75-100% all year), but rather temperate - we don't have the sweltering wet of Guangzhou or Singapore.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
kimble22
04-22-2009, 11:16 AM
I live in CT, and my first cake was the 2005 Lintsang from Tea Gallery. It was not very enjoyable at all when I got it, very intensely smokey, but now most of the smoke is gone... The problem is that everything else in the cake seems to have died as well. I didn't take notes when I started but I seemed to remember 12+ brews with astringency and bitterness throughout, until the leaves made me quit. Now, there is a barely detectable smoke, and the tea lasts barely 8 sessions! It has only been in my apartment for just over a year, so I am very concerned for all my other cakes! I have heard it's terrible thing to artifically humidify cakes, but that may be my only option. Has anyone else noticed cakes changing this quickly, esp in terms of number of steeps?
joyfulwoogie
04-22-2009, 12:30 PM
I live in CT, and my first cake was the 2005 Lintsang from Tea Gallery. It was not very enjoyable at all when I got it, very intensely smokey, but now most of the smoke is gone... The problem is that everything else in the cake seems to have died as well. I didn't take notes when I started but I seemed to remember 12+ brews with astringency and bitterness throughout, until the leaves made me quit. Now, there is a barely detectable smoke, and the tea lasts barely 8 sessions! It has only been in my apartment for just over a year, so I am very concerned for all my other cakes! I have heard it's terrible thing to artifically humidify cakes, but that may be my only option. Has anyone else noticed cakes changing this quickly, esp in terms of number of steeps?
Hi, kimble22. Haven't read your post for a while I think. Good to see your post here.
What is your storage condition? How is the air circulation?
Storage question is still much of a guess work for many of us. After reading some internet stuff and chatting with the folks in Asia, I come to guess couple of things about storage.
Dry storage is not necessarily bad. It will just take forever to age the cakes but the tea nevertheless will age. Usually indoor apartment can go down as low as 30-40% RH. This would be a bit too low. It isn't, I don't think, critical as to kill the ageability but adding a small sponge in the stoarge bin or box would be just enough. If you can bring up the RH up to around 50-60%, I think it's okay. It will surely be slow but in some sense you can retain all the taste and even accentuate goodness of aged sheng.
Also do you store your tea with lots of air circulation? I don't think it matters too much if we are talking about just over a year long storage but maybe it may effect the tea taste more than I tend to think. Some teas are wrapped in a plastic bag even in young age (eg. Fochaju from Yunnan Sourcing) to perhaps capture the fleeting fragrance and the taste of the tea. I left mine open and it indeed did lose some finer tastes and fragrance but still the much same tea. Check your storage condition. Maybe putting it in a glass container or a small box will help to lock in the fragrance and the taste. If you have more than a box full of sheng, keeping them together can really help.
I sometimes also have those weird tea sessions where tea taste is significantly different than other times I drank the same tea. It happens with some cakes that I am less familar with. Try one more time with a bit more leaves and see if it is really the tea. Your taste buds might have developed or the tea might be in transition from winter to spring, or there may be other factors influencing the tea taste like water or the boiling vessel which can be very significant to the tea taste.
As far as my experience goes, it is quite unlikely that the tea taste changes so radically in just a year. I have heard about some teas that change like that for the worse like 05 purple leave dehong brick. (I don't have that particular tea but read some interesting reviews on this brick) Still, I would give it another try.
I am not a good tea brewer because my tea taste very different from time to time. Teas I liked, I can very much dislike, then very much like again. I brew puerh at least three, four times a week but rarely I find the same tea taste identical to each session. It has actually been making me very curious how much tea can tasteso very different from time to time despite my careful attention to the exact brewing parameters. Thus, I am coming to conclude I am not so good of a tea brewer. I am an awesome happy drinker though.
Anyways, give it another go and let us know. I am curious about the change of your tea. :)
joyfulwoogie
04-22-2009, 12:32 PM
Thanks for the excellent notes - you've motivated me to dig into my cakes! I've not touched them for two years, so it will be interesting to see what's happened to them. I wonder what UK "storage" will do to these things? It's very humid here (75-100% all year), but rather temperate - we don't have the sweltering wet of Guangzhou or Singapore.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
I envy your storage condition! things I have to do to moisterize my sheng storage! Mine cake didn't get much darker but noticeably manageable with its strong bitterness. I wonder how yours changed.
'08 Xiaguan 7653 with far too big of a lunch.
I won't be eating dinner tonight, and I may have to skip dinner tomorrow, as well. The tea did make it slide down easily, though. Yum.
A solid performer. Quite tasty and balanced. It reminds me of a more sophisticated Happy tuo. It did not seem exceptional though, and I wonder if I would buy any at the current price. Hmmm. I'm on the fence.
joyfulwoogie
04-22-2009, 07:42 PM
A solid performer. Quite tasty and balanced. It reminds me of a more sophisticated Happy tuo. It did not seem exceptional though, and I wonder if I would buy any at the current price. Hmmm. I'm on the fence.
I like this tea a lot but at the price now I surely won't be getting any. Some 08 cakes are pretty good at much cheaper price.
I like this tea a lot but at the price now I surely won't be getting any. Some 08 cakes are pretty good at much cheaper price.
Yeah....exactly.....that's what I was thinking.
Hobbesoxon
04-23-2009, 01:21 AM
There are some good 2008s, for sure - but the FT#4 seems to have gone up only $2 since 2007, which is encouraging. It just started out expensive!
It's a bit more honest than many of the 2008 specials - no smoke, no forced tobacco. I like that in Xiaguan tea, but it's also good to see that they can make cakes without it when they need to do so. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Yossarian
04-23-2009, 03:10 AM
Had to share. Being a newbie I have been feeling some magnetism toward Pu but up until now have not been able to get my brewing parameters right. Yesterday, at work, I hit my stride on the '08 FT mushroom. All at once I revisited a warm Autumn morning, years ago. Deep forest, crackling campfire, sun streaking through treetops and landing on thick carpet of gold leaves still damp from a hard rain the previous day. Truly wonderful.
Up until now only music has been able to create powerful moods and images for me. Now there are two things. Probably sounds dopey. Don't care. I am very happy.
p.s. Thank you guys for maintaining this thread. It has been really valuable for me as a guide to where to look and what to look for.
07 Xiaguang FT #4
A solid performer. Quite tasty and balanced. It reminds me of a more sophisticated Happy tuo. It did not seem exceptional though, and I wonder if I would buy any at the current price. Hmmm. I'm on the fence.
I can't think of another tea that has generated such diametrically opposed opinions from some of the most respected reviewers in this thread.
:confused:
2008 Xiaguan Mushroom
Had to share. Being a newbie I have been feeling some magnetism toward Pu but up until now have not been able to get my brewing parameters right. Yesterday, at work, I hit my stride on the '08 FT mushroom. All at once I revisited a warm Autumn morning, years ago. Deep forest, crackling campfire, sun streaking through treetops and landing on thick carpet of gold leaves still damp from a hard rain the previous day. Truly wonderful.
Up until now only music has been able to create powerful moods and images for me. Now there are two things. Probably sounds dopey. Don't care. I am very happy.
p.s. Thank you guys for maintaining this thread. It has been really valuable for me as a guide to where to look and what to look for.
Welcome aboard, and enjoy your stay at B&B.
Try drinking that while listening to music. The mushroom is a winner.
Deciding on a tea is becoming more difficult every day. I just realized that I have well over thirty opened cakes, in addition to cakes, bricks, and tuos that I'm not even thinking about opening for years.
How did this happen so fast? And where's the damned mailman?:lol:
Hobbesoxon
04-23-2009, 08:16 AM
For me, it's back to the 8853. Is it good, or not? I'm split after having a ho-hum session after during a hangover. Now sober, I'm hoping it has returned to its former glory, in which case I'll buy some. Else, not.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Scotto
04-23-2009, 09:53 AM
2005 Hai Lang Hao Lincang Imperson... I mean Impression
I am just not feeling the HLH love. This is certainly a million times better than the Pesticide of Bulang cake, but nothing that exciting to me. It does have a nice flowery characteristic and a wicked viscosity to it, but I am not sure I would even peg this a pu'er blindfolded. Seems a bit wulong-ed to me. I'll keep at it and see if anything else develops with this one.
netsurfr
04-23-2009, 10:29 AM
Had to share. Being a newbie I have been feeling some magnetism toward Pu but up until now have not been able to get my brewing parameters right. Yesterday, at work, I hit my stride on the '08 FT mushroom. All at once I revisited a warm Autumn morning, years ago. Deep forest, crackling campfire, sun streaking through treetops and landing on thick carpet of gold leaves still damp from a hard rain the previous day. Truly wonderful.
Up until now only music has been able to create powerful moods and images for me. Now there are two things. Probably sounds dopey. Don't care. I am very happy.
p.s. Thank you guys for maintaining this thread. It has been really valuable for me as a guide to where to look and what to look for.
Nice first post!
Welcome to B&B and to the Cafe in particular. Glad you joined us!
Let us know if we can be of any assistance.
Best regards,
netsurfr
04-23-2009, 10:32 AM
And where's the damned mailman?:lol:
That's right, it is Thursday.
:lol: :001_rolle :lol:
Hobbesoxon
04-23-2009, 11:28 AM
2005 Hai Lang Hao Lincang Imperson... I mean Impression
I am just not feeling the HLH love. This is certainly a million times better than the Pesticide of Bulang cake, but nothing that exciting to me. It does have a nice flowery characteristic and a wicked viscosity to it, but I am not sure I would even peg this a pu'er blindfolded. Seems a bit wulong-ed to me. I'll keep at it and see if anything else develops with this one.
Yes, the older Hailanghao productions that Scott seems to have dug up because the modern cakes are selling well aren't the best. I buy them for curiosity's sake, and because I like the rustic, clumsy experimentation of the HLH early years. The 2008 Ban'e was very good, I thought.
Ultimately, HLH are rather inexpensive and good for the money - we probably shouldn't expect too much from that price-range.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
kimble22
04-23-2009, 02:32 PM
Hi all... The tea drinking has been very nice lately! Everyone please keep up the good work, I don't have as much time to post anymore, but I do find the time to surf :-) eventually. (I thankfully got a job!) I think we should all do a group tea session over the internet all with the same cake. Besides being fun it would also be practical... that way we can also find out each others preferences once everyone posts. Just as someone prefers one kind of movie, we may be better able to ascertain who has similar tastes. Just an idea, maybe I should just tap into the group buys... Anyway, I included some pics of what I've been up to.
Patiently waiting for this from Lifeoftea
and finding the biggest leaf I've ever come across!
'07 Mengyang Guoyan Yiwu
The more sophistimacated my taste buds get, the less this one impresses me. Not bad, but pretty one dimensional.
For tomorrow, my favorite: new tea!:tongue_sm
arghblech
04-23-2009, 03:21 PM
I had the 07 Xiaguang FT #4 today since P K reminded me that my sample wasn't yet gone.
Mmmmm.
thanks
04-23-2009, 03:39 PM
All this talk about Hai Lang Hao made me remember my unopened Lincang Impression cake. Mmmm, delicious.
Also, I think later I'll return to the 8853 as well and see if my first two goes at it were a fluke or not. I did love those two sessions though.
Deciding on a tea is becoming more difficult every day. I just realized that I have well over thirty opened cakes, in addition to cakes, bricks, and tuos that I'm not even thinking about opening for years.
How did this happen so fast? And where's the damned mailman?:lol:
Ah yes....a magnificent obsession. :c18:
08 Xiaguan Nan Zhou Round Cake -
This one was much more restrained...even shy if you will. It did not have the durability of the others. I obtained sweet water by the seventh infusion. What flavors showed up were fine I guess, but really too muted.
Scotto
04-23-2009, 05:11 PM
I can't think of another tea that has generated such diametrically opposed opinions from some of the most respected reviewers in this thread.
:confused:
You'll have to get one (Xiaguan FT#4) and try it yourself I suppose. For me it was a big thumbs down, but who knows?
You'll have to get one (Xiaguan FT#4) and try it yourself I suppose. For me it was a big thumbs down, but who knows?
You know what my answer to that will be. :001_rolle
Hobbesoxon
04-24-2009, 04:44 AM
All this talk about Hai Lang Hao made me remember my unopened Lincang Impression cake. Mmmm, delicious.
Also, I think later I'll return to the 8853 as well and see if my first two goes at it were a fluke or not. I did love those two sessions though.
I'm downgrading my estimation of the 8853 after another three sessions! It's nice, but somehow I can't find a lot of what I found during that first session. Curiouser and curiouser.
I'm down to contemplating 1-2 cakes just for fun, rather than anything more weighty.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Scotto
04-24-2009, 08:20 AM
2008 Xiaguan XY "Big Green Tree"
I have never had any of the BGT teas, so I can't comment on how close this tea is, but this is a neotypical Xiaguan offering. There is a dusty sweetness to the aroma, reminding me of dried fruits. The soup is orange, and is darkly sweet. A toasty tobacco note lingers long in the mouth after swallowing. Later infusions produce some sourness which is welcome.
All in all a nice tea, and typically Xiaguan. I think if you go in without the expectations of meeting some legendary tea standard, you will like this one.
I'm downgrading my estimation of the 8853 after another three sessions! It's nice, but somehow I can't find a lot of what I found during that first session. Curiouser and curiouser.
I'm down to contemplating 1-2 cakes just for fun, rather than anything more weighty.
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
It's amazing how a tea can knock your socks off one day, then make you go "eh" the next.
Curious to see what you will think in another year.
That's right, it is Thursday.
:lol: :001_rolle :lol:
Well, at least I hope you received my payment. :lol:
And a big thanks for the generous (but unnecessary) bonus!
This was a particularly nice score.
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