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Worth buying?
SOTD- sheng of the day
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Worth buying?
Prolly not as much as the Jing Gu Nuercha, and certainly not $96 worth of buying.
Nada Mansai: Lasted longer, but was very bitter for most of it. Pleasantly so, at least...
cakes of Xishangmeishao came, and I sampled some of that. Was as sample promised. Butter, tobacco, some fruits, and wood. Good huigan, major cooling, and plenty of energy.
Nada Mansai: Lasted longer, but was very bitter for most of it. Pleasantly so, at least...
cakes of Xishangmeishao came, and I sampled some of that. Was as sample promised. Butter, tobacco, some fruits, and wood. Good huigan, major cooling, and plenty of energy.
I do not like it in a gaiwan.
I do not like it enough to buy one.
I do not the Xi Zhi Hao.
I do not like it anyhow.
I do not like it, Sam-I-Am.
'08 Xiaguan FT tuo
This one's dwindling, in spite of it's somewhat limited spot in the rotation. Sad face.
This one's dwindling, in spite of it's somewhat limited spot in the rotation. Sad face.
Not available in the west anymore, is it?
A cheap and cheerful young sheng from Yunnan Sourcing - 2009 Yuan Nian Tribute Cake.
Considering it's made of high quality, stone-compressed leaves, I call it a bargain. I like the dry, urgent, young sheng flavour, although it's fair to say I'd like it a lot more after some aging.
It's seen here in amongst my tea haul - centre of the top row:
My tea haul
Considering it's made of high quality, stone-compressed leaves, I call it a bargain. I like the dry, urgent, young sheng flavour, although it's fair to say I'd like it a lot more after some aging.
It's seen here in amongst my tea haul - centre of the top row:
My tea haul
You don't think we limit ourselves to the domestic market, do you?
Ha! Of course not. Should never have suggested that.
Yesterday had Nada's Mangmai (Bada?) - hints of apricot or other stone fruit, good bitterness, no astrigency, made my mouth water just a bit, not much "activity" in the mouth (no tingling). Really enjoyed this. To me this is close to a green tea. I didn't measure the water temp but tried to keep it somewhere just below boiling. 5 g in a 200 ml pot half or so full. Several infusions - good durability. Good but not overwhelming qi. This stuff is really good value IMO.
Prior day, from YS, had 2003 You Le Mountain Round Cake. Scott had 40 something cake but already sold out!! I only tried the sample. It had some decent age but no wet flavor/odor. It had been stored in Xishuangbana for several years if I recall correctly. A good solid tea albeit a bit simple perhaps. Good value at $39/cake....which explains why it went so quickly maybe.
2010 Tribute (Yi Bang) Old Tree Raw Pu Er Cake from the Summit Tea Company. Leaf structure for this tea is composed from smaller buds than teas from many other old tea tree varieties. The tea has a beautiful golden appearance and somewhat of a honey taste. It is unbelievably smooth compared to any green tea I have ever had under 5 -10 years.
Another awesome start to the day!
Another awesome start to the day!
Yesterday: To quell a curiosity risen in another thread, some Xiaguan FT Happy... Western Style! About 5g to 500mL, 3 minute steep then a 4 minute steep. It's actually surprisingly tasty, smooth, and sweet with a hint of that abrassive character and lingering throat feel this tuocha is known for. I liked it a lot.
I had some 1989 70/30 sheng/shu blend at the Steeping Room in Austin early this morning. This shop has better teas than most B&M tea shops I've found.
2008 Xiaguan FT Imperial Tribute (sample from JAS-eTea). This beengcha doesn't seem to have quite as much attitude as its tuocha cousins, but it's very enjoyable (and still very Xiaguan).
It seems that the tuocha mature a bit slower than the beengcha. That may have something to do with the "attitude" factor.
It seems that the tuocha mature a bit slower than the beengcha. That may have something to do with the "attitude" factor.
Owed to their density, no doubt. Xiaguan makes you work for your tea (but it's worth the effort).
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Larger tuos (250g) and melons would take a very long time to mature, by my reasoning. Beengs have a more uniform thickness.
Well, I finally broke into my first Sheng this weekend. I had been enjoying a cooked pu'erh prior and decided it was time for a raw one.
2008 Menghai Peacock Nannuo, broke out somewhere around 5-6 grams in my giawan, and put the water to it. The first infusion after the rinse was pretty good, about 5-7 seconds long. Grassy (which I like), enjoyable but pretty mild. I kind of like to get kicked in the mouth sometimes.
And that's how I finally figured out what you guys mean when you say astringency!
The second infusion I let buzz for substantually longer. I drank it all but it was a bit rough. The next 3-4 infusions of the session were great. I'm not nearly enough of a refined taster to give accurate descriptions... basically a "good" or "not good". This one was good.
2008 Menghai Peacock Nannuo, broke out somewhere around 5-6 grams in my giawan, and put the water to it. The first infusion after the rinse was pretty good, about 5-7 seconds long. Grassy (which I like), enjoyable but pretty mild. I kind of like to get kicked in the mouth sometimes.
And that's how I finally figured out what you guys mean when you say astringency!
The second infusion I let buzz for substantually longer. I drank it all but it was a bit rough. The next 3-4 infusions of the session were great. I'm not nearly enough of a refined taster to give accurate descriptions... basically a "good" or "not good". This one was good.JW, I like to play my sheng slowly - starting with flash infusions, and working up no more than 5s at a time. Sometimes I'll do the same steep time two or three times in a row. Flavor builds slowly, and you can really get a sense for what the leaves are made of.
If you like a kick in the mouth, pick up a Xiaguan FT tuo. Any one of them - Holy Flame, Dream of the Red Chamber, Happy... doesn't matter.
If you like a kick in the mouth, pick up a Xiaguan FT tuo. Any one of them - Holy Flame, Dream of the Red Chamber, Happy... doesn't matter.
nada plantation nannou. this is brewing as dark as the '03 menghai bulang now. when I first received it the color was a bright yellow. still fruity with a nice flower aroma, but the acidity and bitterness is very subdued.
I should have stocked up on these...
Also, anyone remember this review of one of Nada's 09 Bulang by Hobbes? I think that image has been burned into my memory. Maybe he'll review it again sometime and let us know how its been progressing.
http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2009/06/2009-nadachayuan-bulang.html
I should have stocked up on these...
Also, anyone remember this review of one of Nada's 09 Bulang by Hobbes? I think that image has been burned into my memory. Maybe he'll review it again sometime and let us know how its been progressing.
http://half-dipper.blogspot.com/2009/06/2009-nadachayuan-bulang.html
Douji '10 You Le 
