SOTD- sheng of the day

**ouch** · 09-27-2008, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Hobbesoxon

What was the gimmick for this one? :)

I rather like purple-leaf teas, they can be very fruity. I'm sure you've tried the Dehong bricks!

Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Guess again- haven't tried the Dehongs yet.

I thought the purple leaf was the gimmick- feet of crab, purple leaf, emperor's eyebrow....

I'd certainly be willing to try more. This one was nice.

**Jim** · 09-27-2008, 08:55 AM

Ok I'm throwing down the gauntlet!

Who is going to do a tea tutorial for the B&B?

**Hobbesoxon** · 09-27-2008, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by ouch

Guess again- haven't tried the Dehongs yet.

I thought the purple leaf was the gimmick- feet of crab, purple leaf, emperor's eyebrow....

I'd certainly be willing to try more. This one was nice.

I see! No, the purple-leaf can either be obtained (as far as I understand) from either lack of shade, or from regional varietals. I don't get the impression that they are built to last through the decades, but the fresh fruitiness is really lovely for me. Yunnan Sourcing's Dehong bricks are a popular pick in this category, and there are some bingcha from actual factories too.

Tasty stuff!

Toodlepip,

Hobbes

**Suzuki** · 09-27-2008, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by ouch

Guess again- haven't tried the Dehongs yet.

I thought the purple leaf was the gimmick- feet of crab, purple leaf, emperor's eyebrow....

I'd certainly be willing to try more. This one was nice.

You're getting your wish, there's a sample of the 2008 YS Dehong in the care package that went out to you earlier this week.

R-James, I also threw in a sample with the bamboo-packed tea from YS that's heading your way.

I quite like the 2008 YS Dehong - again, my frame of reference isn't that great, but its very nice, fruity, mouth-filling stuff. Nothing too serious, so good for the office, but nice enough for a weekend afternoon or evening tea where you want something light and refreshing, but with some body to it.

At $25 for a 500g brick, its reasonably good value and I'll be ordering a second brick with my next order.

**ouch** · 09-27-2008, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Hobbesoxon

I see! No, the purple-leaf can either be obtained (as far as I understand) from either lack of shade, or from regional varietals. I don't get the impression that they are built to last through the decades, but the fresh fruitiness is really lovely for me. Yunnan Sourcing's Dehong bricks are a popular pick in this category, and there are some bingcha from actual factories too.

Tasty stuff!

Toodlepip,

Hobbes

Thanks. Perhaps my bs meter pegged because it seems to be a product routinely pushed at puerhshop, and always at the low end.

**ouch** · 09-27-2008, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Suzuki

You're getting your wish, there's a sample of the 2008 YS Dehong in the care package that went out to you earlier this week.

Woohoo! Thanks!

Originally Posted by Suzuki

At $25 for a 500g brick, its reasonably good value and I'll be ordering a second brick with my next order.

I'm amazed at what bargains shengs are in general. A twenty dollar bing translates to roughly $25 per pound, which barely gets you a 5th grade oolong at Ten Tea or someplace similar. Their top teas are the equivalent of $200+ bings, and often no more satisfying than a pedestrian sheng. In retrospect, I was nuts to buy anything over $50 a pound, a mistake I made time and again. Unless it's a rare green, a good example of a dahongpao, or an out of this world dancong, I don't see much of anything other than pu'er in my future.

**Scotto** · 09-27-2008, 11:55 AM

2003 Yi-Chan-Hao Yi-Ban Wild Arbor Cake
7g in 100ml Yixing. Many infusions.

Man, I love this stuff. This is the last of my sample from Hou De, and there are no cakes to be found anymore. It reminds me of coca-cola syrup without the sugar. Sweet, perfect acidity, fruity, caramel. A nice astringency and just the right amount of bitterness. A really dynamic tea. I don't think this one has legs for the long haul, but it is drinking really well right now.

I am a big fan of the Changtai factory. This is one of their best, IMO.

**R-James** · 09-27-2008, 12:15 PM

No tea today, I bought my 1st briar so tea + aromatics didn't sound too good in my head.

**Suzuki** · 09-27-2008, 06:12 PM

Yi Wu Mountain Bamboo

http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Yi-Wu-Mount...742.m153.l1262

This is a YS exclusive - they take Yi Wu tea, lightly compress it into lengths of bamboo and then bake them in an oven room (as is done for cakes of sheng to prevent mould from forming).

This results in an interesting tea that, while clearly a sheng, has some shu notes.

The tea brews a lovely copper coloured liquor that has a light sweetness and some delicate citrus/herbacious notes - however, this is backed with faint earthy/mushroomy notes that give the tea some additional depth and a heavier /fuller mouth feel. The first brew has a touch of bitterness that smooths out with subsequent brews.

I'm just part way through the session, but I've used an amout of leaves approximately equivalent to 1/4 of the volume of my brewing vessel (I still haven't picked up a gaiwan, so am brewing into a small tea cup using a stainless steel strainer).

This is only the second session with this tea, but I am quite enjoying it - its definitely different from the other shengs I've tried and the shu notes make for a nice change and a tea that is great for after dinner.

**R-James** · 09-28-2008, 03:42 AM

A spot of AFI's 2006 album Decemberunderground and some earthy 12 Gentleman Chun ya shen yun

100ml Gaiwan 5g

Didn't time my infusions I'm more by feel with this tea, it is relitavely cheap but tasty and relaxing for an unhurried but slightly chilly Sunday morning.

EDIT: I know I had shu in a sheng thread, but there is no need for a shu of the day thread as well!

**Hobbesoxon** · 09-28-2008, 05:46 AM

Some of the famous blends are sheng-shu, it's a popular choice. :)

Today - 2003 Munming Tailian "Yuancha" - a real patchwork blend, but it all works nicely together.

Toodlepip,

Hobbes

**Scotto** · 09-28-2008, 12:19 PM

Just back from the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival. Yum. Time for a palate cleanser.

2007 Xi Zi Hao 8582, 8g in 100mL Yixing. Many infusions

Tastes like multi-grain bread spread with apricot preserves. Very nice.

**Hobbesoxon** · 09-28-2008, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by Scotto

Just back from the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival. Yum. Time for a palate cleanser.

2007 Xi Zi Hao 8582, 8g in 100mL Yixing. Many infusions

Tastes like multi-grain bread spread with apricot preserves. Very nice.

Despite my intentions, I've still forgotten about this tea every time I brew up. Next time, Gadget, next time...

(Great description, by the way. I really want this tea now!)

Toodlepip,

Hobbes

**Hobbesoxon** · 09-29-2008, 05:58 AM

Ah: 2007 Xizihao 8582.

Just like Scotto said - bread with apricot preserve. It's quite distinct. A lovely description, thank you!

It's getting smokier as it continues. Very low and pleasant.

Toodlepip,

Hobbes

**ouch** · 09-29-2008, 07:15 AM

'06 Mengku early spring, from puershop
Brewed ugly American style- 250ml yixing

Wow, if the spring harvest is good, what could be better than early spring? Unless, of course, that phrase is yet another misnomer in the wacky world of pu'er. Turns out it means the less than desirable winter harvest. Reminds me of the last time someone handed me box seats to a Mets game, only to discover that I wound up sitting behind Bob Uecker.

"Honey, I got us a great deal on a summer rental at the shore. It's late summer- November."

No matter. The tea was delightful. Jim at PS may scour the bottom shelves at the factories and provides his share of questionable material, but with all of those lovely trees out there and all of the dedicated workers employing age old methods, it shouldn't be so difficult to make a decent product. This one didn't stand out in any way whatsoever, but was a simple, easy to digest brew. It's flavors may have come in wisps rathers than waves, and if it didn't impress, it didn't offend. For today at least, that was sufficient.

**R-James** · 09-29-2008, 07:28 AM

2006 12 Gentlemen Yiwu

100ml Gaiwan 5g

All I shall say is this tea must be what heaven tastes like. I have such a good feeling about it, every infusion is smooth, and its brought a big grin to my face. What more can I want!

**Suzuki** · 09-29-2008, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by ouch

'06 Mengku early spring, from puershop
Brewed ugly American style- 250ml yixing

Wow, if the spring harvest is good, what could be better than early spring? Unless, of course, that phrase is yet another misnomer in the wacky world of pu'er. Turns out it means the less than desirable winter harvest. Reminds me of the last time someone handed me box seats to a Mets game, only to discover that I wound up sitting behind Bob Uecker.

"Honey, I got us a great deal on a summer rental at the shore. It's late summer- November."

No matter. The tea was delightful. Jim at PS may scour the bottom shelves at the factories and provides his share of questionable material, but with all of those lovely trees out there and all of the dedicated workers employing age old methods, it shouldn't be so difficult to make a decent product. This one didn't stand out in any way whatsoever, but was a simple, easy to digest brew. It's flavors may have come in wisps rathers than waves, and if it didn't impress, it didn't offend. For today at least, that was sufficient.

Is this the '06 Mengku you sent me a sample of?

If so, that's what I'm drinking - decent, but a little one-dimensional - fine for work, but nothing special.

Lots of small, broken leaves.

**ouch** · 09-29-2008, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Suzuki

Is this the '06 Mengku you sent me a sample of?

If so, that's what I'm drinking - decent, but a little one-dimensional - fine for work, but nothing special.

Lots of small, broken leaves.

That's the one- decent and nothing special, but enjoyable nonetheless.

All of the Mengkus I've tried seem to be lightly pressed- they're really easy to pry apart, sometimes just by looking at them.

**Scotto** · 09-29-2008, 10:48 AM

This morning: Mengku Bingdao Arbor Maocha from puerhshop

Utterly forgettable. Another work maocha which is not bad, but not particularly good either. Here and there an interesting cooling sensation, some menthol, good bitterness. I wouldn't purchase this again.

**ouch** · 09-29-2008, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Scotto

This morning: Mengku Bingdao Arbor Maocha from puerhshop

Utterly forgettable. Another work maocha which is not bad, but not particularly good either. Here and there an interesting cooling sensation, some menthol, good bitterness. I wouldn't purchase this again.

I think that one is another example of having to read the fine print at puerhshop. I believe the factory is Mengku Jinbiao, not Shuangjiang* Mengku, at least as far as the cakes are concerned. If that's the case, it may as well have come from the Fengoolistan Tea Factory.

*Can't say that word without going "schwing!"