Delicious... I don't have a refined palate but I taste apricot and sweetness
SOTD- sheng of the day
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Delicious... I don't have a refined palate but I taste apricot and sweetness
I received my sampler order from netsurfr just as I was finishing up another tea. Steve did a great job of packing the order, letting me know through email what to do with a couple of samples, and throwing in a couple of extras for me to try out. Recommended. 
Anyway, 2008 Dayi 8582. I can start to see why people would drink raw puerh. Only on the second gaiwan (4.6g/100ml, 10sec rinse, 5 sec, 7 sec) but I'm starting to get the front-of-palate sweetness and what I think they call "huigan" in the back of the palate.
Anyway, 2008 Dayi 8582. I can start to see why people would drink raw puerh. Only on the second gaiwan (4.6g/100ml, 10sec rinse, 5 sec, 7 sec) but I'm starting to get the front-of-palate sweetness and what I think they call "huigan" in the back of the palate.
I wound up doing four more long brews of the '06 YQH GuShuChawang, so that made for probably over twenty-five brews total. Even when it was as transparent as water, still had bonus flavor. Stopped because I really wanted my pot back for other sheng.
Todaaaaay, since I wasn't ready to go back to mortal sheng again, I decided to the the 2007 XZH LongFeng. This is somewhat of an erratic tea, but today, it was really good. Flavor stronger, broader, and with some aged Bulang chocolate tones in the background. Aroma was a decent performance as well, with some lift even reasonably deep into the session. Really good warm feeling down the throat and settling in the tummy. Really good qi, overall, making me slump as hard as a guy can slump in a wood chair with no cushions. On a slightly minor note, texture was also very nice cream feel in the mouth, like some good shus. I paid $37.50 for this 400g tea cake in 2010. It's probably comparable to the white2tea Tuhao as **** cake, which would have been $278 in all. Might be even more, depending on the actual Bulang source--explicitly said to be Banzhang area on Sanhetang media.
These mid-aughts teas doing so well for me makes me want to preach to the crowd: Buy the best puerh, to the point of pain, you can manage. You won't really remember that pain, when you're drinking this stuff at first stage maturity, seven to ten years hence. Just how much really good tea can take you out of a bad day or bad mood is important. Or simply to make an average day magical.
Todaaaaay, since I wasn't ready to go back to mortal sheng again, I decided to the the 2007 XZH LongFeng. This is somewhat of an erratic tea, but today, it was really good. Flavor stronger, broader, and with some aged Bulang chocolate tones in the background. Aroma was a decent performance as well, with some lift even reasonably deep into the session. Really good warm feeling down the throat and settling in the tummy. Really good qi, overall, making me slump as hard as a guy can slump in a wood chair with no cushions. On a slightly minor note, texture was also very nice cream feel in the mouth, like some good shus. I paid $37.50 for this 400g tea cake in 2010. It's probably comparable to the white2tea Tuhao as **** cake, which would have been $278 in all. Might be even more, depending on the actual Bulang source--explicitly said to be Banzhang area on Sanhetang media.
These mid-aughts teas doing so well for me makes me want to preach to the crowd: Buy the best puerh, to the point of pain, you can manage. You won't really remember that pain, when you're drinking this stuff at first stage maturity, seven to ten years hence. Just how much really good tea can take you out of a bad day or bad mood is important. Or simply to make an average day magical.
2008 7542.
I'm starting to see the light here.
I'm starting to see the light here.
2008 7532. I can hear my wallet weeping in the bedroom from my home office.
I reserve the right to change opinion on the 7542, but I could drink 8582 and 7532 all day. And to think I still have a bunch of other samples to try.
I reserve the right to change opinion on the 7542, but I could drink 8582 and 7532 all day. And to think I still have a bunch of other samples to try.
Glad to hear you are enjoying the samples. Be sure to let me know if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Steve
www.JAS-eTea.com
Purveyors of Premium Teas
[email protected]
After something of a disaster of an '08 v93 shu, I decided to take out the XZH '98 DXS maocha, half session in a gaiwan. This turned out to be reasonably successful. I concluded that this is a very thin, delicate tea for a browned aged, sheng. Almost like as if it was baipu. If you want thicker, gotta use quite a bit more leaf, but I was happy simply making small sips and letting the flavors and aftertastes percolate for a while. This is obviously a Bingdao area Mengku tea, but overall, it's not better than the Kunming/Atlanta stored Tai Lian at its best. More mellow, aged herbal sweetness, of course, but less qi, viscosity, activity in the throat. The taste is a bit thicker, though--Tai Lian can be very thin. Anyways, this does have qi, it does have long, lingering tastes, and it does slide down that throat nice.
Trying to finish up the mini tuos I have so I can drink better things. I have been starting those up for breakfast and I quite like puerh in the morning, though I wonder if shu would be better for breakfast. I'll have to experiment.
Will be doing some reviews for the next month.
First up is the YS '09 Youle. First cup has initial smoke in the aroma, which goes away. This has decent viscosity, smoothness. There is a slight touch of qi. The taste generally is very floral and not quite all the good kind of floral. The taste, while somewhat light and unbalanced, does have some bass available, and in late infusions, a bassy milk coffee taste shows up. There aren't any aftertastes.
This tea costs $88. I've thought of it as a better Xiaguan--the floralness isn't dissimilar to the Cang'er tuo that I don't like very much, and having qi definitely puts it at a plus. Moreover, it doesn't have the kind of flaws I have found in the Road to Yiwu '09 teas. It's not fruity like those teas are, but it's kind of a solid tea. I would estimate that $88 is too expensive, but not by much, and is worth picking up at a decent sale. $60 is about fair. I think it's unlikely to possess all that much super-duper aging qualities, which I would have noted since this is six and a half years old. Average ager for nonfactory teas.
First up is the YS '09 Youle. First cup has initial smoke in the aroma, which goes away. This has decent viscosity, smoothness. There is a slight touch of qi. The taste generally is very floral and not quite all the good kind of floral. The taste, while somewhat light and unbalanced, does have some bass available, and in late infusions, a bassy milk coffee taste shows up. There aren't any aftertastes.
This tea costs $88. I've thought of it as a better Xiaguan--the floralness isn't dissimilar to the Cang'er tuo that I don't like very much, and having qi definitely puts it at a plus. Moreover, it doesn't have the kind of flaws I have found in the Road to Yiwu '09 teas. It's not fruity like those teas are, but it's kind of a solid tea. I would estimate that $88 is too expensive, but not by much, and is worth picking up at a decent sale. $60 is about fair. I think it's unlikely to possess all that much super-duper aging qualities, which I would have noted since this is six and a half years old. Average ager for nonfactory teas.
'09 Douji hong dadou. Not particularly worth anyone's time. It's big advantage is that it's gloopy in viscosity. Otherwise, doesn't have a strong aroma or taste, which is a fairly standard and delicate tobacco note. Sometimes have tropical fruit in the finish. No qi, no real aftertaste, or anything like that. Not as good as Dayi products, for example the '08 8582 (when you've eaten). Will likely cost much more than it is worth. I've often noted to myself that Douji is the worst performing brand of puerh people in the West might be familiar with, in terms of aging and general product quality, compared to cost.
For old time's sake, a warm tinted view of what was once a popular tea at the beginning of this thread, the '08 Dayi Peacock of Menghai.
It's only okay as these things go. It's a lot less refined tasting than the Douji yesterday, and thinner as well. However, the taste is more full and the early brews are capable of some aftertaste after a penetrating bitterness. This is factory fare with some sweet hekai/northern bulang that's contributed some aged almond sweetness to this brew. Not too much and it fades quickly in the session. The soup thickness is okay and it's smooth on entry, but has a strong drying astringency. No qi. I'd estimate this session as being roughly around the value of the '08 8582 I am familiar with, but I suspect if I had a cake of it, I'd have plenty of sessions that are a measurable degree better. Not so much better, though. I don't think it has much aging potential in the sense that it will ever be exciting or treasured, and it probably isn't going to be as good as older style Dayi, all around-wise.
It's only okay as these things go. It's a lot less refined tasting than the Douji yesterday, and thinner as well. However, the taste is more full and the early brews are capable of some aftertaste after a penetrating bitterness. This is factory fare with some sweet hekai/northern bulang that's contributed some aged almond sweetness to this brew. Not too much and it fades quickly in the session. The soup thickness is okay and it's smooth on entry, but has a strong drying astringency. No qi. I'd estimate this session as being roughly around the value of the '08 8582 I am familiar with, but I suspect if I had a cake of it, I'd have plenty of sessions that are a measurable degree better. Not so much better, though. I don't think it has much aging potential in the sense that it will ever be exciting or treasured, and it probably isn't going to be as good as older style Dayi, all around-wise.
Decided to have a second tea... '09 Haiwan Pasha organic brick. Not sure, but I don't think it's organic, since I got funny feeling where dem pesticides would normally hit.
It has that nice aromatic wood note that is so classical of Pasha teas, and that odd tropical-fruity note as well. Not really any qi, but it does warm the body. Not very durable, the viscosity declines quickly in the session, and the flavor hollows out quickly too. However, there is a degree of complexity. It's not really a great tea, but assuming that I'm wrong about pesticides, it's about equal with the Dayi Menghai Peacock in value.
ChunPu's Banpen does this cedar wood note so much worse than it presumable neighbor to its north.
It has that nice aromatic wood note that is so classical of Pasha teas, and that odd tropical-fruity note as well. Not really any qi, but it does warm the body. Not very durable, the viscosity declines quickly in the session, and the flavor hollows out quickly too. However, there is a degree of complexity. It's not really a great tea, but assuming that I'm wrong about pesticides, it's about equal with the Dayi Menghai Peacock in value.
ChunPu's Banpen does this cedar wood note so much worse than it presumable neighbor to its north.
Yesterday's tea was the 2009 Red Shangdou. Not as gloopy as the Dadou, and doesn't have a refined yang taste like the Dadou. Does have a more fuller taste, and maybe some qi as that I felt better for having drank it. A touch of aftertaste as well.
Today's tea was the 2008 Bada-bing. Oh wait, don't have the bing. Eh, the Dayi Peacock of Bada. Tastes like a Bada, with its fruity-tanginess. Also highly constrained to Dayi house flavor. Decent viscosity, a smidge of aftertaste, little aroma. As the session goes on, it tends to be thinner in taste. What I'm noticing is that the best brew for both the Bada and Menghai sample is the second brew, or the first if you washed it. It always sort of hollows out and declines as you brew more cups. Menghai has the better best brew than Bada. The 2007 wet-stored Bada I have is much better than this tea, so I know there is a firm limit on the quality of factory tea.
Today's tea was the 2008 Bada-bing. Oh wait, don't have the bing. Eh, the Dayi Peacock of Bada. Tastes like a Bada, with its fruity-tanginess. Also highly constrained to Dayi house flavor. Decent viscosity, a smidge of aftertaste, little aroma. As the session goes on, it tends to be thinner in taste. What I'm noticing is that the best brew for both the Bada and Menghai sample is the second brew, or the first if you washed it. It always sort of hollows out and declines as you brew more cups. Menghai has the better best brew than Bada. The 2007 wet-stored Bada I have is much better than this tea, so I know there is a firm limit on the quality of factory tea.
I did some '09 Lao Mansa from Norbutea. This is huangpan or stuffed with some of it, because the flavor was pretty thin Yiwu with that kind of huangpan character. Deeper into the session and brewed longer, it yields more yiwu taste but also more astringency. And it fades quickly.
I didn't do too many brews of that, so I went to '08 Dayi Autumn Aroma. This one maintains a certain sort of dry floral character that's relatively yang. It's in the aroma and taste. Deeper in the session, past the first couple of brews, more smoky sensibility peeks out. There isn't much underneath except as sort of green sweetness. Early brews *do* have an interesting cooling and feel in the throat, and I think there is a slight qi showing up. However, the soup is thin, the taste is thin, and by all of the astringency that's in it, and all of the long stems in the finished tea, my guess is that this is mostly summer stuff from the nicer gardens. Not quite sure it's all that buyable. This needs a lot of time before it's all that nice to drink, and it will never be that good, and space is money, even if you buy the cakes for $15-$20 a cake.
I didn't do too many brews of that, so I went to '08 Dayi Autumn Aroma. This one maintains a certain sort of dry floral character that's relatively yang. It's in the aroma and taste. Deeper in the session, past the first couple of brews, more smoky sensibility peeks out. There isn't much underneath except as sort of green sweetness. Early brews *do* have an interesting cooling and feel in the throat, and I think there is a slight qi showing up. However, the soup is thin, the taste is thin, and by all of the astringency that's in it, and all of the long stems in the finished tea, my guess is that this is mostly summer stuff from the nicer gardens. Not quite sure it's all that buyable. This needs a lot of time before it's all that nice to drink, and it will never be that good, and space is money, even if you buy the cakes for $15-$20 a cake.
The first tea with the '09 Yunnan Sourcing Ai Lao. It has a sort of unusual taste/aroma. The tomatoey vegetal aspect is gone, and it's a kind of metallic, clay/plastic, with a fruit undertone. This tea has a bit of cooling capacity, and a bit of aftertaste. However, it's thin in viscosity, and is relatively drying, if not as much as the Dayi Autumn Aroma. This also doesn't last long before getting fairly boring. About three-four brews of interestingness. That's still better than many of these cheaper teas I'm starting out with, with just the second cup is particularly interesting (no wash). Not really worth buying.
The second tea is '09 Dayi Bulang. This starts out as weak in taste and aroma, but consistently gets better for about three to four brews before decline. Northern Bulang character, doesn't seem to be backed very much by standard Dayi plantation, unlike the peacocks. Does do the bitterness transition to sweetness, but not very strongly or much like good tea. It's not too bad though, for factory tea.
The second tea is '09 Dayi Bulang. This starts out as weak in taste and aroma, but consistently gets better for about three to four brews before decline. Northern Bulang character, doesn't seem to be backed very much by standard Dayi plantation, unlike the peacocks. Does do the bitterness transition to sweetness, but not very strongly or much like good tea. It's not too bad though, for factory tea.
First attempted tea today was the Norbutea's 2000 Zhongcha. I remember bad experiences with other aged tea from Norbutea, so I was cautious, smelling the dry leaf, etc, etc. They go into the pot (instead of the gaiwan, need to be normal circumstances, right?). Pour hot water over it. Lifted lid to sniff again--doesn't smell right... Spotted something floating...some insect that sort of look like a cricket. I stare at it, just to be sure I'm seeing what I'm seeing...No. Dumped the whole thing out in the sink, nothing against a little extra protein from bug broth but no telling what else is in there.
Went onto the last cheaper tea before more fun stuff starts going into my pot...2009 Dayi Hong. Blend of Mengsong and Nannuo. It's a very reasonable quality factory blend, closest to the Douji Hong Dadou, except less gloopy and masculine. It's a bit more bitter, more astringent drying, with a tiny bit of aftertaste, and it's more durable. At a cheap enough price, probably worth having for storage in humid climes.
One more suspect factory sheng, the 2004 Dayi 7542 from puerhshop, but this concludes the cheap sheng stuff. Only one more formally described blend (2012 Sanhezhai) as well.
Ranking
2009 YS Youle--obviously the best and not really with the rest of this crowd.
2008 Dayi Peacock of Menghai
2009 Dayi Hong
2008 Dayi Peacock of Bada
2009 Douji Hong Shangdou
2009 Dayi Bulang
--not worth buying at all (price/value;price of space)but drinkable
2009 YS Ai Lao: a little weird, thin
2009 Haiwan Pasha brick: pesticides? Limited
2009 Douji Hong Dadou: has only refined taste and initial viscosity going for it
2008 Dayi Autumn Aroma: obviously waste material, too thin taste, very astringent
--not really worth drinking
2009 Chun Pu Ban Pen: hongchapu odd tastes
2009 Norbutea Lao Mansa: huangpan could be good for medicinal or easy going use with more humid storage.
--toxic
2000 Zhongcha from Norbutea: clearly unacceptably dirty
Went onto the last cheaper tea before more fun stuff starts going into my pot...2009 Dayi Hong. Blend of Mengsong and Nannuo. It's a very reasonable quality factory blend, closest to the Douji Hong Dadou, except less gloopy and masculine. It's a bit more bitter, more astringent drying, with a tiny bit of aftertaste, and it's more durable. At a cheap enough price, probably worth having for storage in humid climes.
One more suspect factory sheng, the 2004 Dayi 7542 from puerhshop, but this concludes the cheap sheng stuff. Only one more formally described blend (2012 Sanhezhai) as well.
Ranking
2009 YS Youle--obviously the best and not really with the rest of this crowd.
2008 Dayi Peacock of Menghai
2009 Dayi Hong
2008 Dayi Peacock of Bada
2009 Douji Hong Shangdou
2009 Dayi Bulang
--not worth buying at all (price/value;price of space)but drinkable
2009 YS Ai Lao: a little weird, thin
2009 Haiwan Pasha brick: pesticides? Limited
2009 Douji Hong Dadou: has only refined taste and initial viscosity going for it
2008 Dayi Autumn Aroma: obviously waste material, too thin taste, very astringent
--not really worth drinking
2009 Chun Pu Ban Pen: hongchapu odd tastes
2009 Norbutea Lao Mansa: huangpan could be good for medicinal or easy going use with more humid storage.
--toxic
2000 Zhongcha from Norbutea: clearly unacceptably dirty
When you can taste the '08 8582 you've been drinking all afternoon in yoga class - both in aftertaste/mouthfeel and in the drops of sweat that you accidentally ingest. 
2012 YS Wu Jia Zhai is pretty simple. It's one of those teas made from trees that are really meant for green tea and not puerh. Basic character is classically Yongde, but without Mangfei's strong tobacco note. It's also very sweet in a vegetal green tea manner. Some cooling, plenty of astringency, which generates lasting flavors in mouth. Only enough viscosity in soup to make it pleasant. I judge this unlikely to age very well, and peeps should drink this sort of Yongde when young and fresh. $54 wasn't too bad, provided that you intended to drink now. Of course, cakes are sold out for some reason.
