Ancient Tea Horse Road View RSS

Home Set Up 27 Sep 2017 6:17 AM (7 years ago)

Tea should be simple. I typically brew gongfu except when I make a good English Breakfast. Zhuni pot is one that I dedicate to Chinese black teas. Yes, I do also drink other teas.

Work Tea Time! 25 Sep 2017 11:23 AM (7 years ago)

Very simple set up. Electric kettle, a cha hai, a Yixing pot, a porcelain gongfu tray.

The Chinese Tea Company - Brewing Puer Cha 16 May 2016 11:58 AM (8 years ago)

Yunnan Pu Erh Tea Documentary 2 22 Apr 2016 6:45 AM (9 years ago)

Yunnan Pu Erh Tea Documentary 1 22 Apr 2016 6:45 AM (9 years ago)

I am thinking about reviving Ancient Tea Horse Road 4 Apr 2016 8:57 AM (9 years ago)

Hello, I am not sure if anyone is still out there but I am thinking about possible reviving this tea blog. I have not stopped drinking tea and do so quite frequently. I have amassed a considerable amount of puerh tea over the years and are now starting to show their potential. Comments? Love tea!

Mid 80's Golden White Needle Shupu MengHai Factory 15 Sep 2010 9:59 AM (14 years ago)

Golden White Needle Shupu from the MengHai Factory has definitely become one of my favorite ripe puerhs. The quality of the MengHai GWN, when compared to other big factory fare seems always to surpass my expectation -- it provides an artful balance between quality and price.

Being 20 years or more, I wasn't expecting too much in regards to aroma or longevity. After a few years of storage, it has been my experience that shupu rarely if ever will undergo a miraculous transition. Granted, shupu will get better with some age in terms of its mellowness, but for the most part there is no real advantage in aging shupu past 5 or 10 years. Why you ask? As a consequence of artificial fermentation the harshness which we find in young sheng has been for the most part lost or destroyed. Simply put, why age something that is already meant to emulate aged tea?

That said, shupu will never in my humble opinion be an "on par" replacement to sheng. This is not to say that there are not some fantastic shupu on the market with wonderful and vibrant flavors; indeed there are. Yet, shupu in my humble opinion does not generate the same romance of aged sheng which can only be achieved with time.

Initial Impressions

The leaves were wonderfully intact with virtually no breakage. Lovely color with no sign of infestation. The aroma was very woody and laced with a non-offensive dampness. The leaves correspond to a a higher grade when compared to your quintessential shupu. Overall, nice.

Brewing Parameters


Amount - 6g

Brewing vessel - Porcelain Gaiwan

Water Source - Natural Spring MI

Infusion times

1st - 30s
2nd - 20s
3rd - 45s
4th - 60s
5th - 75s
6th - 85s


Brewing Session

Aroma - The aroma corresponded with the dry aroma - very woody and pungent. There was and abundance of dampness, yet not offense. The dankness of the brew became sweet after the 4th infusion. More notes of wet hay and wood were revealed. For the most part, very typical for shupu.



Liquor - The liquor was wonderfully dark. A nice coffee hue and clear. Amazingly clear for shupu. Very sweet and comfortable down the the throat and in the earlier infusions, quite viscous. The woody notes were also quite apparent in the brew which and an amusing spiciness. All in all, not a disappointment.

Overall Impressions



The brew was nice, unfortunately, the age may have affected the longevity of the brew in regards to its flavors. Though aging shupu for a few years may benefit a shupu, IMHO, anything longer than 5-10 years, may actually negate the effects we strive for in a good shupu since most of the aging process has taken place during artificial fermentation. Nonetheless, the age provide for a very uncomplicated brew.

CopCo Stainless Steel Thermal 9 Mar 2010 6:24 PM (15 years ago)

Ok, as many of you know, I rarely if ever review products on my blog, yet, I was so surprised with this one, I made an exception. I have always wanted a thermal that would do what it was designed to do - make great tea! Unfortunately, the products that I have test have all fallen short, except this one. I think CopCo had stolen my mental design since they created exactly what I have always pondered would make a great travel buddy.

Here are the Stats

Stainless Steel Thermal

Durable stainless steel construction with non-slip silicone grip

Removable infuser cap allows user to pour hot water directly over loose leaf tea or bag tea

Twist-to-stop steeping feature incorporated in sip-through lid

The function that I enjoy the most IS that I can remove the leaves without removing the basket! - Just a twist of the top dial voila! DONE! The leaves are removed from the infusion. You don't even have to discard the leaves until you are ready since twisting the dial, it creates a barrier between the water and the leaves. Lastly, for this thing to leak you practically have to play catch with it which means no spills to work, school, shopping, or what have you. It's great!

For more info : CopCo

MengHai Da-Yi "Yun Xian - Wu Tsi Den Ke" Series - Hao 7 Feb 2010 10:08 AM (15 years ago)

This is the "Hao" beeng for the MengHai Da-Yi "Yun Xian" Wu Tsi Ke Series - Hao (Tips).

Again,like the previous beeng reviewed, the information for this particular beeng was again scarces. Yet, I do believe what MengHai was going after is showcasing a beeng with a high bud ratio which is obviously implied in the name - yet, you never know with puerh and Chinese translations.



The dry leaf does appear to have a slight higher bud ratio than your average beeng preseciption - but not much. I figured if you were going to showcase a beeng and name it "hao", it would be slightly "whiter", yet this was not the case.

Brewing Session

Method - Gaiwan 100ml

Infusion times

1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-40s
5-50s
6-85s
7-85s

Infusions


Aroma

Definitely still a very young tea even after almost 4 years of aging. There were quintessential aroma notes that you would find in a younger example; mostly floral, but almost candy like. There were wafting notes caramelized honey enveloped with a tad of smoke, though not offensive. The aromas were very strong and did not dissipate easily from the aroma cup nor from the brew itself. Wonderful.



In the latter infusions, the sweetness had transformed more into a vegetal quality allowing more of the muskiness to come through - a nice transition which helped to even out the session.

Taste

The liquor very much corresponded with the youth of the aroma. There were notes of rubber, smoke and very much astringent. However, after the 3rd infusion, in a surprising turn, the notes had transformed into a subtle leather and tobacco; interesting indeed. The astringency was still noticeable which is "ok" in a young and potent beeng. However, what concerns me is that after almost 4 years, it still has quite a bite. The acidity was impeccible, which made the liquor lively and bright. When you can get passed the astringency, there is a subtle huigan that in my opinion makes the astrigency worthwhile. The texture of the liquor was quite smooth which is somewhat suprising with its complex brassiness.


Spent Leaves



Ordinary Big Factory Fare


Final Impressions

What a punch! Very potent in all respects. It had a wonderful longevity and could of gone more rounds however decided to cut the session short as I was starting to feel the effects of drinking such a young tea. I assume that this been will age nicely however, if the astringency is still not in check in a couple of years, there may more concern. But I am going to be lenient only because it supposed to be slightly more bitter with its higher bud ratio. All in all, it was a potent brew which certainly lets you experience the strength of puerh. The cha qi was pleasant and short lived.

2006 MengHai Da-Yi "Yun Xian - Wu Tsi Den Ke" Series 9 Nov 2009 1:06 PM (15 years ago)

The Wu Tsi Den Ke Series made quite a splash in '06. Although the hefty price tag seemed a bit excessive, many puerh fans grabbed them as soon as they came on the market leaving many DaYi fans in the dark.

The five cake Wu Tsi Den Ke Series were created to highlight the 5 different characters associated with Shengpu - and in very much a Chinese fashion. Wu Tsi Ke is a traditional Chinese blessing when roughly translated means "May your five children become great scholars". Don't you love this stuff?!

Unfortnately, not much is known about this series (or atleast I coudln't find any) other than each of the cakes were allegedly made from a very special prescription to show case the five predominant charactersisitcs in flavor and material of pu-erh: Aged, High-Mountain, Tender Tips, Honey and Rock.

I have chosen to review Chen "aged" first - after all the litmus test for pu-erh is whether or not it will have the capacity for aging - Chen will be my first of five installments.

Initial Impressions

When the leaves were compared to the other examples of the series, there seemed to be a noticeable darker hue. Whether this implies that the prescription used to make the beeng is older than the others, I guess it is difficult to say since dark leaves do not always correlate with age. In it's dry state, the leaves did not provide any scent. However, after the rinse almost in an instant my gaiwan suddenly came alive with wonderful whiffs consisting of deep pungent notes of wood, and what I tend to call the scent of "old books". Additionally, there was also a noticeable hint of smoke making the aroma quite masculine.

The leaves appeared to be of higher grade. Though this is difficult to tell with blended material since blends are generally masticated in order to provide the needed consistency throughout a blended beeng - from the leaves which were somewhat intact (in that I can determine width)they resembled 1-4 grades.

Parameters

Amount - 5g

Method - Gongfu Gaiwan 150ml

Infusion times

1-15s
2-12s
3-20s
4-35s
5-55s
6-75s
7-85s
8-95s
9-120s

Brewing Session




Aroma

The aroma was delicately floral- suprising to say the least since the initial aromas did not point this direction. There were sweet notes laced with a buttery essence; interesting. Definitely rich and pungent. Smoke though faint was also noticeable. The latter infusions were very much consistent with the first yet would vary tremendously from infusion to infusion.

Taste

I found the taste of the liquor quite rustic with its overtones of wood and spice. Generally, when I speak of wood notes, it is to denote the quintessential wood that one finds in pu-erh; however, this is different. I could actually determine an oak quality that was very much reminiscent of a scotch like palate. In the latter infusions, the notes became more earthy sweet with notes of mushroom and dark malt that became medicinal as the liquor cooled on the palate.

The chayun for was wonderfully active. The liquor tantalized the sides of my tongue and the roof of my mouth. There was also a unique sharpness which coupled well with the huigan. Definitely a viscus concoction which made the session quite satisfying.


Spent Leaves




Nothing remarkable about the spent leaves. Appears to be classic 'big factory' fare. There seems to be a good ratio of buds within this prescription.

Final Impressions

The only thing really off putting about this example is the hefty price tag. I really enjoyed it. The aromas were captivating; the clarity, color and activity of the liquor kept things moving. Best of all, the flavors did not tire the palate as some of the more assertive examples can easily do. The recipe appears to have been created with aging capacity in mind in that the aging characteristics needed for aging pu-erh were all present. Oh, a warming chaqi.

1998 MengHai Factory 8582 Sheng Beeng 12 Oct 2009 5:42 PM (15 years ago)

Apologise to my readers for the long delay in posting. Rest assure that I do not plan on killing my blog. Please look foreword for other reviews in the VERY near future!




I was readjusting my pu closet and to my surprise had found this little nugget of gold - A sample of 8582 that I had purchased sometime back! I love it when this happens.

Well, for many of you, I am sure that 8582 needs no introduction since it certainly has become a perennial favorite for many; and rightly so. Current aged examples are quite delicious and seem to age just as well as other "higher grade" leaf. I think I need to explain what I mean by higher grade. Many tea drinkers who begin to collect too more often than not assume that higher grade of mao cha is more suitable for aging than others. Well, this is not entirely so. The grade of the leaf only corresponds to the size of the leaf and has really nothing to do with its quality. For instance, when we have a MengHai Dayi 06(2)2 recipe, we can assume that the majority of the tea will have finer and more bud like leaves since the number in the paren will always indicate leaf grade - in this case it is a 2. However as I had previously stated, this will not always translate into a cake which will age. In fact, many cakes which are considered finer grade are not showing promise at all.

Now back to the 85(8)2. As will notice, the leaf grade in this recipe is a grade of 8. This will mean that the Marjory of the beeng will be composed of 8 grade leaves - generally bigger and heartier fare. The 8582 has become a perennial classic since many of the older 8582 are showing great signs of promise. I like them in my own collection for this very reason.


Water - Generic Spring Water

Infusions

1 Rinse

1-15s
2-10s
3-15s
4-21s
5-26s
6-34s
7-41s
8-68s

Impressions




Aroma

I was surprised that there was still a hint of honey in the aroma. Albeit faint, it was still noticeable. The dominant aromas however were hay and pleasing wood aromas. Latter infusions were somewhat sweeter which with an ever so lovely musk. The aromas were long and lasting and did not dissipate easily from the aroma cup. Nice potency.

Taste

The flavors were richly brite and slightly tannic and acidic- though not obtuse, but delicate which complimented the richness of the liquor quite well. As in the aroma, the wood notes were dominant which transformed on the palate as it cooled on the tongue. The texture and viscosity were impeccable making the throat feel comfortable which the swallow.


Final Impressions

It was an orthodox puerh. It was enjoyable but was not as inviting as I had hoped. The huigan was lacking which did not correspond well with the sweetness of the aroma. On a good note, the chaqi was pleasant and comfortable.

Cha Gel Sheng Concentrate 18 Aug 2009 10:02 AM (15 years ago)

That is right, pu-erh concentrate. A gent named Coloradopu who I chat with on occasions on Tea Chat was nice enough to send me a few nuggets of this curiosity. Frankly, I do not know much about this concoction other than it is supposedly sheng which has gone through quite a bit of processing resulting in what you see here. The pieces resemble a Jolly Rancher in consistency but considerably more brittle. They give off a faint caramelized odor which really makes it seem more like candy than something that you would infuse to imbibe.

I was warned by Coloradopu to use only a small bit as it is very concentrated. I decided on a piece the size of an eraser end to start. Not wanting to risk of contaminating my Yixing ware, I figured a Gaiwan would serve my purpose.



Well, here goes nothing!



Almost instantaneously the nugget started to infuse into the water as you can see. Actually looked quite nice.




Not wanting to over steep, I decided I would leave the Gaiwan lid off so that I may gauge the strength of the liquor. Wanting to play it safe and not wanting to over steep, I decided to decant the yellow liquor into my fair cup only after 10 seconds when it reached what I thought was the appropiate color for young sheng pu.

Decanting







Well, it looks like sheng, but unfortunately that is where the resemblance stops. I was not putting too much hope in this product, after all anything instant sux. Honestly, its not a bad tea. It almost tastes like sheng which has been overly roasted (which I have done on occasion). The liquor has no astringency or bitterness. It is not nuanced but straightforward. The liquor itself doesn't give off much of an aroma. However, there is a definite sweet, roast smell wafting up from the fair cup. It almost smells like a yan cha. There is really nothing great about this tea other than its novelty. I guess if you are traveling and do not have any time to stop for a steep or don't want customs examining your bags wondering what this green stuff is in your carry-on, I guess it may serve a purpose. :D

Nugget after first Infusion

I actually was able to steep this nugget 6 times before it completely dissolved.



Thanks ColoradoPu for being so generous! Btw, stay tuned for the Cha Gel SHUPU Concentrate which he was also kind enough to send! :D

MengHai Factory DaYi #7582 Sheng Beeng 6 Aug 2009 5:23 AM (15 years ago)

The 7582 recipe is an older MengHai Factory recipe yet rarely produced. In fact, I haven't seen any other productions of the #7582 other than the '06, of which is also becoming quite elusive.

The recipe of the #7582 contains a 6-9 grade blend from YiWu and the Ba Da mountains however it is unknown what is the percentage of each. What is known however is that the '06 is one of the most expensive DaYi code recipes of that year.

First Impressions



The first thing grabbed my attention other than the leaf grade was that surface of the cake was quite peppered with yellow leaves. Not a big problem of course but was just unusual, at least for me, for a DaYi product. Certainly I have seen 'some' yellow leaves in DaYi but never to this extent. Interesting to say the least. The dry leaves appeared to be healthy and certainly do correspond to the leaf grade of the recipe. I can even say that they have darkened a bit since I have purchased it. They had a lovely melon and grassy sent that were quite noticeable even though the wrapper.



The maocha was not as compact as they appear at first glance. They easily pried off with my toucha pick with very little effort.

Brewing Parameters

Method - 150ml Gaiwan

Amount - 6.2gm


Infusion Times

1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-35s
5-55s
6-65s

Tasting Impressions





Aroma

The aroma was really not that captivating. This was not to suggest that it was not pleasant - indeed it was; however, I was expecting the lovely notes of YiWu that one receives from young sheng. For the most part, the aroma was quintessential pu-erh with hints of citrus and pine resin. I guess it wasn't all that bad. The latter infusions had become grassy which of course is not that surprising and very much consist ant with the former infusions.

Taste

From the onset, it was a powerful drink. The very first infusion woke my palate. Most of the sensations were concentrated on the sides of my tongue and the top of my mouth. Still very youthful in quality - brassy and astringent. The acidity was also exceptionally strong which was indicated by its brightness. The initial notes were subdued honey and faint hints of melon. However, the only word I could find to describe the latter infusions was, meaty. There was indeed a meaty quality to it. Not the meatiness that we at times associate the taste or sensation of Umami , but meaty in the sense that the flavors were not relenting in any way. It was like every taste bud was affected by some search and destroy misson. The huigan did not reveal itself until after the 4 round. However, a little to late in that the liquor soon after leeched out.

Spent Leaves



Final Impressions


I am not sure if my analysis was too critical. Perhaps I was judging it to other Yiwu blended products that I have. Nonetheless, it certainly has the oomph needed to age and I presume that that it will. In fact the liquor seems a bit darker than the last time I sampled it. Not that liquor color is any a good indication but at least I know that it is certainly trying to transform. Nonetheless,it will have to age because I am not touching this one again for at least another 3-4 years.

It was not that the flavors were brutal but they are much to potent to drink on a causual bases. That said, I can say with out a doubt that I can characterize this example as androgenous in that it has both female and masculine qualities - the flavors were to some extent pefume-y with a pleasing quality to them but very much an alpha. Unfortnately, I was unable to gauge any chaqi with so much going on. I am very excited to see how these beengs will develop.

2001 MengKu "Yuan Yieh Xian" of MengSa, Thick-papered 357g 20 Jul 2009 9:56 AM (15 years ago)

I have had these beengs for sometime. There are two versions of this particular 2001 MengKu offering - the thick paper and the thin paper version. This review will be of the thick paper version that has gone through some traditional HongKong storage.

I have had the privilege of tasting and comparing both. My conclusion and possibly everyone one elses is that although they were produced by the same factory and made of the same mao cha, "Mengsa Shan", they are indeed different animals. Interestingly, the paper of course is the culprit. The thick paper allowed for more of the moisture to linger longer on the surface, and consequently causing less evaporation. Conversely, the thin paper allowed for more 'breathable' conditions lending itself to more of a dry storage condition.

I have read numerous thoughts suggesting that the thin paper version is much better than the thick paper example. I do plan on reviewing the thin paper but until then here are what the some of the experts at Teapot Magazine have to say about it.



"..elegance of its aroma with soft honey taste. Within this great tea fragrance, it is actually a plentiful and complex along its thickness. ...very good mouth feel...extremely cool and sweet after taste."

Needless to say, the description is tantalizing and I agree having tasted it first hand. However, to suggests that the thin paper is better, in my opinion, is not fair. Both both great in their own away and offer something different to the puerh world. The thin paper is a great example of the potential of a dry stored pu-erh, while the other is an excellent example of wet storage beeng. Though, perhaps, the wet storage effect may have been accidental, it does provide a good bench mark in which to judge the potential of other HK storage or wet storage beengs.

Initial Impression

I was not "wowed" when I first unwrapped the beeng. It looked like your quintessential HK storage fare. The leaves did not have any signs of mold infection, which was great considering how dark the leaves were. Although there were a couple of 'frosty' stems in the bunch the surface was very clean. The aroma was a bit dank but other than that it looked like a nice beeng.



Brewing Session


Amount - 4.5

Method - Gongfu Yixing 100ml

Infusion times

1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-35s
5-50s
6-75s
7-85s
8-95s
9-100s
10-125s
11-140s
12-150s


Aroma

The initial aroma was what you would expect with a wet-stored beeng. Lots of matured earthy wood notes with very little nuances. On occasion I had caught a whiff of camphor but for the most part, generic. These notes aren't bad and were quite expected, however, what was not expected was that they had become sweeter after the 5th infusion. There were slight notes of honey, fresh grass, dark currants that were enveloped in a medicinal quality. Generally, it has been my experience that wet stored fare will remain consistent throughout the session. Indeed a nice surprise.


Taste

The taste very much resembled the aroma, notes both in theme and in transition. Initially, the notes were dark and matured. Very woody, very earthy, with an almost cacao finish. The liquor was very think and had a gelatinous quality. It was far more viscus than I would have imaged. Later in the infusions, the notes had also become a bit more sweet, and in fact some of its youth gleamed through. The liquor had a pleasant feeling as it entered the throat. In the most latter infusion, the darkness very much dissipated which left only notes of fresh hay intermixed with freshly cut wood essence.

Final Impressions



First and foremost, I tried not to judge this beeng comparing to its much more revered twin. In the final analysis, the thick paper certainly has much to offer. I have had many wet stored examples which leave you uninspired. However, the thick paper MengKu certainly is a great example of the potential of wet storage fare. On the down side however is that it did take time for its huigan to come through. Yet, when it did, it certainly was decent. Another caveat is its current price.

Although it is certainly ready to drink now, I believe that given time to allow some of the maturity to diffuse may reveal something much more exciting.

My New Cup

I think this is a good time to unveil my new cup! Well, many not that new but new to me. Its an early Ming Dynasty making it roughly 600-700 years old . It's porclain, roughly 40ml in volume and very smooth. It is hand painted in a rustic pattern in blue which has certainly faded over the centuries. I love saying that :P

2003 Rui Rong Hao Da Xue Shan Sheng " Big Snow Mountain" 10 Jun 2009 10:40 AM (15 years ago)

This 2003 is an offering from Sampan Teas . I was excited to try this tea since I have a great affinity for Big Snow Mountain puerhs. Though Da Xue Shan teas are not as sought after as other famous mountains, they always seem to agree with with me. They are not aggressive and more often than not I feel I can drink them earlier than most others.

Unfortunately, I was unable to sniff out any substantial information about Rui Rong Hao factory through my detective work. However, if you will allow me to conjecture, my assumption is that Rui Rong Hao may be a subsidiary of the Chang Tai Factory from the looks of its wrapper. Nonetheless, it looks like a quality beeng but the proof as they say is in the pudding.

Initial Impressions

The aroma from the dry leaves was very intoxicating. It had hints of dried fruit and an overture of spice. There were no notes of smoke or unpleasantness to speak of, just a genuinely refreshing odor. The leaves are slightly dark which are accented by its nice glossiness and long stems.



Instead of the quintessential Nei Fei "inner ticket", the factory decided in a more classy approach adding a personal signature mark pressing a large broad leaf which is said to have been plucked from a 2000 year old tea tree right into the beeng along with a silk red ribbon of which you can see slightly in the center of the beeng. As to whether the claim of a 2000 year old tree leaf is true, I am not sure. If memory serves me correctly, I believe the oldest tea tree is said to be roughly 1,700 years old.

Brewing Session

Parameters

Vessel - 100ml Ming Guo Zhuni Yixing

Amount - 4.5g

1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-40s
5-65s
6-90s
7-100s

Aroma

In the first infusions, the liquor had a wonderfully long lasting musk that I enjoyed immensely. It lingered in the aroma cup relatively a much longer time than I am accustomed to making for a very aromatic session. As the aroma cup cooled, the pleasant musk transitioned into the always welcoming honey and floral notes.

In the latter infusions the liquor started to assert itself where notes of dried fruit and melon had become the theme. However, as the potency of the liquor started to wane, these sweet notes eventually transformed more in to a peppery spice coupled with a dried hay note.



Taste

I would have assumed that the liquor would reveal sweet notes as they were apparent in the beginning infusions in the aroma, but to my amusement, the notes were quite leathery and somewhat masculine. It had a berry acidity which kept things interesting which culminated into a decent huigan. Although the liquor was not as viscus as I had hoped, the flavors nonetheless lingered on the palate.

As for the latter infusions they were very consistent with the former, although somewhere after the 5th things started change a bit. The huigan seemingly became much more apparent wjocj was coupled with a nice chayun. Interesting to say the least as it seems counter intuative.

The liquor was very clear and wonderfully bright. Although quite green for its age. Possibly as a consequence of aging in a drier than normal climate.

Spent Leaves



Although the claim is that it is made of wild arbor leaves, the leaves quite flimsy. Probably plantation. The leaves also seem to be of different harvest - a mixture of Fall and Spring. They are not the best looking leaves - mediocre at best.

Final Analysis



The tea provided a pleasant session. Although I question the claim of it being wild arbor, it still provided nice sensations. The cha qi was light and really didn't make much of a statement at all. The aroma was its high point followed by its clarity. I was not very enthused by its lack of maturity. Perhaps it needs to be stored in a much more suitable environment. Be that as it may, I do not think its a younger tea since many of the adolescence has dissipated. Its an honest tea which can be enjoyed now.

Summer Finally 27 May 2009 7:14 PM (15 years ago)

Hey folks,

Just wanted to say that I am still around. Please look forward to new post very shortly! :D I'm transitioning into summer so things are getting hectic. I hope all are well.

Cheers!

Bill

Need the right Equipment 14 Apr 2009 4:05 PM (16 years ago)

Lin's Ceramic Studio 500cc pot and adjustable burner

Ahhh! New in the box


Here are my new acquisitions to my tea ware collection







One thing about Lin's is that they have superb packaging. Touch of class in a custom storage box.

Contents



Well, everything is here. Brochures and "how-to's" Even threw in a jet flame lighter whoohoo!


Wickless adjustable burner



I love these things, they actually let you control the heat from simmer to boiling. Great! Best of all no more cotton wicks to replace.



Clay Kettle



What makes Lin's great is that they are known for elegance and for quality in their designs. One of their claims is that they use a secret formula in their clay which reacts to the minerals in the water improving its quality.


Put all together





My new old Yixng Pot

Custom Made Wood and Silk Box




Pot nestled snugly. Wish I could get that comfortable!




The Pot



Old Zhuni Shuipin Pot 100cc Chop Mark "Jing Xi Hui Nan Meng Chen"

Nice Zhuni pot. Perfect size for drinking alone. Age - Circa Late Ming Guo making it well over forty years old. Acquired from Life of Tea

2002 JingMai Shan Gu Shu Zhuan Cha 2 Apr 2009 8:26 AM (16 years ago)

Producer Information


The China Tuhsu Yunnan Tea Import & Export Corporation was established in June of 1938 in KunMing. Under the leadership of Geng Shang Rong, and the oversight of the CNNP (China National Native Produce and Animal By-products Imp. & Exp. Corp.) the company produces a variety of products which includes black teas, instant teas, green teas, and tisanes.

With an annual income of over a 1,000,000 USD and just under 1,000 employess, the corporation is a far cry from their humble beginnings. Now, mind you, this is not a tea factory per se; they contract tea farmers to produce teas for export and are quite successful with annual export rate is over 60%.

Brick Information


Despite the grandiose description of their corporation, they can still produce quality and at times rarer stock - this particular brick is one of them.

The 2002 JingMai Shan Gu Shu Zhuan Cha (JingMai Mountain Ancient Tree Brick Tea) was an extremely limited 2002 production. It is a single mountain brick composed of Jing Mai mountain material. For more information on JingMai Shan please refer to a previous post.

According to the description ticket, these bricks were produced of Spring first flush broad arbor leaves from ancient trees of least 1000 years old.



Initial Impressions




Though the bricks have been aging now for 7 years, you could smell a smoke odor emanating from their quintessential CNNP boxes - Not a problem. Some don't like the smoke aromas and I can only tolerate so much, but sometimes it is a nice change of pace. Please do not consider smoke a negative. Although smoke can be considered a production defect, it is still considerably acceptable.

Definitely machine pressed as you can see the 'nails' or the bumps left from pressing on the surface of the brick.

The bricks appear to have been stored in my opinion much drier climate as the colors of the bricks do not correspond to the age. I would at least think 7 years of aging would have presented more of a brownish hue. Nonetheless, the proof is in the taste.

Brewing Parameters

Vessel - Duanni Yixing Teapot 150ml

Water - Generic Spring Water

Infusions

2 Rinses
1-15s
2-10s
3-15s
4-21s
5-26s
6-34s
7-41s

Aroma

The aroma was very pungent. Fortunately,the smoke was not as heavy in the dry. I believe that 2 rinses before the infusion removed most of the peaty notes. There were really no floral notes to speak of. For the most part, the aromas were more grassy and less sweet. I found additional notes of grain, tobacco and what can only be characterized as raw potatoes. The latter infusions were somewhat less straight forward. Sometime after the 4th, the aromas began to exhibit its greenness.


Original art work by Aaron Fisher

Taste

The liquor certainly did grab my attention right away as it had grabbed every taste bud with vengeance - though not in a distasteful way. In fact, to the contrary. However, you definitely knew that you were not drinking a dainty brew. The profile was very masculine with its variable notes of smoke, leather and grain. The latter infusion became more subdued, yet still very aggressive. The woody and grain notes began to transition more into what you would find in a more youthful pu and became more oceanic - Very rustic indeed. The liquor had a tantalizing acidity and viscosity which could be felt as the liquor made its way to the back of the throat. The chayun was relentless and remained so throughout the session. The Chaqi was wonderful and quite numbing -almost tranquilizing.

Spent Leaves



The spent leaves were remarkable. They had a course quality that when manipulated with my fingertips, they had maintained most of their integrity. The leaves were thick and bold with a seemingly wild character.

Final Impression

Its power suggests that it is definitely something to store. It is one of those teas that grabs you by the shirt and throws you across the room. The flavors, sensations and chaqi were all quite pleasing albeit much too rustic to enjoy now.

2008 Bamboo Wrapped YouLe Shan Sheng Nugget 50g 17 Mar 2009 1:23 PM (16 years ago)

I received this interesting offering courtesy of the Puerh Shop . According to Jim, the nugget was produced by the Chinese minority that live on YouLe mountain - part of the Famous Six Tea Mountains.

I am personally not as acquainted with unadulterated Youle maocha as I would like. When I have tried it, the maocha is generally a blend of different growing areas.

First Impressions



The tea was not that remarkable. It has what appear to be plantation growth fare which had a very light compaction. I did find unwrapping the bamboo a nice change of pace. The maocha doesn't really have much of a odor - no smoke, no greenness, nothing really. In fact, it was difficult for me to detect any. The odor I was able to be alerted to was difficult for me to discern whether it was a result of the bamboo leaf or the maocha.

Brewing Parameters

Amount 5.6g

130ml Gaiwan.

1 - 15s
2 - 12s
3 - 20s
4 - 45s


Tasting Notes

The aroma was not what I would expect. It really smelled like a roasted oolong type tea. In fact, I would say it smelled somewhat like Tiequanyin. The first infusion and second infusion were the best, and simply waned from there - very quaint to say the least. There were notes of roasted tea, melon and fresh grass which were for the most part very consistent.



As for the liquor itself, it was subtle yet not displeasing. Very light roasted tea flavor, with no bitterness and virtually no acidity. Despite its lack of development, it did have a charming Huigan. It had a wonderful color and clarity, something that I did not expect.

Spent Leaves




As stated previously, the maocha was unremarkable. The unfurled leaves remind me of green tea and pu-erh. Nice color.


Final Impressions

Well, definitely not something for aging. In fact, it is quite enjoyable now. It is a wonderful novelty which will certainly entertain a few. Frankly, the price is nice and it didn't really offend and somewhat amuzing. I would even recommend it to non-puerh drinkers as a green tea. :P

My WenGe "Cultural Revolution" Yixing Teapot 7 Mar 2009 6:48 PM (16 years ago)

WenGe Teapots


An interesting class of Yíxīng teapots is from the WenGe “Cultural Revolution” period (1966-1976). WenGe teapots are distinctive, due to a large part for their lack of distinction. These plainly styled teapots were manufactured when the assertion of pre-Revolution Chinese culture were frowned upon. Workers and master potters alike were forbidden from placing personal marks on individual pieces. As a result, these pots were typically and simply stamped Zhong Guo Yíxīng “Yíxīng China”. The state exercised complete control over all aspect of the Yixing factories – the most famous of which being Yíxīng Factory #1. -Note- Zhong Guo Yixing does not authenticate the piece as a WenGe since Zhong Guo Yixing chops are still being produced either by Yixing factories who are sanctioned to do so, or fake artist passing them off as later pieces.

Zhong Guo YiXing Mark "Yixing China"






The State also controlled the mining operations for zishā ore. Consequently, most pots during the WenGe were produced with relatively good clays as there were no other competitors. Although at first glance, it may sound reasonably well for the State to be in the pot business, there is one caveat - many revolution teapots exhibit poor production quality.

In an effort to automate the manufacturing processes under the new State, many of the quality measures you would find in an artist studio were abandoned. For instance, many pots were mold made (such as this particular one), have muddy odors from having been fired too low; others have lids that are not level, do not fit properly and spouts which do not pour water in a straight line. So, why would anyone want a YiXing WenGe pot? Well, despite the sometimes low quality of revolution teapots and their non-distinctive artistry, they still command relatively high prices due the quality of the zishā clay mined during this period. Zishā mined during and prior to the WenGe is said to provide a “roughness” allowing more tea oil to be absorbed.



As anyone will tell you who has engaged in teapot hunting, it is virtually impossible to buy a nice pot online. And living in the States only exacerbates the situation since most of the nice and authentic pots are in Taiwan. Sure, there are Taiwan and Chinese auctions online; however how do you know what you are buying is authentic or “as described”? You can’t! Well, after doing a considerable amount of auction hunting (trust me difficult if you don’t speak the language) I had decided to go to the source and give Life of Tea a chance.


My Pot



This 150ml Shui Pin pot was made early in the WenGe and was manufactured through the use of a mold. Although the word "mold" can generate images resembeling a Play Doh Factory kit where a lump of clay is put into a press and voila - the word is somewhat misleading since the pieces were and are formed by hand and then assembled through the facilitation of a mold. Additionally, the pot was fired in an open kiln. If you look closely on the lid, you will see firing deposits on the surface from the "open firing". As for the clay, it has a lovly dense quality to it. It is also quite heavy considering its size. Perhaps, Xiao Hongni? ZhuNi? The texture is somewhat smooth. It has a nice 'ping' when tapped. A good sign that it was fired sufficiently. Its performance, well it has a nice pouring through its single hole spout. However, I am afraid that the lid did fall victim to the misfortunes of the era in that it is very loose and does not fit very well. Nonetheless, it makes a scrumptious tea! Note - The pot looks much more orange in sunlight or from a camera flash. It is really a very nice red.


These pictures are more representative of the true color *almost*





I was told ZhuNi, and I am starting to lean this way. Look at the texture of the clay. Beautiful IMHO. But then again, I am somewhat biased.


Qing Dynasty Porceline Teacups 35ml

2001 KunMing Factory Blue Mark Sheng Beeng 357g 26 Feb 2009 3:33 PM (16 years ago)

This beeng is the 2001 Blue Mark offering of the KunMing Factory. In all honesty, the information I have on this example is unfortunately scarce. What I do know is that the KunMing Factory also produced a similar beeng - the Red Mark which was highlighted in the Newborn Puerh Book 1998-2003. Nonetheless, if this is 'truly' a 2001 production, than they were made prior to the pu-erh boom so I tend to consider them special.

Initial Impressions

The wrapper design is a throw back to the Grand labels of the 50s. I find the historical significance of the large middle characters quite charming. If one notices, the Chinese character for cha "tea" being encircled by the Zhong character which represents China. When China socialized industry, China wanted to take advantage of one of its largest exports - tea. In order to symbolize China's intentions of bringing tea to the world, the China Tea Corporation had developed this now well recognized symbol of "China" zhong bringing cha "tea" to the world". Enough history :D

The beeng looks to be well stored (the last 3 years of which I did personally). There seems to be no signs of infections or rapid acceleration to speak of which eases my anxiety that this could be a knock-off. The leaves appear to be corresponding with its age - nice darkening leaves with the occasional golden tea bud scattered across the surface. The nei fei or the beeng ticket seemingly appears to have absorbed some tea oil - also apparent on the outer and inner wrapper. Depending to whom you speak with, it is at times taken as good sign of mao cha quality.



The leaf aroma is not very pungent, though you can make out a flutter of floral note, a very slight touch of smoke and woody notes. There is also no warehouse scent which you will find on occasion in older examples, although 3 years in my storage would of remedied this if it did when I bought it. For the most part, it is actually a lovely looking beeng with its full intact leaves.

Brewing Parameters

Brewing vessel - Yixing 150ml Weathered HongNi pot

Water Source - Natural Spring of MI orgin

Infusion times



1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-35s
5-65s
6-80s
7-85s
8-125s

Tea Tasting

Aroma - The aromas were very in tune with what I would expect with a beeng of this age. For the most part the first few infusions emanated hits of musk, mature wood and a light hint of smoke which transitioned in to more sweet notes as the liquor cooled - very floral with notes of caramelized honey. In the latter infusions, the touch of smoke which was not all that apparent had dissipated and melon, camphor and tiny flutters of mint became more noticeable.

Taste - The taste was quite pleasant, and frankly just honestand straight forward. Although I was intrigued with its brightness, which made it a very active session. The berry like acidic quality to it which separated the notes on the palate. As for the true taste of the tea, dark notes were the theme - woody and nutty which were very consistent throughout the entire session. In the latter infusions, I could detect currents and pepper notes.

The sensations were very apparent and affected the sides of my tongue to a considerable degree. This was definitely not a flimsy tea with its wonderful viscosity. Though I must admit that I could tell by the way the tea had reacted to the sides of the cup and how it was reflecting light that it was certainly a soupy tea before I even tasted it.The huigan was somewhat of a tease, but entertaining I must say. As for the qi, it was not as apparent as I would have liked - somewhat disappointing. However, from what I could feel it was comfortable. Although I must admit that in the latter infusions I may have wiped my brow a couple of times to keep the beads of sweat from dripping into my cup.

Liquor




The color of the liquor exhibited its age and had a Scotch like character. It was also beautifully clear which added very much to the pleasure of the session.

Spent Leaves



The leaves seemingly appeared healthy and of choice. I believe that perhaps the beeng is not composed of a single harvest and may even be composed of different growths, both in age i.e plantation and ancient mao cha) and in region.

For the most part, I received sensations of old growth. I feel comfortable in making this assertion in that the sensations and profile differ from other known Big Factory plantation fare I have experienced of or roughly the same age. I also noticed that some leaves have ridges while others do not. Additionally, there were also varying differences in the back ribs of the leaf which may add credence to my assumptions that a blend from different areas, and/or different growths of the same region. This of course would certainly not be uncommon for a pre-boom factory tea. In fact, single estate fare is relatively a new invention. Whether this is indicative of the aforementioned possibilities, its just an educated guess OH and I like playing detective! :P

Final Impressions

The tea is good, albeit not as good as other pre-boom examples I have had the privilege of tasting. For the most part, the orgin of the beeng is very much a mystery. Nonetheless, something about its profile screams JingMai Shan, partly due to its nutty - meaty essence and that it does not remind me of 'large farm production fare'.

Though I am certain that a decade of aging has transformed its complexities and characteristics, it is still somewhat too adolescent (in a good way) to drink now, even occasionally in my opinion. Nonetheless, it has durability and strength and revealing promise. I guess only time will tell.

2005 First South East Asia Pu-erh Trade Memorial Cake Fair produced by ChangTai Group 3 Feb 2009 12:26 PM (16 years ago)

The Changtai group was commissioned to produce this beeng to commemorate the 2005 First SE Asia Pu-erh Fair that occured during the weeks of 10/28-11/6 in Malaysia. At 300g it is a medium sized cake which is composed of single estate MengHai wild big-leaf material. Impressive! It has a very luxurious feel.

The beeng itself has this dense feeling to the touch coupled with am attractive but simple yin and Yang symbol that is printed on the thin cotton fiber wrapper. My speculation is that this symbol has become the brand mark of the Fair since subsequent beengs share the same design, albeit in different colors. As some of you know, I have become quite partial to Chang Tai products since they are very consistent in production where their products are an equal trade off between quality and price. It appears that this particular beeng is no exception.




Initial Impressions



For being a 300g beeng, it feels hefty. Hard to explain unless you hold it yourself. The cotton wrapper, as previously mentioned appears to be of choice - thin, yet sturdy. Nothing more I hate when storing a beeng is ripped wrapping! The beeng does not contain the ubiquitous CNNP nei piao but an attractive custom print, and like the wrapper, also made of quality paper.

The leaves appear to be hand arraigned on the face of the cake and stoned pressed. Nice elegant touch. After 4 years of aging, the mao cha seems to be darkening a bit, yet is still providing a very fresh young scent. As you can see from the face of the cake, the leaves are long with long stems and intact. Generally, intact leaves is what you would expect for a single estate example as there is no need to masticate them for blending purposes. Additionally, they appear to be quite glossy - a good indication of quality. Definitely a departure from big factory fare.


Brewing Parameters

Amount - 6.2g

Brewing vessel - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Water Source - Natural Spring MI

Infusion times

1-15s
2-12s
3-35s
4-35s
5-75s
6-80s
7-100s
8-120s
9-135s

Tasting Notes



Aroma

The first infusions aromas were very sweet. The notes were quite floral which transformed into dried fruit and corn silk as it cooled. There was absolutely no hits of smoke or must; very soothing and refreshing. The latter aromas were quite consistent with the first few; however I could detect a hint of citrus laced with musk, coupled with an almost berry like whiff. Indeed a nice and interesting change.

Taste

The sweetness was also the predominant theme in the first infusions. It had a very acidic quality which seemingly refreshed the palate after each cup. After the fourth infusion, you can certainly tell that you were drinking something potent. The liquor became thick with a nice silky viscosity, which consequently had caused the flavors to linger on the palate considerably. It was bitter, yet pleasing. You can say it's comparable to orange zest, not in flavor of course, but in sensation. In the latter infusions the liquor became less floral and and less sweet, and transitioned into hints of rubber, dried grass, toasted oak, and raw legumes.

It is definitely and active tea. The sensations were wonderfully apparent. Quite active on the sides of the tongue and the roof of the mouth. I was afraid that the youthful quality of the liquor would subsequently numb my palate but this did not occur.



Liquor

The liquor had the wonderful color of a slightly aged example. What was remarkable however was its clarity.

Spent Leaves



When it comes to wild big-leaf I tend to get excited when viewing the spent leaves. For the most part, I try to find ways to distinguish wild or semi-wild fare from that of plantation. However, I should preface this in suggesting that examining the leaf is a terrible way of discerning between the two. The appropriate method is to taste the leaf. A skill which I have yet to master (sighs). But I try. The leaves do have a robustness to them. JUST LOOK AT THE MIDDLE RIB! It is definitely stocky. The veins also look rustic. The underside of the leaf also exhibits a considerate amount of down. I have yet to see this in pure plantation material. Although this does not mean that plantation mao cha does not exhibit these qualities I just have yet to stumble across it. I must also note that the initially it was suggested that the beeng was made of spring material. However, I am not so sure. Some of the leaves appear to be of fall harvest so it could be a blend of seasons.

Final Thoughts

What can I say, it was a wonderfully produced item. The huigan and chayun were impeccable; the flavors were penetrating and appears to be aging nicely. Boy, for a memorial cake it sure ranks up there with the sacred cow producers' items.

My new Toy the "Tea Refresher" 9 Jan 2009 5:39 PM (16 years ago)

Well, after using this new accoutrement to my tea wares, I believe it is worth noting on Ancient Tea Horse Road. I acquired this hand crafted piece from the Famous Lin's Ceramic Studio located in Taiwan from a special order from Dragon Tea House.

The process of heating tea leaves was first described in Cha Jing from Lu Yu and has been a common practice since the Tang Dynasty. Primarily designated for fermented teas e.g. oolongs and blacks, some minorities of Yunnnan currently roast or bake the fresh tea leaves such as using an earthenware pot or piece of paper before steaping the leaves. For learning how to roast tea leaves over a paper please visit Tea Obsession for detailed instructions on how to do this.

The practice of heating tea leaves over heat sources serves two purposes, which interestingly are not related. The first reason has to do with the Traditional Chinese Medicine's concept of "hot and cold" and its effects on the the human body.

Young sheng is said to be very "cold". As a consequence, this cold affects those who are already "cold" negatively e.g., stomach aches, heart burn, yes, even diarrhea. However, when young sheng is heated or "roasted" such as what some of the minorities of Yunnan do, the process is said to turn the "cold" leaves to "hot" making the drink more agreeable to the body. The aging of sheng is said to this process naturally.

It is important to understand that the words hot and cold are not used here in the conventional sense although heat is being applied. For more information please visit Hot & Cold: The Art of Traditional Chinese Medicine.


The second reason has to do with the flavor, essence, and in some cases the salvage of tea itself. To be honest, I was somewhat skeptical that heating tea leaves could enhance my tea drinking experience and purchasing this tea refresher was somewhat an impetuous buy on my part ^_^. However, after using this tool a couple of times, my skepticism had quickly vanished.

I first gained interest in heating pu-erh after reading claims which suggested that heating pu-erh, (especially wet stored and shupu) can make some of the off flavors to dissipate. After some trial and error, and experimentation, these claims were substantiated. Heating wet stored and shupu did indeed seem to limit some of these flavors from entering the brew; especially the dampness and the ubiquitous pond which can be associated with these types. The liquor became more, to some degree, layered and more fragrant. The liquor seemed to have become thicker making the flavors linger on the palate longer. From that moment I was sold. Now that it has passed the wet stored and shupu test, I wanted to see if the same could be said about dry stored and young sheng.



For my experiments, I dug out of my pu closet the 1996 Chung Cha MengHai Factory "Orange on Orange", 2001 MengKu Yuan Yieh Xian Thick-Papered Sheng, and the '05 Xi-Zhi Hao Lao BanZhang. I purposely had chosen the '96 and '01 since I have decided that these two did have more dampness than some others that I have and wanted to see if heating these examples could do what it did for the wet stored pu. As for the '05, there was no valid reason other than it was the easiest to access.

Of course I did not drink all of these in one session. That would certainly be a lot of tea drinking and most importantly, would numb my tongue to the flavors. I took my time and patiently delved into my test for each over a day and half.

The '96 and '01 were first on my agenda as I was quite anxious to see how the heat would affect these two. I used 6 grams of each which were both brewed in my 150ml Zhuni Yixing pot, spring water yada yada yada. No special methods were utilized other than the heating of the tea in my tea refresher. After my experiments, I can say without a doubt both seemed to have benefited from the heat. Both of the liquors were again fragrant and seemed thicker, and for some reason much darker than I remembered when I last tried these two. The dampness that I had experienced earlier seemed to be limited thus allowing more nuances to come through. There seemed to be more honey and to some degree a touch of floral than I had remembered. I could tell from the moment that I took the tea refresher from the heating element and placed the leaves in the pot, the heat had done something to to the leaves. A scent of a nice rich puerh was emanating from the pot even before I added water. Needless to say, I enjoyed the aroma of the dry leaves for a time before I moved on to the next step of the rinse. Now the young sheng.

When heating the Lao BanZhang, the fragrance from the tea refresher was different as expected. It smelled more like "roasted tea" than anything else. Needless to say I had become quite concerned that I was doing just that. I again used a Yixing pot that I have dedicated to young sheng and continued to brew the tea as I do with all my other young shengs.

Interestingly, the heat did not affect the tea as much as the previous two. For the most part, the liquor did seem to be more fragrant but none of the thickness. I am not too down however as fragrance is once of may favorite qualities in liquor. All in all I was pleased with the performance of the tea refresher.

The only theory I could come up with for any of the enhancement is that perhaps the heat had caused the tea oil to become active. As for the the wet off flavors, I can only speculate that perhaps evaporated the aroma. I am still searching for the reasons, but if you have any better ideas please let me know. :D

Heating Process

As you will notice from the pictures, the refresher has two parts which - the bowl and funnel, which should be self explanatory. You use the funnel in the down position to funnel the tea in the bowl and then place the funnel up to shake the leaves from the bowl in to your pot or tea tray.

Heat the bowl with the funnel in the downward position for approx 1 minute. Add the desired amount of tea leaves into the bowl and reapply heat for an additional minute. Take the bowl off the flame and gently shake the leaves in a circular motion to evenly heat the leaves. Voila!

2001 Yi-Chang Hao YiWu Zhen Pin "Precious Grade" Sheng Beeng Cha 400g 5 Dec 2008 7:08 PM (16 years ago)

I always like Yi-Chang products, they are consistent and are really a nice balance between price and quality. This particular example is no exception. For more information about the factory itself, please visit a previous post.

This particular example was acquired from Eloi of Sampan Teas, a Canadian vendor. Although his stock is not expansive, he does have an interesting selection.

I always enjoy drinking teas that were produced prior to the Pu-erh craze. Some suggest, which I concure, that after 2004 the quality of pu-erh has greatly suffered as consequence of increasing demand - This is a discussion that perhaps I may touch on at a later date. Needless to say, 2001 may represent some of the best that Yunnan has to offer until this god awful craze comes to an end. That said, what makes this particular beeng even better is that the mao cha is from YiWU shan, a highly sought after growing region.

YiWu Shan has a devouted following primarily for two reasons 1. YiWu shan is rich in pu-erh history and 2. its mao cha is full pleasing flavors with an almost incomparable sweetness earning it the title of the Queen of Teas. Click here for more information on YiWu Shan.

Let's get to business

Initial Impressions

The dry leaf aroma reminded me of a quintessential Hong Kong product. Although Eloi suggests that it had been dried stored in Taipei for 7 years, excessive humidity has sped up the aging process to a considerable degree. Certainly Taiwan has a drier climate than let's say Macau or Hong Kong; however, if vendors do not properly rotate their stock or provide adequate airflow, their stock may 'age' faster than those which were. This is only speculation. Nonetheless, it should not be considered a defect since many pu-erhs which have acquired more than normal humid aging conditions produce great and tasty teas. Frankly, I would still consider this a dry stored beeng since it has not reached the level of a traditional wet stored product.

The leaves appear healthy with no infestations of mold, fungus or other undesirables. Undoubtedly stone presses since the leaves easily can be pried off effortlessly.

Brewing Parameters

Amount - 6.1g

Brewing vessel - Yixing Zhuni Shui ping 150ml

Water Source - Natural Spring MI

Infusion times

1-15s
2-12s
3-35s
4-35s
5-75s
6-80s
7-100s
8-120s




Aroma

The aroma had a nice woody fragrance which was coupled with leather, tobacco and cocoa' all of which were warm, toasty and inviting. However, after the 4th infusion, almost without warning the liquor started to reveal floral notes and camphor, definitely and interesting transition. In the latter infusions, the sweet notes had succumbed to very dry notes which consisted of hay and dried grass.

Taste

The notes were quite pleasing. It was expected that the woody character of the pu-erh would carry into the liquor; however it was not as intense as it was in the aroma - It had a soothing character of which I enjoyed. After the second infusion, the liquor acquired a spicy character which was accented with delicate notes of dried plums.

For the most part, the liqour was very consistent. Although I was expecting more matured notes as a result of its accelerated aging. However, to my surprise there was still a greenness to the liquor which made it very refreshing.

It had an impeccable acidity that kept things very active and complimented the huigan quite well. Furthrmore, the thickness of the liquor provided a wonderful oomph which made the flavors linger in the palate-certainly desirable. The clarity of the liquor only added to the pleasure of the brewing session. Nice!

Spent Leaves




They are indeed broad leaf which appeared to be healthy. Nice robust ribs which would suggest although not conclusively that they are wild arbor. The flavor did remind me of wild arbor and being that it is 2001 I would have to say that they are wild arbor.


Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this example. I believe that it still has some developing which will come with further aging, it is certainly off to a great start. I would label the tea very balanced and a tantalizing brew. When the session ended, I was very comfortable and satisfied. Although the tea was not as nuanced as I had hoped for, or can say that this was a great tea, it was definitely not boring. It had all of the qualities I would expect from a decent brew - pleasant flavors, pleasant chayun and a warm and inviting chaqi.

2003 Henry Trading Co.HK Ltd."Seriously Formula" Ching Beeng 7542, 357g 15 Nov 2008 12:23 PM (16 years ago)

In 2003, the Henry Co. had commissioned the MengHai Tea Factory to produce the "Seriously Formula" Ching Beeng . Although the exact prescription is unknown, it is said to be inspired after the time honored 7542 recipe. For more information concerning factory commissioned pu-erh please visit a previous post.

Initial Impressions

Though this was a commissioned piece ordered by an independent company, for all intensive purposes, it is indeed CNNP product. It had the CNNP standard weight of 357g and the "chung" cotton wrapper, nei fei, nei piao, and description ticket, all of which are reminiscent of the CNNP Chi Tsi Beeng Cha era. However, what makes this product different from most other CNNP product is that there was a seconded embedded nei fei located on the back of the beeng.




The cotton paper had a musty basement smell. However, once I let the beeng air out for a while, I was able to notice that the smell did not carry into the beeng. Relieved! It had a lovely freshness with the aroma of pine saw dust.

The leaves appear to be aging nicely and are turning brown, tan and in some places beige. They were also nice and glossy - a good sign of proper storage.

The beeng was not as heavily compacted as most of the "big factory" new born pu-erh on the market, and as a resul, it was relatively easy to flick off a scant for brewing.

Brewing Parameters


Amount - 5.5g

Brewing Method - Gongfu

Brewing vessel - Yixing Zhuni Shui ping 150ml

Water Source - Natural Spring MI

Infusion times

1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-35s
5-65s
6-80s
7-85s

Brewing Session




There was really nothing remarkable about the brewing itself. I started off with roughly 5.5g as I do with most of my slightly aged shengs. Since the leaves were quite separated, I had decided to give the pu a very short wash as there was no need to have the water break up the leaves. You know exactly what I am talking about if you have brewed XiaGuan lately.

Aroma

The aroma from the sniffing cup was delicate and pleasant. It was very woody with a sweet floral character that is rarely found in the 7542 recipe. It also had a pleasant musk that kept most of the sweet notes in check. Musk is one of my favorite scents found in pu-erh and have found it in varying degrees in most slightly aged sheng. However, there was indeed a generous helping in this particular example. In later infusions, the floral notes had dissipated. However, the woodiness was very persistent which later coupled with grassy and the scent of raw legumes.

Taste

The liquor, as in the aroma was quite woody. However, it was a very sweet woodiness and not the quintessential wood that we find in more contemporary examples. I truly loved it. The liquor also contained notes of perfume, raw sugar with the ever so light touch of caramelized honey. Unfortunately, these were its high points. Although there was smoke in the initial infusions, it quickly had dissipated after the 3rd.

On the downside, the liquor's viscosity was lacking, which resulted in the flavors not staying on the tongue as long as I would have liked. Furthermore, the liquor lacked in brightness, generally as a result of a low acidity feeling. I like pu-erh to have lots of brightness as I believe that it separates the flavors. Though the liquor was sweet in the first infusions, it did not have a lasting huigan. It is not all bad, It was one of the clearest liquors I have drunk in recent memory and I did enjoy the chaqi with its warm and inviting sensations.

Spent Leaves




The leaves were very different than you would find in a 7542. They were not masticated as most factory fare. I as you can see, it appears that they used a combination of a 2 leaves - one bud prescription with a combination of larger leaves.

Final Impressions

The 2003 Henry did not impress me as much as I had hoped; however, it did have its moments. I loved the pine and musk notes which seemed to be everywhere in this example. I've never had a pu-erh with this amount and concentration of pine. It was definitely different. Furthermore, although the Henry was inspired by the 7542 famous recipe of the MengHai Factory, the recipe number is practically all that the two would have in common. The 7542 examples which I have tasted have the MengHai taste and are relatively more aggressive. However, the Henry was not.

The Henry did not give me the feeling of a Spring tea. In fact it was more reminiscent of a late harvest or Autumn tea. I have yet to receive an Autumn feeling from a MengHai Factory 7542. Of course being an insipired beeng of the 7542 it shouldn't be the same.

After looking at the spent leaves, I did find what appeared to be Autumn leaves, although I am not certain if this is truly the case. They appeared large enough to be. All in all, it was an average beeng. However, this is the beauty of pu-erh, I may find that in 5 years I will have something to celebrate!