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Andrew S wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 16, 2022 9:28 pm

LeoFox: breaking chunks up and leaving them in a jar (leaving some air inside, so not filled to the top) can help to dissipate storage aromas and to calm the flavours down. But then, you might want to seal that jar away in Mylar. And perhaps you'd want to break those chunks apart outdoors...

Andrew

Hahaha... I'm crazy aren't i?

I think most people like this stuff so I'm just weird.


You mentioning whisky reminded me of this product:

https://www.liquidproust.com/listing/10 ... -hong-kong

For what it’s worth, some of the trad/cellar/heavy stored cakes do well brewed in larger vessels with a lower leaf/water ratio in my experience. Trying something like 6 grams in a ~200-250 ml pot with longer steeps might be worthwhile. But I do think you are correct that the profile will be very divisive.

Drinking the 2006 Macau Hualian 7541 ("gaoshan" green brick), a brick I’ve been going through at express speed. Like the 05 T8653 thick paper, this one is just a really solid option for me on busy days like these. Good body, strength and huigan. A lingering smokiness even at 15 years (of dryish TW storage) that is sure to be divisive, much like Xiaguan’s, although I’d say the overall flavor profile is quite different.

I’ve been thinking recently about this topic started by @LeoFox last year, and how the “aspect preference” can be very situation dependent. For me currently I find my preference is more for these mid-aged big factory productions rather than ostensibly “better” teas, because they deliver on those fronts that I am able to pick up on even when I have to keep my mind focused at all times on a baby with seemingless endless energy and propensity for trying to break stuff. So aromatics, flavor etc, are taking a backseat. And something that will reliably give 6-7 good steeps might be more suitable than something offering 15 (and additional complexity)…

Balthazar wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 17, 2022 4:27 am

. For me currently I find my preference is more for these mid-aged big factory productions rather than ostensibly “better” teas, because they deliver on those fronts that I am able to pick up on even when I have to keep my mind focused at all times on a baby with seemingless endless energy and propensity for trying to break stuff. So aromatics, flavor etc, are taking a backseat. And something that will reliably give 6-7 good steeps might be more suitable than something offering 15 (and additional complexity)…

Haha I can totally understand this. I have one wild 2 year old and one 4 month old.

But for me, even more important now is to drink something clean and makes me feel good. I agree that for very high level teas that demand concentration - I am finding less and less time. But annoying teas seem to anger me more than ever before

LeoFox wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:49 am

Haha I can totally understand this. I have one wild 2 year old and one 4 month old.

But for me, even more important now is to drink something clean and makes me feel good. I agree that for very high level teas that demand concentration - I am finding less and less time. But annoying teas seem to anger me more than ever before

I remember a time where I, too, was drinking "teas" aged between 0 and 2 years old. I remember they sometimes needed quite a bit of muting, which we were often not able to achieve no matter how we were "infusing" them. We thought a bit of aging would help, though "traditional storage" in a cellar was not something we considered.

Those "teas" are now about 14 to 19 years old, they have developed quite a bit, yet they are still quite raw, and if anything would benefit from even more muting than back in the day. They sure annoy more nowadays, especially when steeped long and hot. Hopefully they are going through a less refined phase and will emerge smoother after a few more years of patience.

Oh, well.

faj wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:17 am

LeoFox wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:49 am

Haha I can totally understand this. I have one wild 2 year old and one 4 month old.

But for me, even more important now is to drink something clean and makes me feel good. I agree that for very high level teas that demand concentration - I am finding less and less time. But annoying teas seem to anger me more than ever before

I remember a time where I, too, was drinking "teas" aged between 0 and 2 years old. I remember they sometimes needed quite a bit of muting, which we were often not able to achieve no matter how we were "infusing" them. We thought a bit of aging would help, though "traditional storage" in a cellar was not something we considered.

Those "teas" are now about 14 to 19 years old, they have developed quite a bit, yet they are still quite raw, and if anything would benefit from even more muting than back in the day. They sure annoy more nowadays, especially when steeped long and hot. Hopefully they are going through a less refined phase and will emerge smoother after a few more years of patience.

Oh, well.

That's gold!

LeoFox wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:49 am

But for me, even more important now is to drink something clean and makes me feel good. I agree that for very high level teas that demand concentration - I am finding less and less time. But annoying teas seem to anger me more than ever before

Same, I have less patience for such teas myself, and if anything unplesant body feelings for certain teas are easier to pick up on than before.

Drinking Dayi 7542 today, more specifically the 203 (third batch of 2012). This is a rare instance of me drinking and enjoying a factory production this young. It is also one of the more memorable "new" 7542's I have had, though I haven't had many as prices for the newer ones are usually absurd for anyone outside of the speculative bubble.

This "special" 2012 batch supposedly contains a proportion of aged materials, so it makes sense that it's enjoyable already now. It feels natural to compare it to the 2013 Xiaguan LFPT, which is similarly priced and also contains a proportion of aged materials. While storage may be partially at play here, I feel like the 203 7542 is quite a bit more enjoyable at present, though the LFPT packs a bigger punch (and may be the better tea a decade more down the line).

Way too rich for my blood the last few years pricing. I can buy aged teas cheaper than the new ones..

Personally I love that 2009 shu, its been a favorite since I first got it, and while there is a signature taste in almost all their teas that one I found to have the strongest warehouse/camphor flavor by far. Can't say I'm surprised it doesn't jive with you @LeoFox The samples I've had of the 'connoisseur' series have had the least storage character (I guess being younger and greener), but also surprisingly their loose liu bao don't really have all that much warehouse character to me, or it expresses itself in such a different way in those teas. I've got some bricks on the way from them now though for comparison.

I have been drinking the EOT 2011 Everyday Yiwu these past few days. This cake was one of those random buys since the price was affordable. It has been buried in my puerh cabinet since I got it. As the name suggested, an affordable daily drinking sheng puerh, and a good beginner sheng for people who is interested in sheng without breaking their bank.

mrmopu wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:16 am

Way too rich for my blood the last few years pricing. I can buy aged teas cheaper than the new ones..

Yes, the last few years' (close to a decade) prices have been insane and I don't know anyone buying those teas for drinking...

Still, I think some of the earlier ones are worth the prices they command (at least auction prices). Speaking of which I am drinking the 801 7542 today, which I consider a solid daily drinker though a bit lacking in the energy compartment.

Today I prepared some Wistaria Tai Yue sheng puerh for the thermos, and shared it in clinic. I wished I'd measured what I put in there, because it was wonderful. The fellow who is wary of the earthier flavors of some deeper roasted oolongs and puerhs took a small cup, and sipped it with pleasure. Even a colleague who NEVER shares my tea was hearing the oohs and ahhs and accepted a cup and enjoyed it. It was terrific, earthy, camphor, herbs, hint of bitterness but to my palate just enough to round the flavor and keep it from being boring. Very nice! And glad I have 2 cakes of this.

debunix wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:39 pm

Today I prepared some Wistaria Tai Yue sheng puerh for the thermos, and shared it in clinic. I wished I'd measured what I put in there, because it was wonderful. The fellow who is wary of the earthier flavors of some deeper roasted oolongs and puerhs took a small cup, and sipped it with pleasure. Even a colleague who NEVER shares my tea was hearing the oohs and ahhs and accepted a cup and enjoyed it. It was terrific, earthy, camphor, herbs, hint of bitterness but to my palate just enough to round the flavor and keep it from being boring. Very nice! And glad I have 2 cakes of this.

Sounds like a memorable sharing experience!

sounds like an ideal tea for sharing @debunix. I've been curious about Wistaria's Pu but I'm not sure if it would fit the kind of thing I tend to be looking for. I was hoping to swing by and pick up some things to try at the Paris shop the other month while in France but I didn't wind up going in to the city. Would you say they have a particular house character overall or has each production been quite different in your (or anyone else's) experience?

I bought this one, the recommendation of some tea buddies who have attended some tea tastings with me (at Victoria’s in LA) and thought this would fit my preferred flavor profile. So I have only had this one Puer from them and I’m thus not qualified to talk about a house flavor profile, sorry.

2.4g '05 Taihe loose leaf from Wistaria and 3.3g YQH Lingya mixed today in a 130 mL pot. Both were purchased from LP at some point. I didn't intend to have a mixed tea session, but I did a poor job of keeping amounts updated in my sample spreadsheet and had to improvise. Quiet morning session starting with the floral/apple skin note I've gotten in some of the Wistaria samples I've tried, and then shifted to dominating with the YQH house taste, though notably less mushroom-y. Some sour fruity notes, along with medicinal woody sheng taste and a date-like sweetness. A minty cooling in the aftertaste at the end, with warmth here and there. The pot retains heat much better than the gaiwan I usually use, so I felt like steeps were more concentrated even at a slightly lower ratio. Really enjoyable.