’00 Tuocha Chamber

Welcome for daring to enter the Tuocha Chamber.  Tuocha, sometimes called “bird’s nests” or “bowls”, are the ideal puerh enthusiast’s travel companion.  Size accounts for this, usually consisting of 100, 150, 200, or 250g.  Mid-aged tuo tend to be very tightly compressed and require a tea spike to needle bits apart for a session.  A bit can be extracted a few days in advance of drinking if necessary, though some may dismantle the whole tuo and store for purposes of expediting transformation.  Much of the transformation element has already been managed on this end by your friendly neighbourhood Puerh Junky.

Tuo from the first decade of the 21st-c are are chopped and usually highly compressed.  Tuo from this period largely consist of recipes, highly guarded secrets, with offerings that vary from year-to-year and batch to batch.  Higher-end batches often come in decorative boxes, while later batches in sleaves.  Sometimes, tuo constitute trial-sized offerings of larger cakes, but often they are a unique production unto themselves.  Factories often distinguish batch hierarchy by the quality of wrapping paper.  Productions wrapped in course brown wrapping paper are decidedly “the people’s batch”, while those wrapped in soft white cotton paper will be reserved for early spring and tippier batches.  A boxed tuo wrapped in brown paper usually won’t be as high grade as one boxed and wrapped in white cotton.  Not all productions are privy to birthing numerous batches and thence may have no grade distinction at all.  Grade (ji), after all, must have some frame of reference and only producers engaged in producing numerous tuo  are compelled to distinguish. Differentiations duly noted, there are some general designations that indicate where the raw material falls out amidst the cascade of similarly titled offerings:

• Jingpin
• Teji, tezhi, special grade or special production
• Jiaji,
• Yiji

There’s no fixed standard for either translating these terms or understanding them beyond the context of each factory, year, and production. . . which brings us to the importance of aging.  Though the Puerh Junky shies away from making emphatic declarations, it’s fair to say that tuo from the before the teens of the 21st-c are meant for lengthy storage.  They are simply not meant for drinking early.  Productions from before the teens of the 21st-c are classically processed.  It’s possible that they are more classically processed than cakes, meaning age factors even more.  Naturally, some years of production are far better than others just as with wine, and as with wine, age accounts for why even some of the people’s productions wrapped in brown paper have appreciated considerably.  Puerh Junky’s tuo offerings are unquestionably ready for drinking by customary standards that take age into account.

Tuocha  Chamber ‘12-11

There are at least two factories sharing in the name “Phoenix” or making liberal use of the term “phoenix” from the same county.  This straightforward youngster consists of tight compression, dry storage, and has been in Los Angeles since around 2014.  Suitable for a newbie wanting to wet their feet with semi-aged puerh, for perfecting brewing technique, and experimenting with vessel differences. Everyday drinker excellent for grandpa style.  Phoenix brand factory specializing in Dali area productions, with solid-to-higher range quality.  No smoke, pencil shavings, or peat. Brown paper wrapping. 100g.

.08¢

Tuocha Chamber ’10

Xiaguan Nanzhao, cotton-wrapped with box.  Possesses a slight trace of funk in the dry leaf, typical of many XG productions.  Funk and camphor in the wet leaf.  Good thickness. Creamy vanilla with camphor broth that transitions to grapefruit in nose and broth.  Seriously astringent 5/5, drying and rough on the tongue.  Resolute qi, no smoke.  Bit of a gut-buster.  Good colour but still about 5 years too young by PJ standards.  For those favouring destructive productions.  Stored in LA since ’15.  Fotos.

13¢

Tuocha Chamber ’08-09

Dali Tuo, XG 100g.  Deserves its own page.

Ox Tuo, LCGC 100g.

Tuocha Chamber ’07

Class A Tuo (T868) consists of a blend of early spring tips stored under moderately dry conditions, now (’23) with several years under its belt.   No hint of smoke. Storage-y taste in first couple infusions, but beyond average thickness and sweetness after digging in.  Colour has deepened considerably over time.  Tulin. Brown-paper wrapper, box. Stored in LA since June ’21.  Remarkable how the tippy “black tea” character has transformed into something considerably smoother, fruitier, and sweet.  This is a tuo that Mikey would like. From Floral to Fruit Class.

.24¢

Tuocha Chamber ’06

The moderately pressed Silver Pekoe consistently receives high reviews for its punchiness.  Dry aroma of toasted marshmallows, with initial whiffs evocative of sweet chaparral grasses, sweet desert grass.  Caramel sugary vibe very strong in the initial infusion, with a upfront mentol/alchohol taste that fades back into the toasted marshmallow dulce de leche vibe.  Some dryer sheet action.  Near immediate qi effect.  The toasted sugar quality is strong with an unflinching bitterness and astringency.  Strong floral huigan and very warming of the whole body without causing jitters or distraction, rather cozy.  An interesting hint of 7-Up.  Wuliang material, cotton wrapper, sleeve.  Has appreciated considerably. In Los Angeles since ’19. 100g.

.37¢

Spry Phoenix is lemony and refreshing, brown-paper wrapped in a sleeve.  Dry-stored, slightly oily, moderate compression.  No smoke, humidity, bitterness.  Very good for those favouring productions at the higher octave range but don’t go for bitterness.  A nice production at a great price.  Tulin, Wuliang material.  In Los Angeles since Jan ’23.  125g.  Fruity/Tobacco Class.

.09¢

Tuocha Chamber ’04

Red Ribbon Valley is a Lingcang terroir tuo possessing an inviting incense vibe.  Kunming dry stored, the broth colour is a light hazelnut.  No peat, smoke, or pencil shavings.  Soy saucy dry aroma in gaiwan.  Wet aroma of sweet spiced pears.  Sweet tobacco, light smoke huigan from nicely sweet broth with instantaneously uplifting qi.  Petrol, a bit of bitterness, astringency reaching the throat.  Huigan stamina, vanilla emerging later on.  Some peat and plum.  Copper brew hue.  Stored in LA since Jan ’23.  100g.  Tobacco Class.

.33¢