Puerh Junky specialises in mid-aged puerh from recognized Mainland tea factories.  Collecting since 2013, the idea is to offer a bit of Chinese tea culture from the era when traditional processing was commonplace.  Traditional processing centers around duration of the kill-green stage, where longer firing yields results akin to green tea.  The jury is still out on just how such a change affects aging, though purists are generally resistant to this innovation.  New processing makes for sweeter tea earlier than traditional processing.  Most all Western vendors sell new-processed puerh (despite claims to the contrary), which is dandy if one isn’t interested in aging.  On the other hand, puerh has typically been considered an aged product.  The newer methods afford easier sales and market expansion among young and inexperienced drinkers, as well as those more accustomed to drinking green tea and oolongs.  However, it’s a very different product from traditional processing.  Puerh Junky gives consumers a chance to try the traditional product.

The late 90s witnessed great changes in the puerh landscape with the shattering of the iron rice bowl, that is market reforms that had the government exiting from its monopoly position.  On the heels of this, many new factories formed, a number having ties to reputable factories like Menghai Tea Factory (subsequently Dayi).  Bought by a group in ’06, Dayi began engaging in new processing with other factories following suit.  The kill-green process can vary from one production or batch to the next and aside from sampling there’s no way of telling.  Factories aren’t broadcasting their methods, and it doesn’t matter if sales improve.

Purely from happenstance, a great deal of the Puerh Junky collection hails from women-owned factories, among them being The Five Golden Flowers of Menghai TF.  In order of recognition is Wangxia (Simao TF and eponymously named factory), Ruan Dian-rong (6FTM), Zhang Jian-li (Xinghai), Lu Guo-ling (Laotongzhi), and Du Qiong-zhi (Pengcheng).  Aside from Mme Lu, a fair number of selections from these tea meitras are available.  Additionally, there’s Du Chun-yi of Lancang Gucha.  Other factories include those with terroir distinction, like Mengku Rongshi (Lincang), Tulin brand (Mt. Wuliang), Laoman’e brand (greater Bulang), Jinglong (Yiwu), lineage ties like Gupuer (Wangxia), Tulin (Xiaguan), or with solid value like Banzhang Zhengshan, Zhongcha, and Xiaguan.

All productions are naturally stored in Los Angeles with a date included.  Natural storage with a bit of tweaking subjects tea to the vagaries of seasonal change, which actually turns out to be a stressor in the tea’s favour.  It’s not uncommon for items to sit better than two years before listing, either because they’re not suitable for immediate drinking or because of backlog in listing others.  Anticipating friction between the US and China and supply chain irregularities since 2020, Puerh Junky began acquisition apace since around ’22.  By all accounts, it’s a modest undertaking.  Aside from a few items, most listings are small in quantity.

The latest iteration of the site categorizes items by taste profile, since most drinkers are interested more in taste than factory particulars.  Keeping up with changes is a task that makes it understandable why many sellers do not provide explicit tasting notes.  To avert any confusion, samples are available for almost all offerings.  Buying habits have shifted from snazzy wrappers and commemoratives to a more disciplined focus on factories with which there is familiarity.  Since ’19 really good selections have dwindled greatly and much greater care has been invested in pawning fakes, which is ok in itself but not when the prices match the real McCoy.  The original purpose of avoiding Dayi was because they tended to be the most faked item, but now any popular production or tea master can be faked.  Another trick encountered is the selling of real items but not of the professed batch.  Usually, factories have ways of distinguishing batches.  When available, batch number is indicated with the item.  Batch differences are reflected in price and may be quite different from one to the other in terms of material, processing, pressing, neifei, and wrapper.

You can also find Puerh Junky on Instagram.  You can PM there as well.

25 April 5 — New categories.

’24 Nov 10 — Brick & Iron page listed.

’24 Oct 30 — Pu’erh Espresso listed.

’24 Oct 22 — MKRS posted.  Includes the ole fav Creme Florale among others.

’24 Oct 13 — Updated quantity of Boss Square, just discovered to be “out-of-stock.”

’24 Sept 27 — Added Shuangxi, XG to the Sampler U page under Simao, even though it’s Wuliang.

’24 Aug 13 — Two Fujin Green discovered in PJ’s cave.

’24 Aug 11 —  LME Spring listed.  A qi heavy production complimented by pleasant old chrysanthemum grace and elegance.

’24 July 12 — Yiwu Series page listing with sale for Yiwu Gratitude till end of month and James Brown for a hot second.

’24 July 1 — Xiannong ZC Commission sale.

’24 June 20 — Champions 80g sample set listed on grand champ’s page.

‘24 June 9 — Bulang Series listed.

’24 June 9 — ’07 tuo RMT, TL and Top Notch, ZC sold out.

’24 June 7 — ’08 Buddha Impressions on shop page from search only.

’24 June 7 — Nannuo, Maitreya, CMS fotos included on CMS Series page.

’24 June 7 — Recent fotos of Jingmai OTB on the Jingmai Series page.

’24 June 7 — Yiwu Ripe Private Commission, DQZ joins Humid Ripe page.  On sale till end of next week.

’24 June 5 — Jingmai Series listed.

’24 June 4 — Red Mark under Bazhong sampler set sold out, delisted.  Whole cake still available upon request.

’24 June 2 — Manzhuan Series page listed.

’24 June 1 — Daxueshan joins the Mengku MKRS Series page.

’24 May 31— Juicy pics of ’10 LSD linked to Instagram; MKRS page joins ’11 Creme Florale with ’04 Mengku Little and ’09 Silver Pekoe.

’24 May 30— ’11 Naka, Fuhai replaces ’10 LSD, Jinglong in the Aggressive sample set.

’24 May 29— ’11 Naka, Fuhai listed among ’06 Fuhai Raw Series; ’06 Zhongcha Raw Series listed.

’24 May 28— ’11 Naka, Fuhai listed in search only; Sampler U changes: ’14 Qisan replaces ’14 Bulang Peacock in ZC Sampler Set; ’14 Bulang Peacock replaces ’07 Thick Zen in Most Popular Set.

’24 May 26— ’14 Jade Mark shop listing correction, one available.