Puerh Junky Visits BZ Peacock
Before going into a Xinghai rant, Puerh Junky Visits BZ Peacock, the ’06 red ring version. There is also a “coffee” ring version, referencing the colour of the ring on the wrapper. Its name is taken partially from the wrapper design, though it’s actual name is BZ Old Tree.
Sometime in the early naughts, Tobacco Class puerhs started to gain steam among enthusiasts. Among them, it seems that two stood out above the others, the Big Cabbage and the Peacock. The former is recognizable by a big green bok choi that is also synonymous with being organic and the latter is not recognizable at all given the popularity of the peacock as an enduring totem among the hill tribes of the region. These both seemed to be first innovated by the Fujin TF, which at the outset worked and wrapped through Dayi/MHTF before moving onto Xinghai. The wrapper of the Big Cabbage is not discernible from any other Bazhong wrapper from the era, but the price commanded would leave one truly agog.
Puerh Junky has only been gathering peacocks for wrapper appeal. The BZ Peacock had been in his sites for some time for this reason, totally ignorant of the buzz around the peacock of the tobacco class. I picked up my first round as a test in ’19 and when I went to get more the price more than trebled. The search was on.
I personally pay very little attention to the names of productions. I’m in it for the wrappers, as already stated, and factories. Xinghai happened to be a factory with a peacock logo or name, so that’s how I happened upon them. It started out with mostly ripes, but I slowly started exploring some of their raws. Xinghai set sail in ’02 and in ’18 they were bought by some entity that I haven’t cared to do any research on. Right now, that’s not so important, as the BZ Peacock is the object of discussion.
Tobacco Class productions range due largely to house and production conception. I previously offered an unrelenting Xinghai brick for the price of dirt, which I called Lapsang Bulang. That brick holds the distinction of being THE smokiest and most carefully crafted brick ever encountered. The leaves were big and whole. The brick broke apart easily with the leaves in tact.
That’s a Jul 2000 shot, which the program won’t let me caption without creating mayhem in the layout. In any event, Lapsang Bulang is serving as a foil to demonstrate what the BZ Peacock is not. BZ Peacock’s smoke is more like incense. There is a whiskey, tequila oak-stored quality about it.
Before getting more into the drinking, something should be said about how remarkably unrefined this production is. It’s really the quintessence of the old-school factory style: hard pressed, ugly, and chunky. Prying leaves is a joke. This is a Menghai/Bulang creation and elegance in pressing at this time did not figure. Don’t look for that Yiwu elegance here.
This rougueness carries over into the presentation, sorta. Thoughts of drinking this makes me cringe a bit. It doesn’t have that in-your-face smoke. In fact, it’s not the smoke at all that elicits the fear. It’s the qi. Maybe it was “one of those days,” but even from the second cup of the first infusion earlier this week absolute oppression occurred. I guess you could say like whiskey or tequila.
Below is what it looks like from the rinse. There’s zero humidity. There’s no Guangdong. There’s positively no humidity. The rinse, yeah I’ll drink the rinse, has a bit of sour and smoke, and surprising sweetness. Already, I feel it and a sense of dread comes over me. Only one cup. The pic show’s crystal clear now. It instantly gets my throat. Must be the day, as I have no prior recollection of that. The sour note in taste and aroma are the most interesting traits.
Rinse
After the leaves have woken, the pot has a sour, mesquite, and Redman Tobacco sweetness aroma, in that order. I toss the rinse, as I want to last and upon standing am already feeling it. Only one cup! I decide on 10s in the bell pepper pot, even though earlier in the week I flash infused infused in gaiwan to proper results. I’ll modify later but am going for a more forceful experience this time, though am using less leafage, 6.7g in 150ml.
I don’t think I’ll last more than four rounds. I keep thinking of the Simao “A”, which I’ve learned was crafted by another tea meistra Wang Xia. The BZP has the taste is of pure tequila without the volatile distraction of the alcohol. There’s an exquisite note of vanilla which finishes the sip. The taste is smooth in the mouth. Surprisingly sweet. It’s not too much time, an appropriate first infusion. The vanilla is definitely winning major points. The brew is not in the least crude, at least at this point. With devil may care attitude I have another cup and pour another, but now I’m definitely feeling it in my head and chest.
Infusion 1
I’m not sure I can go on. I think there’s a feeling of anxiety coming on, though I’m not the anxious type. The sensation in the chest and head aren’t fun. I feel dread. I honestly can’t go on. My hands are on the shaky side. My body tells me that’s enough.
I tap out after three cups from two infusions. I’m going to brew a little “7588” Fuhai to settle down.
Portrait “7588”
Earlier in the week while sitting in the sun I was able to power through to about six, with gaps interspersed. That’s when the the incense to center stage. Also, the huigan is floral. The smoke-fade-to-flowers sensation may be quite common, but I cannot think of any off-hand. The floral presence in the huigan builds with each infusion. It’s quite nice. Cask-type productions usually carry with them a measure of bitterness and the BZ Peacock is no exception. I went two days with this and it never bottomed out. The incense carries throughout. It’s a cross between these two pieces, Sylvian and Black Sabbath. Like I said, not for lightweights.
