It seems that the universe of ripe puerh is filled with many very ho-hum productions.  Much of the variation arises from age and storage conditions, but raw material and fermentation style obviously matter as well.

Some factories, like Langhe, specialize in a fermentation style that is intended to allow the production to age naturally afterward.  I recently learned that CNNP/Zhong-cha’s famous 7581 recipe is comprised of some percentage of raw material.

These creative variables in material will determine just how long production may have to sit before it is good for drinking, which might explain why in China the preference is for older raw puerhs.

Roll the drums please. . .

 #5   ’06 T8371, CNNP 250g brick

Gorgeous Ripe Zhongcha Brick

I like the camphor-accented ripe productions.  There are scads of them out there that advertise themselves as having camphor fragrance, but to be honest, they are few and far between.  This one has an unmistakable camphor vibe.  It has also been light humid stored.  It is not wet or dank, just well done.  As you can tell from the picture, it possesses remarkable clarity and is all around gorgeous.  The qi presence is strong.  This brick ranks highly based on numerous criteria.  Sold out.

#4   ’06 Banzhang Thick Brick

The longest huigan EVER!

Banzhang Thick Brick (kilo) seems to have been wet-stored for a short duration before getting the ole Kunming dry-stored treatment. It is an incredibly complex ripe puerh, possessing tastes of camphor, cinnamon, earth, and loads of sweetness. The huigan is quick and lasts and last, exuding the cooling of camphor and sweetness of oud.  Sold out.

#3  ’07 Boss Square Puerh

That tight embossed kinda brick

The ’07 Boss Square is an entirely dry-stored production.  It very much strikes me as what every dry-stored ripes only they could be: cocoa, malt, vanilla, a shade of tingle.  The aftertaste lingers with notes of cocoa.  There is a solidness to the Boss Square which is quite rare and usually only filled out with some touch of humidity.  Taste best with the quickest of infusions.

#2  ’06 Langhe Humid and Clean

’06 Langhe Tuo

Do you see how crystal clear that brew is?  The ’06 Humid and Clean is spectacularly delicious.  Balanced between humidity, camphor, sweetness and leather, it provides a special experience.  In terms of clarity, color, aroma and taste, the ’06 Humid and Clean is no joke.  There is no overrating the quality of this tuo and the craft applied to the humid storage, which is somewhat similar to somewhat similar to the Xiaguan Nanzhao raw but excelling compared to it in terms clarity of taste and overall balance.

   #1  ’12 Operation Macau

The ’12 Operation Macau is a special order Xinghai Tea Factory production.  With a taste of petrichor and the umame of light pea soup, this humid-stored treasure is among the best that ripe puerh has to offer.

Why?

Well, first of all the aroma wet and dry varies little, and that aroma is quite pleasing.  Second, its color is clear and true.  Third, the clarity of the aroma and color carry over into the taste.  Humid productions can often be overbearing or dank, moldy tasting.  Executing humidity, which seems to strongly favour ripes, well is easier said than done, but here its been done fabulously well.

Fourth, the qi with Operation Macau produces an obvious warming sensation in the chest.  You might break a sweat at the nape of the neck, small of the back, or forehead.  To get there, you needn’t over brew to avail yourself of its powerful effects.  Finally, brewed gong-fu style this production has staying power that evolves, revealing nice mouth cooling effect later on.

It is quite obviously made from excellent base material.

Conclusion

It just occurred to me that four of the five best have been humid-stored.  None of them have been “wet-stored.”  The latter is much more dank, where the microbial taste is the predominant note.  At the same time, proper humidity adds a depth that makes a big difference in terms of the enjoyability of a ripe.

Another observation about the Five Best Ripes is that three of the five have obvious camphor notes.  Pronounced camphor flair ripes aren’t too common.  Some of it might have to do with age, but aged ripes in no way guarantees a real camphor effect by a long shot.  Interestingly, a production of old tea nuggets started out minty but on the last visit was not detectable.  Perhaps some tampering.

For me the clarity of a ripe is a vital reflection of the craft and quality of the production.  I do not drink puerh as a substitute for coffee.  I’d prefer less to pour ripe brew into a chai-hai than I would some raws, because there’s a certain charm in all that redness, something that cannot be appreciated with a cloudy brew.

Finally, four of the five are major puerh tea factories.  King among them is #5 CNNP/Kunming TF.  Their 7581 is a classic production, which is somewhat similar to the #3 Boss Square, known for some productions of their own and the Boss Square being one.  All the above factories also make raws.  Langhe, the maker of #2 Humid and Clean, definitely has a reputation for producing excellent ripes which are usually very masterfully crafted.