Tag Archives: gupuer tea factory

Spring Ripe Puerh Taste Off III

Posted on by Yang-chu
22 May

Spring Ripe Puerh Taste Off III presents us with another four contenders chosen at random.  Needless to say, all stables are bristling with excitement to see just how the judges with regard their students.  Side-by-side battles provide the best contrast for assaying the performance of ripe puerh.  It provides a context for not only determining whether a student is better but also precisely why.  Of course, tastes vary but comparison provides deeper insight into the creator’s execution.  Let’s proceed. . .

Ripe Puerh Taste Off Day III

  • ’07 Boss Square, GPE (Wang Xia)
    Resolute aroma in warmed dry pot, camphor, vanilla, sweet, spectacular clarity, present aftertaste.
  • ’06 Peacock Country, Liming
    Sweetness, light bitter backend, light camphor more bold at cooler temp, wood, incense, slight sour, long aftertaste, red hots, blue cheese, light astringency.  Gorgeous.
  • ’06 BZ Peacock King, LME
    Aromatic in warmed dry pot, heavy essence, roast, camphor, drying, very strong qi, woody, oud.
  • ’10 Sweet Richness, Yangpinhao
    Petrichor, coco, vanilla, minerals, rich aroma, very sweet initially, smooth reaching throat, fast-arriving qi insanely aggressive, baby powder, dash of sour huigan.

Ripe Puerh Taste Off Day III featured some very heavy hitters.  The biggest surprise was definitely Liming’s Peacock Country, part of the Ripe Sampler Group 1.  It was acquired from a Henan seller and has taken better than two years to round into form.  There’s still some astringency deeper into the session suggesting about two more years of storage before becoming a high-ranking sumo.  Having it side-by-side among some award-winning productions shed deeper insights into just how good it is.

Sweet Richness is also no slouch.  Baby powder is a taste appearing at about 10 years in some higher quality ripes.  It’s so chock full of “stuff” that its oils have bled through to the wrapper.  Still, compared to its competitors, there’s an obvious immaturity.  Given the qi it’s all ready paralysing drinkers with, it’s frightening to imagine the future.  This brings us to the last two. . .

Both the Boss Square and the BZ Peacock King are excellent productions.  Tasting samples for the day are placed on the table and revisited toward the end of the day.  This ultimately tipped the scales in BZ Peacock King’s favour.  Experimentation has revealed that many productions respond remarkably well to sitting out for a few days.  During the current Taste Off, none of the ripes have sat out before the event, but a brewed cup sitting out over the course of the day may actually shed light into which productions would benefit most from sitting out.  What was found in the cup of the BZPK corroborates findings from having it out for about three days.

Boss Square Reprise

Posted on by Yang-chu
23 Jun

On solstice 2022, the Puerh Junky received a shipment containing an item that he’s been trying to track down since acquiring in ’17.  It’s the Boss Square.  I ended up getting it from the same vendor as before, the vendor from whom I’ve acquired most of my GPE stash.  It seemed like an interesting idea to list what I wrote about the Boss Square some five years ago.  Quite a bit has changed since then, not the least of which is having a modicum of understanding about GPE itself.

Gu Puerh started its exploits in 1999.  As often stated, the breaking of the tea monopoly known simply as Zhongcha witnessed the spawning of numerous private ventures that were previously branded under the Zhongcha label.  Often these factories were supplying to the big three, Menghai TF,  Xiaguan TF, and Kunming TF.  This factor contributes in no small part to my skepticism around the craze around Menghai/Dayi productions.  To be honest, I cannot say just how much “better” Dayi actually is.  I don’t bother drinking them with the exception of a sample or two that I’m gifted.  The Puerh Junky is not particularly inclined toward buying hype, favouring a “less well trod” path.

Aside from the dissolution of the monopoly, many of the Menghai TF braintrust were forced to break out for new pastures, setting up factories of their own, e.g., Haiwan, Xinghai, Boyou, and Pengcheng to name a few.  Some of these individuals, aside from having their own operations, are commissioned by other factories for specific productions or have a significant hand in operations of other factories, such as Ms Du Qiongzhi and Ms Wang Xia.  It is this latter who is much more highly regarded and is known for several famous productions.

The Boss Square, first introduced in 1999, was created by Wang Xia.  It won the Annual International Tea Expo hosted in Guangzhou that year.  That ’99 version, if it can be found, is a collectors’ item.  Any other version, I’ve only seen the ’07, is definitely worth snatching up.  There are many GPE raw squares on the market.  It’s often difficult to discern them from the ZC offerings and the numerous other replicas from other factories.  The GPE raw square is also crafted by Wang Xia.  Fakes for this size seem to be plentiful, but it seems to be usually for the ZC offering.

Wang Xia seems to have the Simao region under her wing.  In at least one previous post, I noted some confusion over whether GPE and the Simao TF were one in the same.  This post is mistaken, btw.  They are the same.  This question arose in the course of purchasing two bazhong productions both associated with the Simao TF.  Only within the past six months did I learn that the bazhong A, one which I’ve written about on more than one occasion, is actually a Wang Xia production.  The thing is, Wang Xia has her own operation also bearing the name Simao in the title.  I’ve not gone so far as to discover the gory details.  Below is the copy of the original Boss Square description.

—-

Of all the ripes I have in my collection, since acquiring this this summer of ’17, I keep it most at the ready.  The conveniently renamed ’07 Boss Square Puerh comes from the Simao Tea Factory, which I believe was designated with the #5 back in the day of the state-operated system.

This is a flawlessly rich ripe puerh.  Zero tannins.  High-impact delivery of chocolately goodness.  No dank, earthy, interesting microbial musing necessary.  In the hot zisha dry it gives off none of the saltiness so common among productions.  Wet in the cup, the wafting aroma from the pitcher is evident.  Grains and malt.

The gan is evident very quickly and lasts and lasts in the mouth and from one infusion to the next.  In order to get past the tannins, many productions require over-brewing or are best when brewed for more than a minute.  After the second infusion, 10s I found to be too much for this.  The release is rich with just 5s.  And the qi is full and expansive in the chest.  The mouth is active.

This is an exceptional ripe production and for experienced drinkers.

Puerh Junky’s Spring 2021 Report

Posted on by Yang-chu
20 Apr

Puerh Junky’s Spring 2021 Report

I was chatting with a friend the other day and he informed me that the Western vendors are all offering free shipping till the new tea arrives.  I guess that’s a pretty big deal if you’re shipping from Mainland.  My offerings are here in Los Angeles, so that’s not much of an issue for American buyers who get free shipping on orders larger than $75.

I guess it’s some way to stir excitement over offerings from the spring picking.  New tea is really not the Puerh Junky’s thing.  There’s so much older tea that hasn’t been hoarded to discover that not only meets the standard but also still presents comparatively greater value.  But, these gems are disappearing apace.

Over the past five years factories have progressively been restricting their sales to preferred vendors.  Some factories, like the maker of the Jingmai “003”, have already disappeared, except for their flagship site.  The same has essentially happened with GPE.  Many of the Puerh Junky’s preferred vendors have vanished or moved into more obscure brands from famous regions and greatly scaled back their offerings.

Observing this trend, the Puerh Junky has also had to adapt.  Since Nov ’20, I’ve primarily focused on re-upping on exceptional treasures while they’re still available.  Along the way, unfamiliar productions from well-known factories have been acquired, in addition to virtual unknowns from trusted vendors.  As this project has evolved, thematic productions have taken a back burner, though I continue to be tempted by a sexy wrapper.  I still love a good wrapper, but focus has mostly settled into familiar productions and factories.

’06 Old Geezers Ripe  

As far as themes go, it is clear that 6FTM is becoming a theme unto itself.  Productions from their early years are particularly interesting from a collecting point of view, especially before their brand identity solidified.  Some of these will be listed in the coming year.

Breaking the Mold

“Breaking the Mold” is probably not the best turn of phrase when talking about puerh, but alas I’m breaking from my standard practice of holding offerings for six months before listing.  Some productions are ready now and there’s little point in having them lazing about in LA when there’s work to be done in Brockton, Bethesda, and Boise.  There’s a bevy of ripes that are already quite good.  Many have already been snatched up by insiders who rely upon his junkifiedness for the hook up.  Still, some of these have yet to be spoken for.

’06 Nannuo, LME

Here’s were a digression into the junkisophical must be indulged: price is no reflection of quality.  Quality factors less than reputation and collectability.  Naturally, these are not altogether independent variables.  The Puerh Junky provides a range of reputations and collectability, while never sacrificing quality.  Sometimes quality is difficult to discern, but where it’s immediately apparent, fellow junk… er enthusiasts should not be deprived.

Puerh Junky’s Collection and Stash

Let’s call the Collection that which is listed and the Stash that which is not.  As for the Collection, most treasures number but a few.  Chances of re-upping depend on availability and price.  If you need to score a tong then you need to contact me directly.  Otherwise, if something strikes your fancy, it’s best not to dally.

The Stash consists of productions that have yet to graduate.  They are “aging.”  The Stash also has treasures that sold out or sky rocketed in price.  These were trial purchases, testing either vendor or production.  Sometimes prices jump even before arriving.  This especially happens around the lunar new year.  Be it availability or price, these treasures end up orphans until lightening strikes or, in a fit of junkydom, I break down and pay what they’re asking.  This process can take years.  How sublime it would be for these orphans to join the Collection, but for most this simply will not happen.

Hoping and Praying

Puerh Orphan Sample Annie

If you think I’m breaking up these cakes, then you’ve been drinking to much!  In a grand gesture of junkaciousness, however, I can part with a few samples from my own cake.  We’ll call these Orphan Samples.  They’ll be arranged in interesting sets unified by a theme like year, factory, or region; I’ll confabulate something.  If a treasure from the set appeals to you, you may directly inquire further about availability.  Orphan Samples are identical to regular samples, i.e., 15g, except very few are being offered, and the specific intent is to find a home for orphan cakes, as opposed to providing general edification and enjoyment.  Since you’ll have sampled for yourself, there is zero need to leave anything to question about quality or personal appeal.

Final Word

A final word of thanks for reading and enjoying these missives, however epi- and rhapsodic.  In the coming weeks, beyond new listings, be on the lookout for blog postings on the back story of some of the more vaunted factories offering these treasures.  I understand that the world of Chinese puerh factories is enigmatic for those with limited access to Chinese. Nonetheless, arming yourself with a bit of context provides at least of modicum of rationale for being the Puerh Junky that you are.

OG Gangsta Appraisal

Posted on by Yang-chu
puerh tea brick
06 Apr

Here’s feedback from my first Germany order regarding the OG Gangsta. . .

I like it a lot even though I am brewing it in a porcelain gaiwan. But for me the astringency really came out only after the fifth or sixth brew. Seeing you only gave it an average mark I am anxious to see what else you have in stock 😉

I have only been drinking puerh for one and a half years or so but I would say this is the best one I have ever had.

Those who know, know.  The OG Gangsta doesn’t claim its name for nutthin’.

 

 

Puerh Battle of Hegemons

Posted on by Yang-chu
06 Mar

Tuesday 2nd of March 2021 witnessed the Puerh Battle of Hegemons.  Both the ’07 Vanilla Palace and ’05 OG Gangsta brought formidable organic credentials to a frenzy pitting two mid-aged raw puerh against each other.  The Silver Peacock ripe agreed to moderate the fracas.

“Puerh Battle of Hegemons?” you ask.  “Yes!” I reply.  You see, one of the descriptions often attributed to big-taste aggressive puerhs is “baqi” (霸气), where “ba” translates to “hegegemon.” This is to say a strong-handed ruler, a forceful customer in puerh terms.

The battle started with the Vanilla Palace.  It bears the name “gongting,” which is usually reserved for the smallest grade ripe.  For a raw puerh to be called gongting is a first. As it ages, the Vanilla is becoming richer and rounder.  The punch from a few years back continues to transform into a delicious vanilla root beer.  The edges continue to transform not flatten and each progressive infusion releases more florality that is in the perfume stage.  The transformation trajectory of the Vanilla Palace is excellent and represents a fantastic value.

puerh tea brick

The OG Gangsta is one of GPEs atomically compressed bricks.  On the heels of the Vanilla Palace, Gangsta‘s sour and subtle fruit notes really jumped out.  Those favouring astringency, we’re talking dictatorial astringency, will lean toward the Gangsta.  The dark root beer expression, however, sufficiently balances the bite.  One recent enthusiast described Gangsta as a smoker who wears perfume to cover the smoke– not in a bad way, he was quick to add.

About six infusions from each elicited the call for food.  Don’t drink either on an empty stomach but especially not the Gangsta.  After a bit of grub the Silver Peacock brought its Zen attributes to wash it down.  The Silver Peacock is at a stage of transition, from pure ripe Zen to the fruitiness common in many aged raws and common in heicha.  Infusions 6-8 at better than a minute, pushed progressively, were surprisingly rich, sweet, and complex– positively nothing challenging about this ripe puerh cake but everything enjoyable.

In the end, the pairing of the Vanilla Palace and the OG Gangsta highlighted their contrasting personalities, despite being in the tobacco cum root beer class.  The VP is round, warming, settling inviting.  The OGG is rambunctious, astringent, slightly fruity, with perfume and smoke.  Both offerings express a good deal of complexity and durability.  Altogether about nine infusions were gathered from each and an additional four infusions or so the next day.  The perfume of each was much more noticeable on day two.  It’s fair to say the OGG proved more hegemonic.

However, in the final assessment pairing these two is a shade excessive.  Both are complex productions deserving of focused attention in their own right.  Moving from one two the other is more a mark of skittish gluttony than pairing.  Contrast to this excess likely accounts for why the Silver Peacock ended up stealing the show.

Puerh Junky Report: Fruit Monster

Posted on by Yang-chu
01 Mar

So on Friday my wife and I were up for some heavy drinking.  I only remember thinking Fruit Monster would probably round the sesh out nicely, since the other offerings were higher on the keyboard.  Fruit Monster, being from 2011 and dry stored, isn’t exactly full of low notes.  However, it does have quite a bit of smoke and grit, along with a bit of incense.  The fruit muskmelon notes of yore are no longer detectable and its bratty finish lead the Puerh Junky to conclude that in some regards it’s about three years off.

The Puerh Junky Report: Fruit Monster concerns leftovers from Friday.  Today is Monday.  A couple infusions consumed on Saturday led to a final infusion forgotten amidst the welter of puerh treasures.  Water remained in the bell pepper pot for two days.  This morning I thought I give it a try, expecting a bitter lesson.

Bell Pepper Pot with the ’01 GM Puerh

To my astonishment, the Fruit Monster tasted of strawberries.  This is a taste usually evident of productions at least fifteen years old.  It portends the return of fruit to the monster, but I will have to wait a while.

This reminds us that puerh is a moving target, particularly raws.   The Puerh Junky found a similar progression with the Dali Tuo, where now enticing strawberry fruitiness starts expressing after about the fourth infusion.  It’s the same fruit note so common to many ripes.  In fact, upon recent tasting only this weekend, the Silver Peacock is starting to express fruit notes as well.

We’ll see how the the Fruit Monster progresses.  Right now the days of musky fruit are long gone.  Its edginess and depth are satisfactory but not where they will be in a few years.  In some cases these variables would have the Puerh Junky state outright that it is not ready, but from very early on Fruit Monster has proven itself a solid tobacco-class drinker.  However, the course of changes from this weekend portend the return of a different fruit to the monster sometime in an unknown future.

Puerh Eternal: Green Mark

Posted on by Yang-chu
07 Feb

Puerh Eternal: Green Mark– The Quest Continues

This week had the Puerh Junky embarking on a recovery mission.  If you haven’t been brought up to speed about Puerh Storage Horrors, you need to.  One of the cakes that I’m endeavoring to revive is an ’02 Green Mark (A), GPE.  It was one of the most expensive and deadly productions that I’d ever had when first sampled in April of 2020.  By August of the same year it had tamed considerably, but I hadn’t put two-and-two together to identify the cardboard box as the culprit for than a less favourable turn.

This February 2021 marks the one-year mark of having that cake.  Since it was so damn expensive, I put it in cardboard thinking that I was giving it the best of love, only to be slowly suffocating it.  What a contrast to ze Marquis du Green Mark, whom I stuffed in the Zhongcha box where he has not missed a beat.

Since the ’02 Green Mark (A), GPE had only been stored for a year in the box, it was not as drained of blood as some of the other top-shelf victims.  The others, even after day two of drinking, were quite boring and it may be the case that it’ll take a full year for them to revive, for my poor ’03 7542, DQZ even longer.  On the other hand, the GPE may only need only as few as three months.

I couldn’t bring myself to throw out this tea.  I gave it several long infusions the next day and then let it soak overnight, a doing that has prompted this post.  Tremendous.  A sweetness, depth, and incense that does not remotely disappoint.

One of the most confusing aspects of puerh is how one production or recipe can have so many different makers and how the same maker can go through so many different versions of presenting the same production.  In the case of GPE the answer in part has to do with the era in which it emerged.  This was the decade of transition, basically ’97-’06.  Factories would  generally follow the prevailing marketing trend and often paid some type of fee to use the Zhongcha label.  Sometimes there were outright collaborations.  It’s hard to say, but the neifei gives NO indication that it is a GPE production.  This is where you just have to defer to the vendor, who’s not steered me wrong yet.

 

Square Deal: Puerh Tea

Posted on by Yang-chu
07 Feb

Square Deal: Puerh Tea visit a particular ’07 Square, by GPE.  If you get a chance to try or buy it you should.  GPE came on the scene in the late ’90s.  In the first year, their ripe puerh square (fangcha) won a best in show award.  That ’99? production is highly valued.  As late as 2018 productions could still be found fairly easily but after then not so much.

That tight embossed kinda brick

The GPE square was probably the second most popular ripe square on the market next to Zhongcha’s.  ZC’s square is hand’s down the most popular square with a number of fakes out there.  Here’s a closeup of the iconic tea character associated with ZC displayed on GPE’s square:

The GPE icon is  the “cha” character surrounded by 12 (haven’t counted) “gu” characters.  “Gu” means old or ancient.  The most popular gu in puerh circles is “gu-shu” (old-tree).

The GPE Square didn’t have camphor, humidity, fruit or anything to make it stick out beyond a richness reflecting the generally sturdy material from which they derive their products.

You can see the liquor has some clarity but it also looks darker than most Puerh Junky offerings.  Anyway, there’s no need to carry on about this square since it’s no where to be found.  In fact, no occurrence of any other GPE ripes even come to mind.

 

Fruit Monster: From Hyde to Jekyll

Posted on by Yang-chu
27 Jan

The ’11 Fruit Monster first came into the Puerh Junky’s possession in early 2018.  At the time it was aptly named, but three years later it takes considerably more infusions to get to the tobaccoey, smokey attributes.  Furthermore, the tropical fruit like jackfruit notes have all but disappeared.  Yes, the Fruit Monster has turned from Mr Hyde to Dr Jekyll.

Transformation is the name of the game with raw puerh.  Where something is this year doesn’t speak for the following.  A production sharing the same name from the same factory will most assuredly differ from year to year.  So it goes.

For the most part the big and bold Hyde has transformed into something considerably more refined.  There’s lots more vanilla in there.  In fact, vanilla is the overriding taste, not dissimilar from the old school Vienna fingers.

There can be no doubt that Fruit Monster is now a decidedly different animal, far more genteel than earlier in its life.  The broth is rich and frothy with lots of sweetness.  It imparts a filling and enjoyable experience.  The macho fuerte of tobacco is still there but lies hidden for the late infusions to reveal.  Overall, however, Fruit Monster for the time being has turned Zen in 2021.  This is not an awkward phase of expression.  There is nothing off about how it performs.  The contrast from the early stages of drinking and the later ones, however, may leave the impression that the cake is still “young.”  This may particularly be the case if it had not been sampled during its youth.