Week ‘O Liming Aug ’23

Week ‘O Liming Aug ’23 took on three Liming offerings: ’05 Peacock Country, ’11 Jade Rabbit, and ’07 Golden Elephant.  Let’s not dally and get right down to it.

’05 Peacock Country Morning Light

The Peacock Country Morning Light is a production that has been in the Puerh Junky’s possession since around ’16.  It appears that around ’21 Liming released another cache onto the market, so it can be sourced from numerous vendors probably with marginal differences in storage since they’re all coming from the factory.  There’s a reason why so many have picked up the PCML. . . it’s fantastic.

Watching the evolution of the PCML has been a fascinating experience.  From the “early days”, Puerh Junky found it basically undrinkable: too sharp, tippy, no sweetness.  Every year’s sampling elicited the same response while it’s price climbed before completely disappearing from the landscape by ’19. In ’21 it had completely transformed into a much darker and serious brew: sweet tobacco, leather, durable.

Now raspberry is the prevailing PCML theme along a background of tobacco, maybe some smoke, a bit of leather.  This theme continues throughout the experience with the tobacco diminishing as you go and the raspberry crowding out all other players.  It’s one of the best productions under $90 that you’ll get for a cake this age.

’11 Jade Rabbit

Guabei” is the Chinese term for when all the good stuff from a tea coats the pitcher and cup.  Jade Rabbit’s most noteworthy feature is that it guabei.  The taste for the first five infusions is ultra Zen, quite a contrast from when first acquired in ’22 and being Bulang material.  Subsequent infusions darken up, while getting bitter and losing sweetness.  Young?  Not really, but this is typical of productions that have more years of storage to go.  So far, storage is solid.  Too much of the wrong kind of bitter at the moment.  No astringency to speak of.  Doesn’t dry the mouth.  Hint of smoke in later infusions.  Jury still out.

’07 Golden Elephant

The Golden Elephant’s crowning virtue is its high drinkability.  Puerh Junky just pulled it down at the time of writing this post to make out like the week was Liming replete.  Broth is fruity and light, whimsical.  Huigan leaves a slight measure of bitterness with a fruitiness that matches broth coating the mouth.  Seems like it would be perfect for a beginner or a child.  One dimensional like single terroirs, quite fitting given the cartoonish wrapper.  It’s not meant to be taken seriously.  Doesn’t dry the mouth and it’s not too sweet.  The bitter finish isn’t shabby and it’d prolly make an excellent cold brew.

Week ‘O Liming Wrap-up

Puerh Junky’s prolly been meaning to getting around to posting the Peacock Country for six months now.  There’s a sample that can be found over on the Sampler page, along with the highly regarded Peacock Brick, Rabbit and a few others.  PCML lasts considerably longer, like forever, brewed in gaiwan.  I have maybe two or three on hand for $89 if you want to email.  Just a reminder about free shipping on all orders over $75.

I notice from the description of the Rabbit that the taste profile has shifted from fruity playful to Zen.  Both it and the Elephant were Liming pings to determine whether more should be acquired.  So far, I’d say they’re “ok” but not as compelling as their OG Square, which has an entirely different personality, and The Collection offerings like the Tulin Tuo and the Dragon Pearls, which are jovial with lot’s of body, sweetness, and stamina.

 

Puerh Ratings 2022

07 Peacock 9611, CNNP

Below find Puerh Ratings 2022 according to a few websites from Baidu searches.

Chinapp (品牌网)

The Chinapp derives their rankings “based on nearly 100 indicators such as brand strength, product sales, user reputation, and netizen voting.”

  1. Dayi (huge surprise. . . not)
  2. Liming (genuinely huge surprise)
  3. Zhongcha (fairly surprising, they’re referencing about the “new Zhongcha” for sure)
  4. Xiaguan
  5. Fucunmeiji (福村梅记).  This one is a huge surprise.  A few years ago, they also ranked quite highly.  At the time of that ranking 2015, Yangpinhao had their hand in the processing of Fucunmeiji’s offerings.  Dunno if that’s still the case.
  6. Longyuanhao
  7. Longsheng Puercha (龙生普洱茶)Totally unfamiliar.
  8. Laotongzhi
  9. Langhe
  10. Fuhai

Rankings (排行榜)

This is a pure rankings website that devised their ranking “according to the brand evaluation and sales volume”.  Participants in rankings appear to be fewer than 100.

  1. Dayi
  2. Liming
  3. Qingfengxiang (庆沣祥) A upper tier of Colourful Yunnan Brand
  4. Xiaguan
  5. Laotongzhi
  6. Chenshenghao
  7. Gongming (宫明) Unfamiliar est. 2014
  8. Colourful Yunnan
  9. Fuhai
  10. Lancangjiang Familiar but never tried. Est 1985

Cangpin Puerh (藏品普洱)

While the two above seem to be keen on selling tea, this site only lists three and is much more focused on the history surrounding the factories.

  1. Dayi
  2. Fujin
  3. Chenshenghao

Newest Comparison of China’s Top 10 Puerh Brands 2022

This is just an article, but worth running through the translator.  Bet you cannot guess which is #1.

  1. Dayi
  2. Xiaguan
  3. Laotongzhi
  4. Zhongcha
  5. Chenshenghao
  6. Lancang Gucha
  7. Mengku(rongshi)
  8. Douji
  9. Fuhai
  10. Liming

Puchawang (普茶网)

Seems this might have been devised in ’21 but reposted in May ’22.  Site dedicated purely to puerh tea news, articles, storage, and brewing.

  1. Dayi
  2. Xiaguan
  3. Fujin
  4. Chenshenghao
  5. Mengkurongshi
  6. Liming
  7. Laotongzhi
  8. Changtai
  9. Xinghai
  10. Zhongcha

Reflections

Clearly, Dayi commands pole position in the world of puerh.  As far as the remaining positions go, there is considerably more jockeying.  Among the sites devising a list, some are clearly more geared toward plying their wares.  This might influence what appears to be the presence of some fairly obscure brands.  Others seem to be more influenced by reputation built by the brands, adhering to traditional views among experts.  Among the five, the first two seem to be more sales oriented, whereas the last three more in the traditional camp.

No single list can be taken as gospel, but taken together one gains some idea about what consumers and experts both take seriously.  The composite picture isn’t going to change much from one year to the next.  Probably checking every five years is more than sufficient to apprehend any surprising developments.

Another thing is that it is highly doubtful that most of the lists are based upon the most recent productions.  This makes it virtually impossible for upstarts to get on the list.  Consequently, this makes the Chinapp list at least interesting in terms of introducing potentially viable fresh players.  Longsheng isn’t a new player, but their presence given their age did garner attention.

Regarding specific factories, we see Liming placing in all of the top-ten charts.  Again, it is not altogether clear why LM has the reputation it does in the English world, but at the very least it is reasonable to conclude that this view is not shared in the Mainland.  Second, Fuhai does considerably better than Xinghai, but the Puerh Junky wonders to what extent Xinghai’s processing of Fujin factors.  It just conjecture.  Finally, the Puerh Junky sees factories making a list as largely a combination of size, history, marketing, connections, and finally quality.  Tasting productions on an off the list is a bit of a lifetime project to determine how each may personally rate for you.

 

 

 

Puerh Junky Discusses Peacocks

Puerh Junky Discusses Peacocks because in the course of searching for interesting Xinghai productions, the Peacock comes up often.  Well, while looking at interesting pictures I clicked upon a site heretofore unknown to me that serves up a bevy of interesting articles.  One of them read An Explanation of the Banzhang Ecological Big Cabbage, and Peacock Series; Banzhang Old Tea Big and Small Cabbage (班章生态茶之大白菜·孔雀系列详解!班章老茶之大小白菜!).

In it, the role of the founder of Jindafu, He Baoqiang, is discussed in light of the emergence of the “organic” and “green” certifications.  These certifications were marked by a cabbage seal.  Long story short, the Banzhang shengtai materials that Mr He produced in cooperation first with Menghai TF and subsequently Xinghai became known as Big Cabbage and Peacock, the former because of the certification insignia and the latter the wrapper.

Big Cabbage Insignia

Now it may be just a coincidence but if it is, that sir name He seems to be extremely common among the well-regarded puerh.  Curiously, the pricey Fujin also has a similar Dayi and Xinghai history and their founder also bears the sir name He.  There is also a Mr He Shihua who is recognized as a tea meistro who is commissioned in the making of a few productions, has productions listed in the Puerh Yearbook, and has even ascended to the level of having some of those productions faked.

Here, copycatting must be distinguished from fake.  One of He Shihua’s production line is unmistakable, featuring red traditional Dai tribal script along a white backdrop.  I acquired one such production, not because of any He Shihua awareness at the time, but because it was from Gupuer, a factory I follow.

Here, we have a copycat because Mr He’s name doesn’t appear on the wrapper and the GPE logo is emblazoned within the ring of bazhong.  Fakes, also known as tiepai, don’t have their own logo.  Years later when I stumbled upon Mr He through searches on Fujin, I ran into this wrapper without any logo but essentially similar enough to create confusion were one haphazardly scouting for He’s productions.  This doesn’t entirely resolve the matter.

From its early days, GPE commissioned some heavy hitters in the production of offerings, sold during the early naughts under the bazhong wrapper.  It is quite plausible that the wrapper above from ’13 is actually a reflection upon both their Zhongcha and He Shihua history.  The jury is still out.  This is a huge but worthwhile digression as wrappers are often telling a story that eludes those of us with only a scad of knowledge about the history.  Here we’ll depart from the He part of the discussion to address a couple peacocks in the Puerh Junky Collection: the BZ Peacock and the Peacock Brick.

BZ Peacock and Peacock Brick

The BZ Peacock’s real name is BZ Old Tree.  If you recall the opening paragraph about the title referenced, the name BZ Old Tree should ring a bell.  The name BZ Peacock was only given to reference the wrapper, but clearly Xinghai was varying a theme in which it played no small role in developing.  Xinghai has quite a few of these peacocks from this era. Here’s a pic of the one most highly prized, the Banzhang King:

The presentation here is iconic Xinghai.  The peacock is an image that is used by several other factories, Xiangming and Du Qiongzhi’s Pengcheng to name just two.  The center varies from one factory to the next and you can see Xinghai’s logo in this one.  Usually, the images will read Peacock Country at the bottom.  It’s the Puerh Junky’s guess that this Peacock Country logo references the Dai hill tribe/nationality, but this is only a guess.

Here’s the same icon but at the bottom reads Silver Peacock, the name of the production. It doesn’t appear that in terms of the vaunted peacocks that ripes factor at all.  That makes sense, as ripes by and large are not taken very seriously no matter how good or expensive they become.

’06 BZ Peacock

At least some of the vaunted peacocks are noted for possessing a smoky character.  In fact, it appears that these were the productions that put smoke on the map, something that seems strange since Xiaguan is known for their smoky offerings.  Perhaps it has something to do with smoky productions from Banzhang and the Bulang region more broadly.

Factoring greatly into the fame of the peacocks has to be qi, though I’ve not read anything about this.  When the name Banzhang comes up instantly there are expectations, positively none which interest the Puerh Junky.  Once queried about whether I thought the BZ Peacock had real BZ, I replied that I didn’t care because I only got it for the wrapper from a factory I follow.  It should be noted, however, that among those who have tasted it and are not inclined to comment upon the qi, remarks were volunteered about how “warming” it was.  Onto the brick.

Recent discoveries on the vaunted peacocks has afforded the Puerh Junky even greater appreciation for Liming’s Peacock Brick, which bears neither the shengtai nor gushu additions.  There’s no reference to BZ either.  It does have the smoke, however.  It also possesses great sweetness, texture, and durability that distinguishes it from most ripe bricks.  The smoke is not heavy and there’s no char effect.

Here’s a write up on my qi experience with the Peacock brick.  I originally picked it up in ’15 and after the few I had for offer were snatched up by one buyer, more was purchased in ’19 at more than twice the ’15 price.  Perhaps the peacock craze started to sift down into other factories beyond Dayi and Xinghai.  After my readings, I decided to check the box for any telltale signs tying it to “the peacocks.”

Little Cabbage Insignia

There it is.  The haloed cabbage insignia, the independent verification of being a “green product,” which certifies legit production and environmental standards but not the soil, a step down from but often a stage toward organic.  In short, this little Peacock Brick checks all the boxes for being a legit peacock.

Wrap up

Aside from tasting for yourself, this post should go quite a distance in shedding light upon the subject of famous peacocks from the naughts.  A nice tidbit on the origins of the Jindafu and Mr He Baoqiang tied in Xinghai’s role in the formation of a now legendary series copied far and wide.  Finally, Liming got its two-cents worth in as to why it at least deserves a seat at the table among its more celebrated relatives.

Liming Puerh Lamentations

Liming Puerh Lamentations is an intentional biblical reference.  There’s a book in the Bible called Lamentations and the Puerh Junky’s lament is nothing short of biblical.

“How now, Horatio?” sayest thou if you’re of the king James, Shakespearean bent.  I’m quick to note that my name is not Horatio, but that I get what you mean.  The problem is that you don’t get the Puerh Junky’s meaning.

Repent!  Liming is here now.  There is no need to await the second coming.  The Puerh Junky is the true messenger.  Seek ye now no longer.  Those with tongues to taste, taste ye now.

Yeah verily, this is a jeremiad.  Behold the 2017 musings of the Wisconsonian Cwyn.   It’s a solid appraisal.  It’s actually glowing from one who is most begrudging and her assessments.  She’s a solid source with a demanding standard.  I sent her something that she tried to source on her own, but I had already told her that I couldn’t get more and that I bought when in KM in ’13.  She certainly has head strength.  Anyway, that was years ago.

That said, she likes the ’07 Golden Peacock, LM.  I purchased that production in ’16, about a year before she posted.  That’s because I’m a peacock kinda Puerh Junky.  As early as ’15, I had come into contact with the Peacock Brick.  Aye, I lament, because those with the slightest clue would instantly beat their breast for neglecting this treasure.

’06 Peacock Brick, LM

I recently read where the Hobbes character had commented upon a Liming brick of unbelievable pleasure.   I cannot speak to this, but this Peacock brick is unbelievable.  It defeats any other brick of the Tobacco Class, but to speak of it in the light of a brick is to do it no justice.  It is a positively sick production.  Sick, I say.

This week I drank the ’07 OG Square.  The production is flawless.  It actually tastes aged, but not in the sense of being rushed and lifeless.  In fact, this production is full of life.  It gets overlooked because it’s so cheap and doesn’t have a fancy peacock with it.  However, it’s fantastic.  The material and age make it a stellar price performer.  The deathly compression does require some practice but with 100g one should be able to get up to speed in terms of how it responds to varying approaches.

Liming Square: Power compression!

Even the Liming productions I hate, at least at this point, I can recognize as being real quality.  I just visited the ’07 Golden Peacock and it was seriously flawed by storage.  I’ve had it since ’16, so I consider it all my fault.  It tastes of cardboard even though it’s never been in it.  Ayei-fie! I’ve entered into yet another zone of uncertainty.  Tinning seems in order, we could also say bagging.  The Water Blue Mark, KMTF from the same year comes to mind. (Note: the next the the experience was more up to standard.)

Water Blue Mark

The Water Blue Mark is an imposing KMTF production that was too smoky for drinking when first received it in ’19, but as it emerged from its slowly aged coma, remarkable colours emerged.  I served it to a pair of gypsies en route to Las Vegas in the summer of ’21.  Both positively adored the bagged version I served up.

Recently, I reached for the ’05 Peacock Country

Not all peacocks bear a peacock

Acquired in ’15, its taste was nothing short of sonorous until Jan ’22.  Here “sonorous” refers to a caustic floral racket, bitterness, and general bad manners.  No amount of fiddling in terms of brewing parameters could tame it.  It’s the type of expression that those who like Earl Grey go for, I suppose.  In any event the most surprising thing about the most recent tasting was the absence of any brashness.  It also lasted for four days, never bottoming out.

I recently ran across a Liming lament of another sort, where the drinker complained of how horrible it was.  However, it was a ’18 production and as the case of the ’05 somewhat illustrates, Liming isn’t cutting corners that would make young productions instantly appealing.

 

 

Floral Class Puerh II

Puerh Picking Season

We left off talking about age and terroir as indications for floral class puerhs.  Season also factors greatly.  The earlier the picking, the more likely it expresses high-pitched florality.  “Early spring” is the puerh term most usually used to describe “first flush” selections.  Pickings are differentiated in spring by those picked before or after Qingming Festival in early April.

Many puerh offerings are sold by designation of season picked.  “Spring tea” implicitly means Floral Class.  Some recipes may have a preponderance of spring tea to be in the Floral Class.  Maybe many versions from the late 90s to early aughts of 7542 fall into this category.

Puerh Leaf Picking

A significant factor in floral expression is the actual leaves picked.  The closer to the bud/tip, the more floral the expression.  There’s some famous British brand of black tea sporting the name “Tips.”  Ostensibly, this is a very floral and energizing beverage.  Similarly, small grade puerh leaves size 1-3 (from 1-9) are bright and bracing.  Conversely, small leaves are usually flashes in the proverbial pan, being less durable than larger leaf sizes.

Conclusions on Floral Class Puerhs

Really the only true grip one can gain on the subject of Floral Class Puerhs is to drink and and lots of them.  The quality of flowers is going to vary upon age of production, terroir, season, and leaf picking.  Some Chinese factories have floral notes serve as signature of their house taste; Liming, MKRS, and Tulin are factories to look out for in this regard.  Of course, there’s always 6FTM.

The Bad Crowd Raw Puerh

The other day I mentioned something about “the bad crowd” in the context of the Water Blue Mark.  You know, those husky raw puerhs that have a big bite, with an equally big taste, astringency, and that something that lingers in the mouth that is decidedly of the tobacco class.  I’ve written on the Liming Square in the past, but the climactic conditions of cold and rain convinced me to revisit it.

Liming OG Square: A Bit Bigger and Warmer Raw Puerh

The Puerh Junky seems to recall having ranted on the merits of Liming TF in the past.  They’re clearly one of the most underrated of old-school factories and by old school, we’re talking  about before the 60s.  They generally have two types of productions: cakes and bricks, with the former far out numbering the latter.  There is a difference between the two that goes beyond shape.

Liming cakes express varying ranges of floral.  They go from a very strong, high-pitched floral that could be likened to Meng-ku rong Shi productions to a slightly lower level of florality with an overlay of azz-whoopin’.  These are extremely popular expressions among many puerh drinkers, and will largely judge quality and qi by level of brashness.  One of the interesting features of Liming’s floral expression is that it doesn’t fade or transform but seems to just get more sonorous, like a scene outta Hitchcock.  It bears mentioning that many of their mid-aged cakes are extremely reasonably priced, presenting a superb value given the base material.

Sonorous Liming

Bricks on the other hand are not nearly what the Puerh Junky would class as floral but more as tobacco, not that any of the bricks tasted could be in any way smoky.  Here, tobacco refers to a darker cured Similar to the cakes bricks are quite durable, releasing many infusions.  The ’07 Organic Square still appears green around the gills but the taste is not green in the least, with very obvious root beer notes.

The sweet, grounding, and medium tone sound of the OG Square is very pleasing in the cold of winter.  The bad crowd is real good at times like these.

Ripe Puerh: Going Steady

I started Going Steady with ripe puerh rather by accident.  I prepare a pot of ripe for my wife in the morning, repeating the process daily till the leaves are cashed.  I started doing this in earnest about six weeks ago, testing each day’s pot for the differences.

Without exception, by Going Steady the experience was better in terms of richness, sweetness, and camphor expression.

King of Camphor and Clarity.

It’s an intensified form of transformation, the pot roasting of puerh, the slow-cooking of shou, the way to get that humid feeling, yeah that humid feeling.

Did I tell you that in Malaysia the only tea they drink is puerh? Well. . . and black tea made by Indians at stalls, but if you’re served tea, it’s puerh.  The best puerh I had in Malaysia was served to me in a glass tumbler, filled about half way with no leaves.  It was light, sweet, and camphory.  The other places all served the same tasteless ink.

It was a Muslim restaurant.  All kinds of other sugary drinks to order.   No doubt that puerh had been getting TTP in the Malaysian heat– and humidity– for years.  A tumbler no less.

Here’s the deal.  I’m at the place where if a ripe does not exhibit camphor notes then I consider it substandard.  The main reason that ripes do not exhibit the camphor they should is because they have been poorly stored. . . by not living in Malaysia and by not being neglected by Muslims.  Oh, I can assure you that the Chinese have plenty of puerh safely tucked away in climate-controlled coveys and warehouses, but the neglect is what creates the stress to cultivate the qi.

The only way to solve the Malaysia Problem?  GSM: Going Steady Method.

Tread lightly into GSM by opening the leaves the evening before your morning session.  If you like the results, stop half way and start up again the following day with the same pot.  Since everyday you’re infusing the tea, you’re keeping the right microbial balance.  At the same time, all the sugars and dynamic processes hidden away by dryness get a chance to develop through a nice slow cook.

Ripe puerh? Go Steady my friends.

 

Peacock Puerh Brick Tasting

In my previous missive reference was made to the Liming TF, which prompted my tasting of their ’06 Peacock Puerh Brick.  It has a classic lemon, smoke, and petrol aroma. . . not necessarily in that order.  Whereas many tuo and brick require bionic strength to extract the right amount, the Peacock Brick is pressed in a manner that would please even Goldilocks.

What I had mentioned was that Liming bricks contrast greatly from the general personae of their cakes.  The latter is aggressively floral, and even as they age the flowers still punch you in the face.  The bricks, on the other hand, possess a deep tonality that is of a wider in range: vanilla, citrus, petrol, tobacco.

The Peacock Puerh Brick is a tobacco class production, I suppose, but compares more favourably to dark spirits like spiced rum or brandy.  It’s too sweet for whiskey but has that smoky quality.  The petrol taste here is more interesting than in other puerhs I’ve tasted, in part due to the sweetness of the material.  Also, the absence of any bitterness with an assuring measure of astringency makes for a rounded drinking experience.

Infusion Three 20s

The quality of Liming puerh material tends to be very good and this brick is no exception.  This is evident in the richness of taste, without any jaggedness that requires future storage.  At the same time, as it stores its shining attributes continue to develop.  One of these is its qi.

The qi of the Peacock comes on in the mouth with smooth roundness before a rush enters the chest.  Then an overall calming extends from the chest out to the limbs.  Without the ensuing calming, this production would be too abrasive, not in terms of taste, which is perfect, but in terms of excessive excitement of the nervous system.  Still, I wouldn’t have this after 3 pm.

Just a final comment about bricks. . . They’re kinda neglected.  Recent trend has been to produce smaller cakes than to offer bricks.  Maybe this is aesthetics.  The smaller-sided productions naturally age at a faster rate than larger cakes– all things being equal.  A 250g brick from ’07 for example, is older than a 357g cake from ’05– all things being equal.  This often means that bricks offer a unique aged-puerh experience without much of the fanfare directed to cakes.  The Peacock presents well beyond a standard usually confined to bricks.

House Mark Puerhs

Today I drank the ’07 HK Returns 100g tuo and got to thinking about House Mark Puerhs.  It’s a hard thing to get one’s finger on it, but it exists, so why don’t I explain through the HK tuo.

The year 2007 marked the production of many Zhongcha series.  I just recently learned the English is simply “China Tea,” as so clearly present on many wrappers, I suppose.  I’ve not noticed to be honest, though maybe so on products from the past year or two.

Many of the ’07s I’ve tasted are offered.  I continue to gather them.  Some of them are exceptional, but over all what stands out is the consistency from one production to the next.  The HK Returns tuo embodies the Zhong Cha raw taste, which surprisingly enough is soft and fuzzy.  Presumably that taste is the presence of Lincang material.

This taste can range from pencil shavings and wax to peach fuzz.  It is not harsh or abrasive.  There’s fruitiness.  They can be drunk young but by all accounts even at 13 years, most of them still strike me as being quite young.  I’ve personally been storing this tuo since ’16 and were it served to me blind I’d guess this production in the ’12-14 range.

2018 Shot

7th Infusion May 2020

I felt by the seventh infusion that the production was starting to bottom out, flatness astringency.  The two prior were sweet and playful, more so than is typical of the Kunming Tea Factory (aka KMTF, zhongcha).  At the same time there is some citrus reminiscent of the ’14 Jade Mark.  There’s no tobacco, fire, roast, smoke, leather, chicken as with Xiaguan.

Overall, the Zhongcha profile is quite Zen, raw or ripe.  There’s wood vanilla Zen, wax Zen, playful Zen, like the HK Returns tuo, or the why-the-fk-you-serve-me-water Zen.  There’s an ’07 HK Returns iron cake that is bursting with the taste and aroma of black grapes, very much an outlier even within a series comprised of a tuo, 100g square, 250g brick, a raw and ripe 357g cake.  I’ve sampled a few and it’s hard to believe that each shape consists of the same material and the factory and those who know aren’t saying or don’t think it bears mentioning.

It makes sense that some houses would vary style based on production shape.  I’ve seen this to be a clearer objective with Liming than any other factory.

Puerh Tea Report 2020

As the new puerh tea begins to hit the market, it might be interesting to reflect upon recent developments, so here it is your Puerh Tea Report 2020.  Naturally, items and factories in the Puerh Junky’s stash will be the focus.  Ripe puerh will be given a bit of attention, with the bulk on raws.

Ripe Puers

The year 2019 had the Puerh Junky bidding a fond farewell to the ’06 Boss Tuo, an item that scored highly on every count.  I’m furiously searching for its replacement, something with the same explosive camphor notes and sweetness, along with a the deep tones of humid storage.  It’s larger brother with the same name doesn’t hold a candle to it; storage plays such a critical role in the expression of a production that it is usually impossible to tell that the same material under different conditions are actually the same.

Anyway, Xinghai (XH) and Zhongcha (ZC) have formed the backbone of the ripe stash.  Surprisingly, the Silver Peacock, XH has held relatively stable, with older productions, say before ’14, rising in price rather incrementally compared to ZC’s 7581 brick, which is now about three times the ’16 price.  Interestingly, the Lunar series has averted the frenzy, so constitute a relatively good value.  After years of being virtually overlooked, the ’06 “55” has started an advance.  This is ZC’s (aka CNNP/KMTF’s) best ripe production.  I expect that this will be the last year that it will be available from any vendors on the Chinese side.

Aside from these two factories, another general observation concerns ripe bamboo productions.  To wit: bamboo ripe productions have appreciated considerably more than ripes as a whole.  Puerh Junky has one ripe bamboo offering that is exceptionally clean and bright, with hints of humidity and cinnamon.

Raw Puerhs

The world of raw puerhs has been more dynamic.  Generally, it seems the smaller productions like tuo, bricks, and small cakes have averted the frenzy of cakes.  Since ’16 ZC’s new offerings have been handsomely priced.  One exception has been the Lunar Series but that looks to have come to an end this year, with about an 70% increase in price over last year.  The weird thing is that the older productions, those that can be found, are still priced along earlier lines.

Factories like LME (Lao Man E) and GPE (Gu Puerh) have held steady, so they constitute relative steals.  The only exception is ’07 Hideout, which in just one year appreciated more than 200%.  A more than reasonable alternative to it is the 2008 Gift Puerh, which has the same sweetness and camphory goodness.  Up until this year, there were still quite a number of very good Tulin productions that were plain ole cheap, but not so much anymore.  Oh well.

Though there may be exceptions, the scene with LM (Liming), YPH (Yangpin Hao), and 6FTM (Six Famous Tea Mountains) has been hawt to say the least.  YPH prides itself as a top-tier purveyor of Yiwu productions.  Prices for their older  productions (before ’12) have essentially trebled in the past year and a half.  For those keen on the Yiwu Zen vibe do not seem to have been deterred.  I must confess that much about brand is going into the pricing, as I find productions like the ’07 LME Spring Puerh every bit as tasty if not more so.   Some LM productions have consistently been favoured by collectors, but there are still plenty that are quite tasty priced quite reasonably, in the $55-$75 range.  Newer productions, however, are now in the ZC range.

As for 6FTM, well it isn’t a factory that I pay much heed to, with the exception of their Lunar Series.  This is because I’m not the craziest about Fengqing puerhs.  That said, I did take a liking to the their Lunar Series for their v. fancy wrappers.  Others have been very keen on the big taste and a big qi that’s made believers of even the greatest of qi skeptics.  Anyway, this series has turned out to be of great interest to collectors and as a result even the late productions like the Ram and Snake are now sold at near 10 times their original sale price– if you can find them.  The ‘05 Jingmai “003” is actually on par in terms of ferocity and qi at a fraction of the 6FTM Lunar Series prices.  The factory that makes the “003” specializes in very aggressive productions not altogether dissimilar from LM’s cakes.  However, the raw material seems even better.  The ’10 Tiger, for example, which sold out this year showed remarkable transformation from when it was first acquired.  It ripened from a bright pineapple-like monster into a husky root beer in the first two infusions before gradually fading into its original greenness.

Enough with the nostalgia for now.   Hope you find this missive somewhat helpful as you continue your own puerh tea pursuits.

Cheers,

PJ.