Tag Archives: Pu erh Junky

Spring Ripe Puerh Taste Off IV

Posted on by Yang-chu
23 May

Spring Ripe Puerh Taste Off Day IV has contests in no mood to chat with the media before the event.  Late entries have extended the competition to a fifth day.  The late change has put them in a bit of a mood.  As a reminder, each contestant weighs in at 10.5g, receiving arbitrary infusion times in a 150ml clay pot.  The same pot.  Let’s begin. . .

Ripe Puerh Taste Off Day IV

Day III of the Ripe Puerh Taste Off occasioned mention of airing out productions for a few days for maximum performance.  This is relevant to the performances of both Dury Lane and the Langhe Brick.  Experience has demonstrated that DL benefits from a good 10 days of airing.  In the Taste Off there was a noticeable lack of zing that resulted in the descriptor “dense.”  The same likely applies to the presence of “cardboard,” since it hasn’t been subjected to dry conditions.  It is conceivable that this sample’s location in storage might somewhat factor, though cardboard and “old taste” could be construed as being the same and at 22 yrs of age might be expected.

The prevailing taste of the Langhe Ripe Tuo is highly evocative Sweet Richness, an earlier contestant, though not as intense.  Interestingly, as it sat throughout the day, it performed more competitively among the contenders.  This raises questions about prospects for future interestingness, though the maximo light-fermented production of considerably higher quality like the ’06 East is Red and ’05 Peacock Tribute have already hit their stride in the past 2-3yrs, without storage pushing.  Still, the GD stored version of the Langhe Ripe Tuo that did receive a great deal of humidity is actually quite remarkable so the jury remains out.

This only leaves Operation Macau as the obvious winner.  The Langhe Brick, which won the big Guangdong International Tea Expo in ’06, is less intense.  Again, this might be adjusted through airing.  Also, however, the OM is obscenely sweet.  Though it certainly didn’t have the stamina of Drury Lane or Langhe Brick, through the course of the day it was able to maintain its presence relative the others, with the Langhe Tuo rapidly approaching.

Spring Ripe Puerh Taste Off

Posted on by Yang-chu
19 May

In a fictitious land far away, Spring Ripe Taste Off takes place yearly at the time of the May sumo tournament.  This year the taste-off has been configured such that for four consecutive days four different ripe puerhs will be sampled side-by-side.  The winners from each of the four days will advance to the championship round.

Ripe Taste-Off Day 1

  • ’11 Peacock Gold, Fuhai
    Roasty.  Lustrous.  Minerally.  Cacao.  Solid intro to ripe puerh: not funky, not fruity, not requiring thought or effort.  Medium density.
  •  ’06 “55,” Zhongcha
    Camphor ( aka “minty”), petrichor, red-hots, incense, strong qi. Sweet.  Complex.
  • ’05 Haiwan Wild Mt, Haiwan
    Strawberries-n-cream, light body, moderate sweetness, no bitter, splendid clarity.  Nice qi. Neifei coolness.
  • ’14 Puerh Espresso
    Rich, chocolately, dense, heady.

Each pot contained 10.5g tea, but brew times were as seen fit.  No point system or anything, just drinking experience.  The 55 come out on top with two drinkers agreeing that it was best.  We were divided on all the rest.  The density of the Puer Espresso unquestionably was strongest and its qi frankly too extreme.  Haiwan was softest and of lightest body, while the Peacock Gold being most middle of the road.

It worth noting that 55 is a light-ferment production, most evidenced by its slow transformation, lack of sweetness, and wicked astringency, making it more like a black tea.  In many regards, it could be evaluated by the same standards of a raw puerh.  However, after turning 15 it started to show its promise.  The second buying of this production came from a Henan seller who had it stored under rather desiccated conditions.  After some LA lovin’ imparting petrichor depth, this dry layer has transformed to incense, also no doubt aided by the wealth of gold buds.

Puerh: Winter Effects Natural Storage

Posted on by Yang-chu
25 Jan

Winter Effects Natural Storage finds Puerh Junky in a meditative mood.  Here we see him discussing the oft-raised issue of puerh storage.  Specifically, he wants to approach the issue of climate control based upon his findings using primarily natural storage in Los Angeles.  Puerh Junky is agnostic regarding the matter of climate control.  Individuals are welcome to like whatever.  Hard conclusions about the best storage are dicey, for reasons not the least being storage climate and the contingencies of each production.  Here PJ wants to share his own findings at the height of the winter months ’24.  We find him in his silk and velvet smoking robe, resplendent colours of gold, black, and green. . .

Puerh Storage Direction:

When we come to the topic of puerh storage we must consider directionality.  Puerh is dynamic, undergoing a constant state of either expansion (outward) or contraction (inward).  Outward movement means that it is taking in more moisture.  Warmer seasons are the time of expansion.  Conversely, inward movement is when material contracts and thus releasing moisture.  Obviously, the picture is more complicated if one lives in the desert, where summer temperatures may give rise to a measure of expansion but not so much or even contraction if there is little humidity to move in.  Similarly, if winter spells a rainy season then contraction may be greatly tempered despite lower temperatures.

The relative state of each production determines whether it needs to expand or contract.  Dealing with dry-stored productions, it’s fair to conclude that expansion is preferable, but there will come a time when the latter is true.  In a recent conversation with a fellow enthusiastista, we were both rather dreading the customary hibernation that accompanies the cooler temperatures.  However, in the case of some productions, such trepidations proved unwarranted. Let’s take a closer look by examining two LME productions.

Puerh Winter Awakening

For a puerh production to undergo winter awakening, the production must exhibit flat attributes in the warmer months.  Assuming that we’re not talking about dry flatness, then the only other possibility is wet flatness.  Either dryness or wetness can give rise to flatness.  Many GD, HK, and wetter stored productions can exhibit flatness.  It can also be the result of insufficient air exposure or all the above.

Such has been the case of a certain LME production that I’ve had on hand for around three winters now and which I first introduced on Discord of Nov ’23.  Its leaves are uncharacteristically black, suggesting that it underwent a period of considerably heavy storage, though no humidity can be detected.  This heavy storage seems to have been followed up by storage where very little air got to it.  These are conjectures.  At the right spot, it exhibits a bright, high-note and refreshing nature.  By April ’23, storage strategy went whole hog humid with most unsatisfactory results, buy by the uncharacteristically early fall and fall-type weather of climes points east, the cake started to blossom with less fussing on this end.  Presumably this case has benefitted from both expansion and contraction, though it is decidedly performing best in its contraction phase presently.

Hideout, on the other hand, has been written about on the Junky’s Log a few times.  By summer ’23 it had flattened, and it seemed much, to this Junky’s horror, that it had piqued and died.  Subsequently, this wasn’t the case and might be attributable to two factors: one being in a transition phase and the other to requiring the contraction of winter.  Hideout presently doesn’t have the spicy traits as before, having now evolved into a grapefruit stage.  Most distinguishable from summer horrors is that the astringency is back.

Wrap Up

A recurrent theme of discussions on storage in the Puerh Junky Logs (PJL) has been that we’re dealing with a moving target.  There are numerous reports that essentially endeavor to time freeze the natural process of aging.  Perhaps this is possible under certain conditions, not the least being time in which a production is consumed.  Most all Puerh Junky comments regard older productions, i.e., ’14 and prior.

Key to assessing the performance of a production is its specifics relative direction, i.e., expansion and contraction.  Here two LME productions were placed under the spotlight to illustrate storage complexities for which winter conditions served as the elixir to remedy flatness.  Warmer seasons are the time of expansion and cooler contraction.  How a production performs depends upon its particular contingencies, which is why it is rash to make make any dogmatic presumptions about storage in general and even season specifically.

Many puerh enthusiasts are careful to control conditions of storage.  The Puerh Junky cannot speak to such methods, though there’s possible cause for philosophical musings based on his environmental specifics where temps range from the 40s-90s.  It is presumed that puerh is a live product given its production methods and transforming nature.  Within the ambit of puerh, shengtai is considered superior to plantation, and wild superior to shengtai.  This is because the wild plant gets exposed to stressors that make the plant work harder to compete within its environment.  With competition chemical responses occur to boost survivability.  It’s hard to imagine that such a phenomenon could be occurring with an entity that is already picked, but it seems possible that a puerh production constitutes its own micro-environment where an analogous process unfolds.  Subjecting one’s treasures to the same old conditions could end up boring the the micro-climate, whereas the stressors of seasonal variability (under LA condition mind you) could vitalize the micro-climate.  Though this is conjecture, it is not without empirical basis.

 

 

There Must Be a Bada Way 2023

Posted on by Yang-chu
28 Jun

There Must Be a Bada Way 2023 finds the Puerh Junky in unusually high spirits, as Los Angeles has been sunny and blue.  Soft trade winds blow in from the Pacific and the stash is blossoming.  It’s been a long cold spell and most of the Collection decided to hibernate through it.

One orphan that took advantage of the cold was the ’08 Orange Mark by Everlasting TF, based in Shenzhen.  They do an oft-mentioned production offered through an English-language vendor based in HK.  The storage so overwhelmed me, I thought to try one of Everlasting’s under their own label from a vendor I’d already gotten some very solid Xinghai ripes.  In Feb 23 the production was very, very humid but the taste was not rotten or green.  After three months it was spectacular: sweet and camphory with the storage not being flawlessly executed.

The ’05 Bulang Wild Big Tree seems virtually impervious to huge changes.  Another treasure with marvelous storage to go along with a smoky-mouthwash-y taste and nose.  This Fuhai production could possibly be crowned champion of Gloom ’23.

So much for the past when the present is much Bada?  Well, not so much, only two cakes left forever.  A different hydration scheme has been affect, which itself is affected by the weather.  The change is toward more hydration of the Zhongcha box.  It’s hard to say but the ’04 Orange Mark was much more aromatic and expressive of the “Circus Peanut” orange that had drawn me.

Today was Bada Peacock‘s turn.  I ended up a 12.5g chunk from the center of the cake which couldn’t be broken or needled any smaller without risking personal injury.  I threw it in my largest gaiwan, maybe 175ml.  The first infusion was about five minutes and the second about three 15m later.  A seriously compressed cake.  These first two had a muffled quality.  It’s stored in plastic.  By the third another 15m I could work it open into three slightly separated parts.

Of course, these specs are based purely upon density.  It would be insane to brew 12 plus grams under normal circumstances and brewing it for so long would require a great deal of diluting to salvage.  Not opening virtually guarantees that the full character will not come through.  At the same time, crumbling chunks apart goes overboard, especially with tuo which are meant to diffuse more slowly.

The full character comes through with the Bada.  The nose on the is vanilla and brown sugar and the texture velvet smooth with a layer of subtle yet extremely complex broth that coats the mouth in light-brown sugar and a subtle accent of wintergreen.

Earlier in the year Bada Peacock certainly didn’t have the dynamism it has now.  Now it’s the best it’s ever been.  There’s a puzzling metallic note that has never left but now it’s only in the huigan and several minutes later, but it lingers, making you think of what you just drank, adjusting your tongue in your mouth and detecting afternotes on the exhale.  The qi was noticeable in the first two infusions.  Stopped after 3 rounds in order to share, but the thought did cross my mind to tap out.

 

Turning Up Heicha

Posted on by Yang-chu
26 Apr

Turning Up Heicha came about from a reflection upon a number of dry-stored productions from about ’98-’07 that possess a quintessentially heicha character.  “Heicha” is a class of tea to which puerh belongs but is processed in different provinces.  “Puerh” is a trademarked name similar to champange, so technically other places technically cannot use the term.  Other types of heicha are fucha and liubao.  Typically, heicha’s association with puerh is with ripes given the processing technique, but older raws venture into the heicha category as well.  Puerh Junky will be visiting raw with heicha expression in this post.

HK Returns Cake, Zhongcha

Among the varying HK Returns offerings from ’07, the HK Returns Cake proved the burliest.  The lack of sweetness acquired in ’16 constituted a continuing conundrum.  I porcelained a portion about two years ago in ’21 Spring.  The porcelained version is not recognizable from previously associations, though the listing blurb duly notes that it strode a road toward berry fruit-osity.  Another portion of the same cake, stored differently, still possesses the tobacco tinge.

Only one tasting of the ’21 acquisitions (about three) transpired, and it expressed camphor sweetness indicative of greater humidity.  Overall, the HKR Cake has great durability and depth, with some of the stronger character from its youth coming though.

HK Returns Iron Cake, Zhongcha

Since we’re talking about heicha and Zhongcha and HK Returns, there’s the Iron Cake.  The pauperly Puerh Junky only has one of these for sale.  It’s absolute magic.  To be perfectly honest, were I looking for this taste, I’d probably venture into Dancong’s.  It’s extremely well constituted: sweet, thick, and with lemony notes on the top.  Lemonene expresses in Hideout, LME, but Hideout has an identifiably puerh character and complexity.  The HK Iron could be easily classified as a well preserved dancong or better yet, a well-stored fucha of about 8  yrs old.

Macau Raw Brick

The 2000 Macau Raw Brick isn’t for sale, but it serves as a solid touchstone for appreciating the transformation of raw puerh.  It has a depth that perhaps surpases heicha at it current stage.  Mind you, Puerh Junky doesn’t do much heicha drinking.  The variables of Mainland storage, travel, and storage on the LA side albeit separate intersect.  By the time the MRB reached performance level, it was difficult to determine which variable factored most.  This brick happens to be referenced in the Puerh Yearbook. It’s devoid of any humidity, so there’s no “old taste” per se, but it’s aged fully.

Du Qiongzhi 7532

The ’03 Du Qiongzhi 7532 comes in a bold Red Mark wrapper and progressed beyond the initial tobacco stage.  This particular cake, acquired in ’15, has never received full treatment. . . or maybe it has to its detriment.  It received the “top-shelf tx,” productions that were more enclosed and even placed in the sexy cardboard boxes aptly fitting single cakes.  The thing is that the cardboard aroma bleeds into the cake while zapping it of certain essential esscenses.  It’s been much work trying to bring this cake around.  It’s going on two years now, and if it’s been tinned, I don’t know where such tin is stashed.  In any event, it seems it wants to emerge as the porcelained version of the HK Returns Cake does but just hasn’t juiced up enough given the top-shelf tx.  It’s from Meitra Du’s own collection, so the junky side of me thought to be extra careful with little basis for knowing what extra care meant given my conditions and the conditions of the cake.  An Aug ’22 session produced by far the most enjoyable session and this summer seems to be a good time to really give it a push.  I do have two non-cardboard affected cakes.  The wrapper is thin cotton paper of distinctive quality.  Though horribly tattered at the edges, I don’t recall any staining.

’03 Du 7532

Thick Zen, Zhongcha

Thick Zen epitomizes the enigma of puerh.  My first encounter with it was around ’17.  It looked horrible and tasted of absolutely nothing.  I knew it must be good, but I didn’t know how long it would take.  Its viscosity clung to me and anticipation of it morphing into root beer oozed from my being.  I drank and sampled much from the first two cakes, convinced it was Yiwu.

The second batch of TZ has the same thickness, but the storage was dry, it appears, beyond the stage of turning camphor, wood, or rooty.  Could be the material as well.  Batch two is far sassier, with the fruit note far more up front, with stone fruit sour, a bit of raisin in the nose.  It’s like a strong boiling of dried cherry and peach without the sugar added.  Picking up some grape nose as it rehydrates.  By June ’23 it should be in good form, it’s already much sweeter than at the beginning of the month and there’s even some vanilla and complexity that garned its praises previously.

What’s not Heicha

Neither Poison nor some Yiwus are coming off as heicha.  I’d say the Yiwu Gratitude is venturing toward heicha, but the Prince is holding true to a darker note.  A number of the 6FTM Yiwu on hand have turned petrol in the same time frame.  All of these hail from backgrounds of decidedly more humid conditions.  When and how much humidity gets applies plays a major role in how the production will manifest.  Raw puerhs possess a degree of dynamism that cannot be found with other heicha, but through prolonged dry storage with heat they manifest as a bona fide heicha character.  Counterintuitively, ripes take considerably longer to have heicha traits to emerge.  The exception to this is the big leaf sancha, which might be processed in a fashion quite similar to liubao.

Wrapping Up

This desultory passage on raws Turning Up Heicha is just one of the ongoing reflections upon storage.  Although ripe puerh technically fits within the category of heicha, it doesn’t possess the fruit character until considerably aged and often never (there are obvious exceptions).  Conversely, raw puerh can turn up heicha quite often given the right measure of heat and dryness.  Raw productions like the HK Returns Cake and the Du 7532 that previously fell under the tobacco class have been marching ever resolutely toward heicha brightness.  Both cases demonstrate how slight variations in storage variables can produce notable differences.  The HK Returns Iron was first sampled last year, ’22.  There was no need to taste before then, because it was clear that offerings of this nature needed a solid 15yrs storage before sampling. It’s certainly the most outstanding among the HK Returns Series.  Age being what it is, there are nevertheless great storage matters requiring tending.  The Thick Zen second batch is every bit as thick, but needs some loving before performing optimally.  Complex notes are starting to form and it’s possible that storage intensity may reawaken its puerh essence, but for now it’s trending decidedly in the direction of heicha.  Finally, some reference points contrasting from heicha provide the reader with the Puerh Junky’s thinking on the matter.

 

 

Puerh Junky on Haixintang

Posted on by Yang-chu
20 Mar

Puerh Junky on Haixintang is a quick note on a factory that releases some very decent productions.  So far, the only treat offered has been Grenouille, an Wuliang offering that has been in the Collection for several years.  Here’s a link to the articles mentioning it.

About every year the Puerh Junky takes up a factory of interest.  Late ’22 began Haixintang’s turn.  All of ’22 was about gathering up a great many Xinghai productions, raw and ripe.  Over the years, Xinghai has been acquired.  You’re welcome to inquire about the younger productions under newer processing and the older.  The focus of this missive is on Haixintang.

Grenouille is on the dry side of dry.  Conditions have been reasonably warm, so it’s not young but the evolution under dry warmth has be of talc and dish washer soap.  There’s some initial layers of incense that are also evident in the ’05 Green Mark, Xinghai.  The difference between the two is that Grenouille is more in the tobacco vein wheras the Xinghai is not tobacco-y and much more bracing, with some apple notes.  Grenouille is far more soothing, whereas the Xinghai continues to feel it needs time for maturation.  The very initial five layers have proper expression but subsequent layers clearly need yet more time.

The New Year Rabbit ’23 late Jan brought some new Haixintang discoveries.  These include a ’18 Yiwu and ’07 Wuliang Longevity and a kilo ’13 Jingmai Old Tree raw.  The ripes are ready absolutely, but the raw needs a few mths.  Contact me if interested in a ripe.  Both are under $90.

Puerh Junky Quelled by Hideout

Posted on by Yang-chu
13 Mar

Puerh Junky Quelled by Hideout poses an interesting tale, whereby a slinger from the American SE sent him some very bad shiiii… Shut cho mouf!  I know that fellow Junky’s be wanting it real, and it is such reality. . . realness, if you’ll indulge me, that brought about the circumstances.

Recently, the Puerh Junky has been inveigled into joining Discourse under no pseudonym.  It is under such conditions that I encountered the aforementioned individual.  It is from said individual that I tasted one of the top five productions ever tasted.  Cherry and leather ’03.  The ’05 Peacock Country Morning Light enters the leather range for those interested in the Liming Sampler.  The more recently sampled ’05 Twin Dragons, Jianmin also lands exceedingly well on the leather front, but lacks any fruit. Enter the Hideout.

This March ’23 makes it close to half a year since Hideout has been visited.  Toward the end of winter: cherry, leather, vanilla, cream, witch hazel, butterscotch.  The cherry is immediately at the front and vanishes in the presence of the other impressions, leather and vanilla being strongest in the aftertaste.

I used 12.5g in the bell pepper pot, which holds about 150ml.  True to ’07 form, Hideout has atomic compression, which lends itself to longer infusions and heavier leafing.

 

Wild Jingmai GPE Returns

Posted on by Yang-chu

Wild Jingmai GPE Returns draws the reader’s attention to the restocking of a very good production.  It was last written about in Oct ’20.  As noted in the product description, WJM more than doubled from the Puerh Junky’s original purchase price.  Whereas it was previously a certifiable steal, the price is still quite fair compared to offerings of similar factory reputation, age, and quality.

Perhaps since the last missive on WJM, it has increased in viscosity and sweetness.  The tight compression might be contributing to its pronounced vivaciousness.  It’s hard to say.  The recent lot hails from the same vendor as before.  He favours very conservative storage.  By contrast, his ’07 Tibetan Script Jingmai, GPE, though considerably more expensive, required two years storage on the Los Angeles side before the offering was in drinking shape. Curiously, the Wild Jingmai has always been highly drinkable.

Despite being eight years old, there are none of the ferment-y notes that can be fairly typical for this age.  The unabashed bitterness in later infusions offers a distinctive contrast to its seductive candy floral aroma.   There was a time when I might bash my head against the wall differentiating between bitterness and astringency, but after reading a post where one confused sour for bitter it’s best to leave well enough alone.  That said, astringency is a texture and bitterness is a flavour.  WJM gets off-the-charts bitter deeper down without tasting as though the bitterness is from being immature; rather, it reflects a very common attribute among Jingmais in general.  No doubt about it, WJM is hegemonic, what the call in Chinese badao, 霸道。

Wild Jingmai joins Jingmai “003” as the only other entire Jingmai in the Collection. The Ox Tuo and the Ox, 6FTM consist of Jingmai blends.

Puerh Rating Creme Florale

Posted on by Yang-chu
26 Aug

Puerh Rating Creme Florale takes us to a 23 Aug ’22  tasting of a Mengku Rongshi production from 2011.  It’s been in the Collection since April of ’21 and has now in effect sojourned two Los Angeles Summers.  Here we subject it to the much ballyhooed PJRS.

Mengku Rongshi is an outfit focusing narrowly on Lincang offerings primarily in and around Daxueshan.  Bingdao offerings essentially round out their pre-’14 selections, though in recent years they’ve offered more village specific selections, e.g. Xiaohuzhai, Mangfei, Xigui etc.

For several years they’ve been producing Lunar New Years cakes.  One series with a yellow wrapper and zodiac animal floated around for several years but disappeared after ’19.  Those cakes were 900g and equally handsome in price.  A few years ago, PJ issued at least one missive on the Tiger (500g) of an altogether different series (perhaps a one off) that was nothing short of perfect, possessing that DXS zest with a splendid aged root beer-y and floral expression.  I recently saw a description that it was Bingdao, but it’s not.  I’ve been trying to source the Tiger ever since and the last time I saw it, its price was more than 3X the ’15 price and the vendor didn’t respond to calls.  Oh well.  Onto the Creme Florale. . .

Rating Creme Florale

Creme Florale presents with standard MKRS features in terms of moderate compression and an aggressive nature.  Unique is the cream expression that comes in up front and through the middle before tailing off into an aggressive back end.  The contrast between the two intrigues.

After three rounds the total was as follows:

  • Aroma          12
  • Clarity            9
  • Sweetness   10.5
  • Viscosity       10.5
  • Astringency    8
  • Huigan          10.5
  • Qi                    9

Reflections

Creme Florale possesses an extremely inviting aroma, something like Cream of Wheat with a hint of citrus.  Cream and a hint of grass characterise the first infusion’s broth taste, with a thickening and sweetening as it cools.  On comes the astringency, sassy, along with citrus and definite mouth watering.

Infusion 1

An extravagant vanilla aroma follows in the next infusion with a matching taste.  Astringency is strong with a lilies and orchid in the huigan.  This effect possibly gets overwhelmed by the astringency.  The rating notes that CF rates lowest in astringency, not for lack of it but because it has too large a presence.

The qi hits in the second infusion, heady with hints of being too aggressive in the chest.  Salivary activity, as an expression of huigan, excels.  Hunger starts to set in.  At cooler temp, bitterness is detectable with the aforementioned citrus note.

Infusion 3

By the third infusion the lily-orchid note is in full effect, accompanied by very noticeable bitterness.  Cooler the broth thickens and sweetens, with the bitterness abating before returning in the huigan.  The cream note comes through at cooler temps as well.  In this infusion, clarity rates 2.5 reflecting the overall youthfulness.

Conclusions

Creme Florale is aptly named and perfectly suitable for those who like their raw puerhs on the younger side, i.e., with lots of astringency.  The aroma and up front tastes are divine.  The expression holds true to the MKRS house style, and as the session progresses their characteristic brightness and force are on full display.  Give or take, CR lasts a good nine rounds.  This session was flash brewed in a gaiwan and time wasn’t added till about the seventh round.

69/105 B-

About the PJRS.

Puerh Junky Visits Twin Dragons

Posted on by Yang-chu
11 Aug

Puerh Junky Visits Twin Dragons offers a quick review of an ’05 production from a factory listed in the Puerh Yearbook, Jianmin.  This is the first of Jianmin’s productions tried and was offered by a seller from whom I’d been buying since about ’18.  Their pickin’s have grown rather slim now and April ’21 was about the tail end of buying from them.  They tend to favour heavier storage but nothing ever requiring tuicang, 退仓.  Overall, Puerh Junky considers their storage consistently excellent, but definitely on the heavier side.

The feature foto was taken in Jun ’21.  Aug ’22 constitutes my second tasting.  Twin Dragons forms part of the cast included in the Menghai Terroir sampler set over at Sampler U.  It is in the dark register, not altogether dissimilar to the BZ Peacock in taste but even more complex.

Infusion 15?

I cannot recall which infusion that was.  Around 5.3g went into my tiny tomato pot, 90ml.  Each round stacked three infusions, all flashed.  Twin Dragon is durable, in other words.  There’s a bit of camphor that sneaks here and there in the mouth.  The overriding taste is wood, with compliments of incense and pencil shavings.  There’s a hint of bitterness but all the notes hit perfectly.

This is the same infusion along a different backdrop with the tiny pot I used.  Yes.  The clarity on this is excellent between 4 and 5 outta five through every infusion.  The texture is rich and coating.  Many people pick up on a mushroom note when drinking puerhs, which I usually don’t notice.  I’m not sure if it’s the humidity, those microbes, that they’re associating with mushrooms or something else.  In any case, the huigan and moments in the broth are extremely mushroomy.  This is definitely the mushroomiest production ever tasted.  It’s not the humidity either or the humidity is hitting perfectly with the wood.  It’s certainly not a dry production but there aren’t humid notes really jumping out either.  Like previously stated, that seller chooses the very best form of storage, also evident in the Yiwu Princess, Marquis du Green Mark, and Drury Lane.

Infusion 11?

One of the things with these woody productions is that they tend to be on the non-sweet side.  Twin Dragon is pleasantly sweet in such a way to balance the heavier notes.  It’s a really nice touch to such a complex offering.

First-rate clarity. Infusion 11?

I didn’t pick up much on the qi tip but while I type this, I’m still tasting the mushroom, oh yeah and there’s a cinnamon note too.  It’s so next-level complex that it’s actually a relief to not have to deal with the additional burden of a buzz.

Cashed leaves

That it for ’05 Twin Dragons and its fabulous turquois wrapper from Jianmin.