Puerh Storage Horrors– Realtime tales from the Puerh Junky Crypt

Last time we left our villain, the Puerh Junky, he was lamenting the performance of his totem-totaling icon ’04 Monkey, 6FTM.  That was in summer of ’20.  At the time it was removed from the box and placed in plastic upon the top-shelf of the somewhat controlled conditions of the unplugged refrigerator.

In the meantime, an entire stack of boxed cakes all ’04 and younger were getting the life sucked from them through those damn boxes.  Maybe if wrapped in plastic then enclosed in the box. . .  but otherwise a big thumbs down on boxing.  Certainly cardboard boxes.  If you had a nice clay box, that would be another story.  Cardboard is a horrible storage vessel.  It sucks moisture from the tea while imparting a deadening taste.

Using the boxes was conceived with keeping the fancier productions all nice and tidy.  You can write the name and year on the box and quickly identify what you want.  But it’s horrible.  It makes the tea horrible and robs it of qi.

Case:  I tasted three of my most powerful productions after finding my ’03 7532, DQZ turned horrible.  I put it in a plastic baggie and it’s now in the TTP.  The three from yesterday were not as wretched but that 7532 has been stored since ’15, where the others from around ’17.  Each of the three showed marked dimunition in expression, while being rather dead.

“8582” Blue Lable Big Qi, Root beer/Zen

One basis of direct comparison was between the ’03 Lily of the Valley,YPH, one stored in container and the other in a box in the fridge.  The former has gotten much more succulent and refined in its floral presentation, where the latter is muted and is flatter than it should be.

The final test was with the ’04 Monkey, which had been destroyed by the box but wrapped in plastic and kept on the top-shelf of fridge in an effort to resuscitate it.  It is now fine but quite different from what I ever remember it being, particularly in the later infusions where there is much more apple and sweetness.  The floral has definitely entered a different stage.  There’s still much bitterness if over brewed and drunk hot, but as it cools the bitterness mellows and the astringency is not worth mentioning.  After six months removed from the box much more life has returned to the cake, though its expression either much different due to age or what was removed by the time in the box.  None of the other lunar productions are expressing fruitiness of this order.

All of the box-abused have been placed in plastic and in a container.  In July I’ll test a few.  Fortunately, only the most unique of the generic label productions were affected.  I used to think plastic was a bad thing.  That’s much less a concern than protection of wrapper, conserving leaves that escape from the bag, and additional transformation capacity.  Some bags are lined in what in a waxier plastic than the plane cellophane but they all work far better than boxes.

Boxes are a horror for storage but it doesn’t spell the bloody end, only a few months in plastic with some likely changes in character.

This Sat afternoon the Puerh Junky sat down with the Patchouli Puerh.  It’s from an order received in Jun or Jul of 2020.  The Patchouli Puerh bears the real name of ’03 Big Tree White Buds and hails from the Xinghai TF.  This is the first real tasting.

Sandalwood commonly characterizes the dry aroma of puerhs entering the next phase of transformation.  The first time the Puerh Junky encountered this was with a young tuo initially possessing green apple notes.   The change was so remarkable, the Puerh Junky spent a good week searching for errant odors that did not exist in storage.  These moments of panic are normal when initially storing puerh.

On rare occasion, the taste of incense can be detected in the tea broth, but usually the incense vibe is noticeable only before the leaves are opened.  Enter, Patchouli Puerh, but before discussing this intensely curious production, something about Xinghai TF that I haven’t already.

Xinghai Tea Factory

Xinghai TF’s huge puerh operation started up in ’02.  According to Baidu they offer over 80 different productions.  Their reputation is as solid for raws as ripes.  To the Puerh Junky’s horror, he learned that Xinghai bears the nickname of Dayi factory #2.  If that is the case, then Dayi is not only fantastic but Xinghai offers the opportunity to taste older Dayis that have either long been snatched up or cost an arm-and-a-leg.  Here’s a good site for further exploration.  Prices are extremely fair.

The Puerh Junky’s encounter with Xinghai arose from the peacock.  Xinghai features a peacock series and peacock brand in addition to individual peacock productions. The varying divisions, series, and grades amidst big factories is befuddling.  The only recourse is to stick to one’s thematic guns, choosing thematically or visually interesting wrapper before wading into deeper, i.e., expensive waters.

Now the Reflections

The Patchouli Puerh is a Kunming-moderate stored production from ’05.  In fact, the conditions were ideal allowing plenty of transformation while not imparting any humid taste.  The first thing you notice is that it doesn’t taste anything as ugly as the broth.  I didn’t want to apply the PJRS, focusing more on the experience.  At the same time, the variables of the PJRS are integral to the experience.  In short, even though I didn’t do any math this is a tremendously ugly tea for the first two infusions.

The contrast between the murky brew and the its taste is disarming.  You’re bracing yourself for something sharp and highly opinionated.  The reality pauses time, so much Zen in the texture and taste.  Underneath the Zen is a maelstrom of tastes, patchouli being prime among them and exceedingly present in the huigan.  Additionally, peat, minerals, and the slightest hint of sour that starts to express on the tongue and saliva action in later infusions.

The sour plum is interesting.  Some could easily conclude its an awkward teen phase, but if this as awkward it gets then I’ll Junky to that!  Anyway, the sour is like the chimes and triangles in a symphony.  They have a role, but it is very small compared to the woodwinds of patchouli.

Just when you think you have the puerh universe figured out, along comes a treasure like the Patchouli Puerh to let you know you don’t.