Tag Archives: puerh tea

Puerh Rating: Yiwu Princess

Posted on by Yang-chu
27 Sep

The Puerh Junky Rating System (PJRS) takes on Yiwu Princess, an ’03 production joining the Puerh Junky stash the summer of ’19.  Since this is a white label, there is not anything to report on the factory.  The production came highly recommended from a favoured Kunming vendor.

After three rounds the results were as follows:

  • Aroma        13
  • Clarity        15
  • Sweetness 12
  • Viscosity     11
  • Astringency 15
  • Huigan        11
  • Qi                10

Reflections

Yiwu Princess: Cashed Leaves

The Yiwu Princess listed in Spring 2020.  This is one of the few raw puerh cakes requiring no adjustment time, which can be anywhere from two weeks to two years.  In terms of clarity and astringency, this treasure receives a perfect score.  Any production that scores above 9 in every category can be considered serious, and as the list shows the Yiwu Princess’s lowest score is 10, qi.

Let’s say a bit about identifying Yiwu productions and storage.  One give away to identifying an Yiwu is in the formation and pressing of the cake.  Stone pressing is the norm.  Leaves are full, often populated with long leaf stems to give it a sexy filigree.  The tenderness of the pressing is immediately apparent when held.  It’s not the power pressed discus of Bulang, where the compression juices the leaves together into a shellac.  Irrespective of how fancy the factory is, Yiwu production methods are incredibly incredibly uniform and careful in presentation.  The the exact opposite of recipe cakes like 7542 or Blue Mark.

The Puerh Junky feels that storage factors more greatly in evaluating an Yiwu than any other puerh terrior.  It just seems that in contrast to Simao, Lincang, Bulang (and all the villages contained therein) that Yiwus generally provide little indication of what they are until they’ve aged at least 10 years.  This aging needs to be stressful too, particularly if you want to know which direction the production will take: root beer or dried flowers.

The Yiwu Princess hails from a Kunming vendor favoured precisely for their outstanding storage.  Storage of this sort would typically be associated with Guandong or Taiwan.  The Puerh Junky detests dank or hot-stored stuff that kills the tea such that you’re only left with drinking dried garbage or newspaper.

Conclusions

The Yiwu Princess is emblematic of puerh tea in the old school sense.  It’s aged to perfection, preserving chrysanthemum floral note beneath the blanket of perfect humidity.  The PJRS has again produced robust results, in this case by demonstrating how complete a performance the Princess give by all seven criteria.  Puerh Rating: Yiwu Princess

87/105, A

 

 

 

 

 

Patchouli Puerh

Posted on by Yang-chu
27 Sep

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.

 

 

Ripe Steady: 55

Posted on by Yang-chu
10 Sep

Ripe Steady: 55 renders Kunming Tea Factory’s ’06 “55” ripe puerh cake to the Going Steady Method, GSM.  Inasmuch as it echoes of Dr. Frankenstein, never have I been more convinced of the rectitude of the GSM.

The “55” is commemorative ripe puerh, marking 55 years of the Zhongcha endeavor.  Flossed with golden buds and tagged with a big fat neifei, it is quite enticing.

This KMTF production differs from the iconic 7581.  It is more tannic and more camphorous.  As an insider note, it should be mentioned that the Puerh Junky has had this in two separate storage and possibly production batches.  The first batch was pressed much more tightly.  The second batch expresses a wood sap flair that is particular to certain ripe productions.  It is a petrol-esque taste and aroma.

Reflections

The idea behind the GSM is to make ripe puerhs taste as they actually should.  Although the variables of the PJRS are always in the back of my mind, it was not applied here.  That said, clarity came in at a five for two infusions.

Lightening.  That’s what I’d describe this as.  Both wood sap and high camphor notes express strongly, neither over powering the other, but both fierce.  Sweetness is there but the emphasis is on potent resins.

Day two the experiment proved NO better.  This might be due to it already being quite old.  Tanins expressed resolutely, as the puerh has been intentionally crafted.

Ripe Puerh?  Go Steady my friends.

Puerh Rating: Dragon, HM

Posted on by Yang-chu
08 Sep

The Puerh Junky Rating System (PJRS) takes on the ’12 Dragon, HM.  The “dragon” theme features somewhat more prominently than other lunar creatures.  The Dragon features a snazzy wrapper and an even snazzier price.  Coincidentally, 2012 was the year of the Golden Dragon, an occasion once every 60 years, so it’s considered particularly lucky.

Without consulting what has been previously written, I remember this raw puerh for being sweet and spicy in the vein of the 7536.  It is easily that one could pay three times the price for it just given the complexity and richness.

After three rounds the total was as follows:

  • Aroma          10
  • Clarity            9
  • Sweetness   11
  • Viscosity        9
  • Astringency   8*
  • Huigan         10
  • Qi                  –

The asterisk reflects an earlier working of astringency.

Reflections

This Dragon is extremely pleasant.  Vanilla, light spice, a little smoke.  Excellent daily drinker that’s sweet and produces lots of saliva.  At the time of this sampling, there was zero detectable qi, which greatly affects its final score.

There is no need to over think this raw puerh cake.  It is right around average in every category, with well better than average sweetness.  Since this assessment was when I was just beginning to work out the PJRS, it’s probably good for another five points.

57/105, C

Puerh Cake Take: Peacock 9611

Posted on by Yang-chu
07 Peacock 9611, CNNP
07 Sep

This Puerh Cake Take concerns the ’07 Peacock 9611, ZC.  It’s the best cake among the KMTF ’07s primarily due to its durability.  I might be able to offer this in a year, if the stars align.  Presently, it might be interesting to augment the record on ZC’s ’07 productions.  First the specs. . .

’07 Peacock 9611, Zhongcha/KMTF

Regular readers know that for me Zhongcha is the Kunming Tea Factory.  Dayi is what they are, as is Xiaguan.  The ‘07 Peacock 9611 is among at least two other Peacock productions from that year, mentioned previously.  The Thick Zen is a peacock made of large leaf Yiwu material.  The Bada Peacock is minerally and increasingly floral with each infusion.  The 9611 is decidedly floral, comprised of very small leaves and buds.

Somehow, the 9611 in my possession was stored with heavy humidity.  The cake stored here in Los Angeles for at least a year before it could be considered drinkable to my person.  It does not possess the perfect storage traits of the Yiwu Princess, but it may given a few more years.  Presently, it is still laced with a certain dankness that I wish weren’t there. A handful of drinkers covet that taste.

The numbers 9611 are clearly displayed on the wrapper.  Following the traditional logic would suggest that this formula was devised in ’96, comprised mostly of grade 1 leaf, and devised by factory #1.  Along with the neifei is a piece of gold ribbon.  The characters above the numbers descriptively read “Peacock Cake.”  The wrapper and neifei are identical.

Gold Ribbon

Tiny Leaves Tinier Gold Ribbon

Reflections

There are some attributes of KMTF productions that I generally look for, primary are Zen and broth clarity.  I do not find that in most of their productions that they’re trying to imitate the Dayi taste, as is the case with many other factories’ productions.  When I say Dayi, I think I mean 7542 and/or 7543.  It doesn’t matter.  It’s thematically much heavier.

Breaking Dawn Puerh Glimmers

KMTF tries to express something much more subtle than Dayi.  Given its storage conditions the broth is incredibly dark.

That’s a shot from Jan 2019.  Here’s another shot brewed from clay, about infusion 13.

This puerh just never bottoms out.  The floral, hint of cinnamon from wet storage, and sweetness just continue from one infusion to the next.  This shot would have been day four.  The taste of the flowers is never jagged.  The quality of experience has that glassy smoothness of the Early Spring, but everything here is kicked up a notch without any wheat or malt notes.

Contrasting Floral Puerhs

There are two kinds of floral, a macho and a genteel.  Among the macho floral, again we have the Lunar Series from 6FTM.  This is the type of floral for people who like to get knocked over the head with very loud and aggressive tea.  Lincang productions from Fengqing and Daxueshan are extremely popular, with Mengku TF probably producing some of the best grade affordable puerh out there.

By contrast, genteel florals must express all the intensity of flowers found among machos but never at the expense of smoothness and subtlety. This is where the 9611 falls, along with the other Yang puerh folks, YPH.

Final Views

The floral profile is not my favourite of puerh taste classes. The 9611 is nevertheless an excellent puerh by virtue of its durability.  Its enduring sweetness, clarity, and smoothness are all noteworthy.  The wetter storage conditions offer deeper insights into the intention behind the classic factory style craftsmanship.  It actually seems that now is the time to begin making calls about the ’07s, not when they were made ten years ago.

Amidst Puerh Junky’s stash, the 9611 is unique.  A floral wet-stored puerh that is sophisticated and smooth isn’t that common.  Aggressive storage can often rob the tea of life, but in this case I’m wondering whether the opposite applies.  Further perplexing matters is that small leaves and buds don’t usually brew that long.

 

Puerh Junky Rating System

Posted on by Yang-chu
02 Sep

So in this past month of ’20 August, I devised the Puerh Junky Rating System (PRS).  The idea was to create a system where the most significant puerh rating variables could be tabulated.  It appears to be a robust system; productions that I consider to be exceptionally good, still haven’t maxed out.   Below, I shall elaborate.

Puerh Rating System

Rating puerh may not be as arbitrary as it appears.  There are established parameters that apply to tea as with any other thing that is consumed according to the traditional Chinese empirical and aesthetic standards.  This system is reflected in puerhs.  The particular variable of “durability” is omitted from the PRS since tests involve only three infusions in 150 ml gaiwan or pot.

Factors like “aroma”, “clarity“, and “huigan” are self-evident.  More of each is easily accounted for.  Conversely, “astringency” and “viscosity” are relative measures.  Some productions should be less viscous or more astringent given the overall character.  How this determination is made is more up to the tester.  The attribute of “qi” is easily the most subjective and most difficult to score.  Regarding qi, there is often a misconception that it relates solely to its “tea drunk” or “whole body” effects, which isn’t the case.  There is so much confusion about what the Chinese mean by “qi,” but suffice it to say it is some activity.  Gut busters have humongous qi, but it’s not desirable.  For what its worth, gut busters are NEVER offered on this site.  Qi is a quality in addition to an action.

The Puerh Junky Rating System (PRS) is a five-point scale.  Three on the scale marks average, whereas 2 and 4 reflect below and above the average respectively.  In the case of the “qi” rating, no average is assumed.  A rating of 1 doesn’t reflect a qi below any average, only that that is how much it was detected.  In the course of testing the PRS, often items received no mark at all.  It is usually very rare for the qi of a puerh to be detected in the first pot.

There are seven equally weighted variables totaling 35 points.  The three rounds combined offers a maximum of 105.  Let’s now look at the seven variables, outlined in the order in which they are usually evaluated.

  1. Aroma
  2. Clarity
  3. Sweetness
  4. Viscosity
  5. Astringency
  6. Huigan/Aftertaste
  7. Qi

By figuring the average of the three sessions for each of the seven variables, we can arrive at the following grading system.

  • 105 – 84 = A
  •   83 – 63 = B
  •   62 – 42 = C
  •   41 – 21 = D

What I’ve noticed is since the qi variable is very difficult to gain points on yet highly regarded that this grading system is fair and robust.  From the scale, which I’ll be using henceforth in listing of offerings, one will be more accurately be able to judge just how much of a steal an item is, as well as how much factory prestige and offering availability in China factors into pricing.

So far, I’ve been quite impressed by how my ratings affirm my general impression the puerh itself.  This is influenced very little by noise generated through connections and reputation.  The PRS looks to be a perfect compliment to narratives of tea experience.

Puerh Mini Tuo: Xigui GNZ

Posted on by Yang-chu
12 Jun

Our Puerh Mini tuo of concern is the ’14 Xigui GNZ.  It is an 8g dragon pearl, similar to the Dragon Pearl Sampler.  Dragon pearls are hand rolled balls of puerh tea. The care in processing and quality of the material is the best of the best.  Consequently, dragon pearls are a great way to learn about the hallmark traits of the various terrior.

Xigui is a terrior in Lincang with a taste profile closer to Bingdao, fruity and genteel, than Daxue Shan or Fengqing, which are black-tea floral by nature. This fruity genteel taste forms an interesting contrast to Yiwu puerh from terrior like Wangong or Yiwu ZS.  One of the biggest differences is how top-shelf Lincang pops out the gate.  In your face sweetness is highly suggestive of Lincang not Yiwu.

Xigui GNZ 3rd Infusion

When we “out the gate” raw puerh, we’re talking fewer than 10 years old.  Dragon pearl mini tuo obviously age faster than cakes, but their material is far better than what is affordable in cake size.  Xigui GNZ has aged in Los Angeles since ’15 under conditions probably averaging 70%/70 in terms of humidity to heat but healthy flux around the average.

In terms of quality the Xigui GNZ strikes me as being very good.  It doesn’t reach its stride until about the sixth infusion but up until then what it might lack in thickness is made up for in electric sweet cloud sensation.  Fully open there is thickness and sweet tropical fruit notes that linger long in the huigan.  There is some affinity with very high quality Bulang but the bitterness is a greatly muted feature.

This dragon pearl raw puerh lasted well into 15 infusions over three days.  When pushed the bitterness is more prominent but hardly challenging and vanishes quickly into sweetness.

 

 

Puerh Tuo Ripe: Operation Macau

Posted on by Yang-chu
09 Jun

Our Puerh Tuo Take covers ’12 Operation Macau, a 250g ripe puerh tuo.  Its one of the best ripe puerhs in the stash.  Below, I thought I’d explain why.

Operation Macau tuo is a much thicker and resolute ripe puerh than the Silver Peacock, both Xinghai TF productions.  OM used to express much more humidity but that has now faded in favour of a pronounced camphor candy taste. In contrast to 55, it is neither tannic nor woody.  It is more sweet, dynamic, and sonorous than the Black Brew.  I will confess, when pushed, it turns up some of those dreaded veggie notes.

In the recent sessions in brewing OM, I’ve noticed something interesting.  There are two types of ripe puerh, tuo or otherwise.  One type favours over brewing, takes well to a thermos and might be better in one.  The other type requires a measure of brewing sensitivity usually reserved for raw puerh.  Over brewing this type will not thicken the mouthfeel and will mute the dynamics of the tea.  The latter type are generally high quality ripes made from high quality puerh.  Operation Macau is a high quality ripe that must not be over brewed.

The aftertaste on the OM is outstanding for a ripe puerh.  Minerals, camphor, and sugar linger in the mouth.  It’s qi pervades the chest primarily, expansive and relaxing.  It rests warmly in the stomach.  Only four infusions to be cashed thoroughly.

 

Puerh Cake Take: Jingmai Truth

Posted on by Yang-chu
05 Jun

This Puerh Cake Take is entitled “Jingmai Truth.”  It’s a reference to the true taste of the ’14 Wild Jingmai, a quintessentially floral puerh terrior.  This GPE tea is one of their best out the gate and strongly representative of the region.

When we talk about the raw floral puerhs there are many variations.  The Jingmai floral is described as “orchid.”  It stands in contrast to the Fengqing/Daxueshan black tea floral note.  Good Jingmai floral can be quite inviting at a young age.  It also represents a style of puerh processing that stands in contrast to classic recipes that require long term storage.

This entry daringly assumes some Jingmai Truth that differs from a Bulang Truth or an Yiwu Truth.  Indeed.  Jingmai must be floral: how the flowers pop in aroma as well as taste and huigan determine its truth.  The Wild Jingmai rates highly by all these measures.  It has citrus note in line with the Jade Mark and a mouthfeel like the Mystery dragon pearl.

In my June 2020 tasting of the Wild Jingmai, I keep coming back to truth.  The impression is akin to proof in spirits.  Even flavour-infused vodkas are brighter and cleaner than the lightest brandy not to mention whiskey.  Here we have very bright notes but with an undertow that is already exhibiting pleasing attributes for drinking now.

 

06 Tippy Tuo Puerh II

Posted on by Yang-chu
17 May

Exactly one year ago I received the 06 Tippy Tuo Puerh II.  Part two because it is the second order since April of ’15.  I presently have three storage variations of this production: 1) the original, 2) TTII, and 3) Bangkok stored 33 mth original.  I thought I’d introduce TTII by contrasting it with the original.

The Original can be reviewed here.  It’s important to note that this is a dynamic puerh.  It has gone through several phases, some of which were not so pleasant.  In particular, the early years in my possession sometimes produced sessions of considerable orange juice aftertaste.  Presumably, the TTI has already gone through this stage.  It has overall been dryer stored than the Original.  The original has been subjected to fairly high fluctuations in temperature and relatively high humidity since ’15.  One of the reasons was to cook that orange juice taste out.

Simultaneously, the Original expressed camphor menthol dank forest attributes and a punishing qi.  By contrast, TTI has no detectable camphor, not the minty kind anyway.  It is much softer with vanilla and baby power notes, thick perfumy , none of the aggression generally associated with it.  It has a personality generally expected from tippy material without any of the edges.

4th Infusion

The color of the liquor suggests a considerably younger production year than ’06.  The variability imparted by storage conditions essentially makes for an entirely different production.  Here is a considerably drier-stored phenomenon that may have played a role in the absence of sour and preservation of perfume.

The Original has entered a root beer phase.  Whether the TTII enters a root beer phase remains to be seen.  The Original always possessed a measure of astringency that gave it a real macho presence, while the TTII has a noticeably thick and round mouthfeel with an essence considerably more feminine.