2003 LiMing Factory Early Spring MengHai Arbor Beeng

LiMing Factory




The LiMing Tea Factory is the largest state-owned pu-erh operation in Yunnan. Early in 1955, a group of 13 Army soldiers demobilized to Xishuangbanna and subsequently built the state owned factory LiMing. In 1964 Liming Factory had assembled a sterling team to start colonization of the tea production in mid-March of that year. Through savvy business sense and determination, they gradually turned the LiMing Factory into one of the largest tea factories in Yunnan.


LiMing Factory Today


Today, the LiMing Factory is part of the Yunnan Agricultural Reclamation Group Co., Ltd. (YARG) which currently has access to 60,000 acres of high quality tea growths. YARG continuously attempts to improve the production of tea utilizing new tea production technology and science striving to produce innovative pu-erh products.



Product

Initial Impression

The LiMing Factory has a variety of products and one of their best sellers is the Ba Jiao Ting beeng. This particular beeng is composed of early spring arbor maocha as instructed by the cotton wrapper. The mao cha appears to be of choice and lightly pressed. According to the Yunnan Sourcing, it was stored in KuMing for a time so it has aged in a drier environment. The dry leaf had delicate notes of cocoa, tobacco, and cucumber - Clean.



Brewing Session and Impressions


Vendor Yunnan Sourcing
Brewing Parameters

Amount - 5.5g

Brewing Method - Gongfu

Brewing vessle - Yixing Zhuni Shuiping 150ml

Infusion times

1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-35s
5-60s
6-75s
7-85s
8-100s
9-121s
10-140s


I first contemplated as to how much leaf I would use. Being that it was slightly aged, at times I ambivalent as to whether I would use less leaf or use a longer steeping time. I ultimately decided on a longer brewing time. Why was I in conflict you might ask? Well, typically as pu-erh ages, it requires more leaf to receive the optimal flavor. However, from aroma of the dry leaf, I was somewhat leary in using more leaf. The notes were dark, and as a consequence, I was uncertain as to how the infusions would react with more leaf. Furthermore, more leaf would mean that I would be drinking much more tea! Not a bad thing of course, but I don't want to drink more than I would enjoy.

The first infusion verified my assumptions. Although I do love tobacco and chocolate (which I call dark) I believe that they tend to eventually get somewhat heavy on the palate, thus potentially numbing other flavors in later infusions.

The aroma had layers of tobacco, cocoa, which subtly transformed into more fresh notes in later infusions. By the 5th infusion, the aroma had transformed more into honey, orchids, molasses.

The liquor was quite clear with an amber gloss. Although it is of 2003 vintage, the liquor appeared much more mature. The way that it had legs (vino term referring to the ability of the liquor to grab the cup)that it would have a nice viscosity. Indeed, it was nicely thick which coated my tongue and the insides of my cheeks. The first infusions were bold with and assertive bite, albeit not intimidating. It had a nice acidity which had seemed to have cleansed my palate with each each cup preparing my mouth for the next.

Their were notes of leather, tobacco, melon, honey, pine and chocolate which varied in intensity as the sessions progressed. This pu-erh somewhat surprised me in that I was prepared myself for a liquor that was a bit more matured. However, the adolescence of this pu-erh was quite bold with a nice oomph; definitely something worth storing. The throat feel was soothing but very active. However, I do not believe it was old growth as the sensations in my throat were not indicative of old growth. I could be wrong of course. The chaqi was quite soothing which seemed to be concentrated in the forehead area.

Spent Leaves



Final Impressions

This beeng was not conventional to say the least. When I think of MengHai material, I tend to think more stability in terms of flavors. However, the palate was quite colorful. They were bright and separated. Having been stored in KunMing for 7 years, I was somewhat taken back that it was still quite assertive. Although not unusual for a 7 year, but unusual in the sense that the color was much deeper. ** Correction, Scott of YS has just informed me that the beeng was actually stored in Xishaungbanna before he acquired it this year. This of course explains its darker color.** All in all, it was an average tea which will undoubtably become much better with age.

1994 MengHai Factory 7542 Chi Tse Beeng Cha "Seven Son Tea Cake"

The 7542 recipe is a classic CNNP recipe which was first used in 1975. For those of you have not taken the time to inform yourselves on how to read a factory code, it is quite simple. The first two numbers represent the year that the recipe was developed, the 3rd number is the grade of leaves that were used and the last number represents the origin of factory. Lastly, the number 2 represents which factory had produced it. This coding system was instilled after the the China Tea Corporation had transferred its pu-erh manufacturing oversight to the China National Native Produce & Animal By-products Import & Export Corporation, or its more widely used abbreviation the CNNP.



Under the auspicious of the CNNP, state manufactured pu-erh went through a couple of Small, although significant changes to the pu-erh collecting world. No longer were cakes labelled as "Round Tea Cakes", but henceforth, all state produced pu-erh cakes were to be called Seven Son Tea Cakes. Secondly, the inner description ticket was also introduced at this time. The Seven Son Tea Cake would undoubtedly make its mark in pu-erh history which of course is still being written today.

Initial Impressions

The dry leaf had virtually no wet-stored aroma. In fact, it was very difficult to acquire any notes at all. Not a problem of course. The leaves do correspond to the grade in the recipe with nice golden buds sprinkled on the surface. I saw no visual indications that the beeng was stored improperly - no frost, and no leaf deterioration . The leaves were loosely compacted which could easily be pried off effortlessly.

Vendor's Note

This beeng is from a new pu-erh store on Ebay - Sampan Tea. I have gotten to know Eloi, the proprietor, through a series of emails, and fortunately have been able to taste a few of his teas!

Interestingly, Eloi is based out of Montreal where he is a professional brewer at a local micro-brewery called "Le Cheval Blanc". His love of food chemistry had inadvertently introduced him to the world of pu-erh in 2003. Since his introduction to pu-erh, he has been on a quest for the perfect. His journey has led him live in China where he has had the privilege of drinking, sampling, visiting tea farms and researching tea with other fellow tea enthusiast of which were more than happy to share their own passion, and most importantly, there knowledge. Eloi has continued his tea relationships which have grown his personal knowledge and love exponentially. It is this passion for leaf that has driven him to start Sampan Tea. I wish him luck!

Brewing Parameters

Amount - 5.9g

Brewing Method - Gongfu

Brewing Vessel - Yixing Zhuni Teapot 150ml

Infusion times

1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-35s
5-50s
6-75s
7-85s
8-95s
9-105s
10-120s
11-135s
12-150s

Brewing Session

The aroma was quite nice. The first infusions were very much fresh with notes of caramelized honey, slight hints of musk and raw flour dough. No dampness or mustiness were present. The initial notes seemed to be in equal harmony with no one particular note overpowering the other. In the later infusions the aroma notes subtly became more organic where notes of wood, hay and earth had become the theme.



The liquor was woody, albeit not overpowering. There were notes of toasted grain which seemed to give the liquor a nice meaty quality. Additionally, it was totally absent of bitterness and was quite mellow with a decent huigan. The flavors were still very noticeable after the swallow with a finish that did not get heavy on the palate. Even after the 7th infusion the color was still wonderfully dark and rich - of course a good sign of quality. I could of received more than 12 infusions, but being the 12th round alone, I was starting to get a little full. There was really no transformation or nuances to speak of. In fact, it the flavor was quite consistent. This is certainly not a bad thing. The liquor had a nice silky feeling that coated the throat and tongue nicely. As for the Chaqi, I had become very comfortable and very relaxed.

Spent Leaves




Looks like big factory fare which correspond to the recipe leaf grade.

Final Impressions

The tea was indicative of MengHai. It was a decent and clean brew and very much on par with other similar beengs that I have tasted.
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I initially believed that the beeng has acquired some wet storage, which I am still leaning towards due to its lack of complexity. However, after examining the leaves, I am somewhat ambivalent towards this conclusion. On one hand, its lack of palate development does in fact lead me to believe that it did acquire at some point some wet storage condition. However, when examining the spent leaves they look very consistent in what you would find with a dried stored product.

I do not want to give you the impression that it is a bad tea. In fact, I enjoyed it very much and is possibly a good representation of this era. I am just trying to speculate on its history as all collectors should do. As for my conclusions, I believe that this beeng indeed was wet stored. However, it was only for a brief period, and then, masterfully and artfully allowed to dry thoroughly in dry storage conditions. If it makes you feel more comfortable to think of wet-storage as "Hong Kong Storage" then perhaps we should call it that. Many beengs from Hong Kong are ripen much faster than those stored than let's say KunMing. Nevertheless, I assume this beeng was stored in a wetter climate for a period.

This beeng was delightful to drink. This example highlights why people starting off on their collecting venture should stock up on the time honored recipes.

The idea of dry vs. wet storage is an academic discussion that I wish not to get into on this post. However, wet stored beengs are not bad at all and it is tragic that many novices are way too fast to discredit them as a consequence of their misinformation. I have not encountered a vendor that does not have "some" wet stored pu-erh in their stock. In fact, some of the most prized beengs that are being sold which I have had the privledge of tasting have at one time wet stored. Yes, and they are being sold from VERY reputable vendors, and why shouldn't they! Chances are that if you purchase an older beeng especially from the Hong Kong area, it has gone through some wet storage. Simply stated, WET STORED IS NOT BAD!

2005 Xi-Zhi Hao " Double Happiness" Lao BanZhang Shan Sheng

To all my readers, I would like to first apologize for my absence. I have been quite busy but now things seem to be letting.

Lao BanZhang Mountain

I am sure that many of you are quite familiar with Lao Banzhag Shan. However, if you are not, Lao Banzhang Mountain is growing area which contains an abundance of ancient tea trees located on the North West slope of Bulang Shan. This region's pu-erh is possibly one of the world's most sought after due to its aging capability and aggressiveness. Aficionados will go through great lengths to add Lao Banzhang to their collections and will pay an exuberant amount of money to do so. Nada of the the tea blog A Felicific Life has provide an exciting intimate look of Lao Banzhang village for those interested. I recommend that you do. You can also read more about Lao Banzhang in a previous review of the Mengyang Guoyan Lao Banzhang which also details Lao Banzhang in greater detail.


Product Information

Xi-Zhi (Double Happiness)Hao is the brain child of pu-erh collector and aficionado Mr. Chen. Having its inception in 1997 just at the time when CNNP allowed privatization of pu-erh factories, the San Ho Tang the manufacturer of Xi-Zhi Hao and have begun to take the pu-erh world by storm. Mr. Chen is known to personally scavenge tea forest to find the best mao cha and painstakingly oversees every aspect of the manufacturing process. All of his products are unadulterated leaves. If it reads Lao Banzhang than you can rest assure this is what it contains. This particular beeng is made of mao cha from semi-plantation that was sun dried in the traditional way and subsequently stone pressed. If you pay close attention to the image above which is displayed on the wrapper you will notice that it is a bit risque, they are called " Chun-Gong which means Spring Mension" figures. Please visit the HouDe Blog for more information.

This is truly a hand crafted product.

Initial Impression




The leaves were obviously stone pressed. Although they did not appear to be aged almost 4 years, the "greenness" of the leaves that you would find in younger sheng has dissipated a bit. What odor the leaves did omit were floral and deep honey. Some of the leaves had an abundance of down on their underside and most had long stems. It had a very healthy gloss that you would find in a well manufactured pu-erh.


Session




Brewing Parameters


Water-Bottle spring water, generic brand. Source of water Lafayette Springs, WS

Amount – 5.6g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 2 breaths

Brewing Vessel - Yixing Zhuni Shuiping Teapot 150ml

Method – Gongfu

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-16s
4-30s
5-45s
6-65s

Liquor - The liquor was somewhat on the greenish side for 3 1/2 years of aging. However, it was wonderfully clear which indicative a good 'kill green' stage. It had a nice sheen to it which reflected light very well. Lovely.


Aroma - The aroma in the cup had many layers which revealed themselves as the liquor cooled in the sniffing cup. There were notes of dried hay, vegtal, muted honey, layers of dried wood, all laced with the too familar and wonderful sweet aroma of pu-erh. In later infusions, the aroma began to resemble raw legumes again with the pronounced woodiness. A very clean aroma.

Tasting - In understanding that the tea I was drinking was Lao Banzhang, I had prepared my mind for an aggressive tasting tea. My first impression of the first two infusions were "Humm, I can take it, no big deal". Boy were my sentiments wrong by the third. The first two cups were somewhat subtly sweet with notes with wonderful woodiness. However, by the third, the liquor became dry (in the wine sense). The liquor had begun to be quite assertive. The muted flavors were starting to be challenged by the pronounced bitterness and acidity. I was worried that the bitterness would somehow over power the pleasant notes which would make for an unpleasant session, but to my surprise, it was a perfect balance. Notes of caramelized honey, dry grass and dried figs which seemed to permeate the insides of my cheeks, tongue, lips; it was everywhere . By the 5th infusion my entire mouth had become numb with flavor. Definitely a powerful brew. The chaqi was also starting to reveal itself by this time, but not in a comfortable sense. I began to perspire and feel light headed and hungry. By the end of the 6th infusion I decided that it was a good time to stop although I believe it could of gone for at least 3-4 more.


Spent Leaves




Final Impression

Considering my uneasiness with a few of their products lately this particular Xi-Zhi reminded me of how good Xi-Zhi can be. But to Xi-Zhi's credit, my impressions were made with the mid-range beengs that I had purchased. Although those aren't bad, you can certainly tell the difference between qualities from the more, I hate to say it, more expensive offerings. The liquor certainly did remind me of Lao BanZhang and I only wish I had a bag of money to buy much more. Now, if you please excuse me I am going to go and lie down.

2003 Yi-Chang GeDeng Shan Wild Arbor Sheng Beeng

According to early 19th century government records state, “…there once was a King Tea Tree on GeDeng Mountain that was a substantially bigger and taller than all the others that would yield a disproportionate amount of tea buds when compared to other tea trees. The local farmers would gather for a ceremony at this “King Tree” to thank the mountain for a bountiful and prosperous harvest.

GeDeng Mountain “Leather Stirrup Mountain” is situated next to the Kong Ming, YouLe and JiGuani Mountains. District records indicate that GeDeng’s annual tea production is over 250 metric tons which is generally picked by the local villages, the most notible of which are the villages of An Le and Xing Fa. Interestingly, the tea arbors which grow in GeDeng can at times are covered with white tomenta thus earning the nickname “Big White Tea” which can be dated back many years.

Factory Information

ChangTai Factory is owned and operated by the Shōtai Yunnan Tea Industry group in the city of Jinghong in Xishuangbanna. Shōtai Group has assets worth 50 million yuan, with an output of nearly 7,000 tons of quality Pu'er tea annually in over 500 different varieties making Shōtai a power player in the pu-erh business.

Shōtai Group has been a pioneer in establishing a tea industry for the benefit of agriculture and its farmers. With the recent prices of Mao cha, the Shōtai Group has been able to benefit of ethnic minority farmers in making a significant contribution to their local economies

Initial Impression




The beeng seemed to have been stored properly. It had a wonderful 'dry' aroma and the leaves looked quite healthy. The surface of the beeng seemed to show an abundance of tea buds. The leaves also appear to be aging nicely.

Water-Bottle spring water, generic brand. Source of water Lafayette Springs, WS

Amount – 5.5g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 2 breaths

Brewing Vessel - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Method – Gongfu

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-17
4-20
4-36s
5-40s
6-60s
7-90s


Tasting Notes



The color of the liquor was mesmerizing with its clear electric amber. The aroma had notes of pine, sweet grass wrapped in a flutter of camphor which turned somewhat fruitier in subsequent infusions. By the third infusion, I could smell a hint of dried plum. The liquor was dry which subtly transformed into a sweet palate although its sweetness did not last long. The liquor was highly acidic which gave the liquor a vibrant feeling. Additionally, the liquor had a silky viscosity which coated the tongue and throat nicely. It had a descent warming chaqi that came in spurts.

Spent Leaves



The leaves look healthy with a nice leaf to bud ratio. Not flimsy but had a nice weight to them. Definitely not over harvested leaves.

Overall Impressions

I enjoyed this tea. It can actually be drunk now in my opinion. With 5 years of aging, most of its harshness seems to have dissipated. It had interesting flavors and a nice chaqi. Although it did lack a nice lasting huigan, its complex flavors made up for the deficit. It was a good session.

2003 KunMing Tai Lian Tea Factory Wild Arbor Sheng

Jing Mai Landscape



JingMai Mountain is located north of the main town Jinghong in Xishuangbanna. The mountain sits approximately 5000 feet above see level and covers over 11,000 acres of ancient tea tree plantations in Yunnan. Earliest records concerning the cultivation of these ancient tea trees extends back to approximately 696 AD. Today this ancient tea tree variety continues to be harvested in the same manner as it was more than 1000 years ago; free of the use of pesticides or fertilizers. As a result, teas from JingMai are certified organic under both United States NOP and European 2092/91 organic standards. The forest of JingMai are considered a living eco-museum by Yunnan making this mountain a true national treasure.

This beeng is currently an offering at Yunnan Sourcing LLC. Unfortunately, I don't have much information about this particular factory other than it has recently changed its name to the ChaMaSi Factory. The beeng is made of Spring material which appears to be stone mold pressed.

The dry leaves did not omit much of a scent other than the ever-so-slightest quintessential shengpu note. The beeng is a mosaic of choice, shinny, greenish-dark and brown leaves with an indication of slight age.

Brewing Parameters

Vendor - Yunnan Sourcing Ebay Vendor

Water-Bottle spring water, generic brand. Source of water Lafayette Springs, WS

Amount – 5.3g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 2 breaths

Brewing Vessel - Yixing Teapot 140ml

Method – Gongfu

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-16s
4-36s
5-40s
6-60s
7-85s

Tasting



Aroma

Initially, the nose was quite metallic, brassy with a muted honey and a floral accent. However, after the 4th infusion, the notes had transformed more into hay with a subdued tobacco background. Very fresh and soothing.

Taste

What was most noticeable in the first infusions was this unexpected fruitiness. The liquor was quite tangy and fresh coupled with a nice huigan and acidity. The liquor contained a a nice viscosity which coated my tongue effectively. In subsequent infusions, the notes subtly transformed into leather, rubber and toasted rice - almost savory. The chayun was keeping things active where I felt most of the sensations at the top of my mouth followed by a nice massage feeling of my throat. The cha qi left me soothed and comforted.

Spent Leaves




The leaves appear to be very healthy with a nice mixture of buds.


Final Impressions

The tea was a nice suprise. I have tried JingMai before, but never one with a fruity background. Although the beeng had been stored in KunMing 5 years, the liquor did not appear to have an aged ting to it which means that perhaps it has been too dry of a storage.

Although its age did not come through in the color profile, its flavor did indicate that it was not 'new born'. All in all, I really did like this one. I believe that this pu-erh has a little something for everyone.

Anthony's "Sal" & MarshalN's Mystery Shengpu

The best part of being part of a tea community are all of the samples that are traded. Sometimes you give and sometimes your receive. I consider this practice my favorite part of my tea experience.

Lately, there have been discussions about humidity and its effects on pu-erh - Too much or too little; what is optimum for storage; wet stored vs. dry stored etc. Most know that humidity will either make or break pu-erh and can certainly cause any long term goals of producing great pu-erh to drink futile if humidity is not taken into serious consideration.

What is also surprising are the number of pu-erh novices who consider "wet stored" as inferior. Although wet stored pu-erh may not be as fragrant or nuanced as a dry stored pu-erh it can be just as enjoyable. In fact, many pu-erh drinkers actually purchase wet stored to drink and some even prefer it since it mimics, to some extent the taste of well-aged pu-erh. However, let it be said that there are degrees to wet stored pu-erh and different qualities that drinkers should be aware of. For the most part, wet stored pu-erh should only be purchased if it is "mild" to "medium" wet stored only. Heavily wet stored pu-erh can be hazardous to one's health and should never be drunk. Nevertheless, wet stored pu-erh is as much of part of the pu-erh world as dry stored pu-erh, and in fact in many ways, even more.

Today, I decided to drink two samples that were sent to me by my tea friends. What makes these two samples interesting however is that neither of them contained any information and was left up to me to decide what they are. This is where the wet stored part becomes relevant to this post. I decided that both samples (sent to me by Salsero, who is an active member of TeaChat and MarshalN who really needs no introduction of the tea blog A Tea Addicts Journal) are both wet stored.

Salsero's Sheng Sample

I have know idea where Salsero received or found this tea. In fact, he knew very little about the tea as well but was willing to offer me any information that he had. I kindly declined as I thought that it would be more fun to taste the sample first and then receive any data.

Dry Leaf



The leaf really didn't appear to be anything special. It did appear to be very clean, in fact, from the dry leaf alone whether it was wet stored at all. However, after sniffing the leaf I smelled a profound dampness confirming my sentiments that this was indeed of the wet stored variety. Not bad looking really. I believe that it may even contain a few buds which have turned gold in color.

Tasting Notes



The pu tasted very damp. It had petro notes laden with heavy balsa wood. In fact, the wood notes were very over powering which didn't let much of anything else come through in terms of flavor. However, the liquor was clear with a lovely color.

Impression

I was quite ambivalent as to whether I enjoyed this tea. The tea was confusing in the sense that it did have a pleasant taste right at the beginning of each sip, however, as the liquor rolled over all of my taste buds, the bad parts of the pu became piercing and simply unpalatable. On a good note, the later infusions were slightly better which is generally the case. The taste was somewhat suprising sense the dry leaf looked so clean, and of higher grade. Possibly as a consequence of bad storage during the dry stage.

Wet Leaves



The leaves look to be "big factory" appearance. Although, I am not convinced that they are. The leaves are not as dark as some of the wet stored I have experienced. Perhaps it was only stored at high humidity for a short time.

MarshalN's Sheng Sample

Dry Leaf



To be honest, I have already received conformation that this pu is indeed wet stored from MarshalN through and internet conversation that we subsequently had. Although, from the look of the dry leaf, it is very easy to tell that it was wet stored. If you look closely at the picuture, you will notice an almost grey haze on the surface of the chunks. This "frost" and dull surface is very indicative of wet stored pu-erh and for the most part should be a dead give away.

Tasting Notes

I decided to wash this sample twice as I would do with shupu as it appears to be a little more 'dirty' than the other sample. In fact, it helped very much with the infusions as the chunks were quite hard and not allow the water to penetrate the leaf very easily.

This liquor was much darker than Salseros. The sheng also had an unmistakable dampness as with Salsero's sample, although, this is where any similarities end. It was woody but not overpowering and not as robust. It had notes of butter and pine wood. It did have a nice throat feel with a nice clean flavor but severely lacked in sweetness.

Update - MarshalN had informed me that I perhaps used too little leaf and suggested that I use more. I took his advice and it indeed made a world of difference. It was much more fragrant, darker in color, more silky and a bit more sweet. Quite enjoyable!

Wet Leaves



Dark and clearly wet stored. Can't say much on quality.

Impression

This sample was much more enjoyable. It had a nice clean flavor. Or may have appeared cleaner when compared to Salsero's sample. Although it lacked the complexity of dry stored pu ( which is expected), it did indeed have a slight complexity. I use the word complexity loosly. The sample was not great but for the most part pleasant. All in all, it was a mediocre pu; nothing fabulous but drinkable nonetheless.

I would like to thank both Salsero and MarshalN for their generosity. I indeed had fun!

Yiwu Zheng Shan Mountain Company "DouJi" EcoVeteran Sheng Beeng 357g

Sherab, is not only a generous friend of mine who gave me this tea, he also is the author of the tea blog Mt.Awakening Aroma. Although it is written in Chinese, it can be easily translated using the numerous online translators.

My first exposure to Douji pu-erh was due to Gordon of Dragon Tea House. He generously sent me a small box with 6 sachets containing unblended mao cha from the 6 famous tea mountains. It was indeed a rare and wonderful opportunity. I knew then that Douji was something special!

Excited about this tea, I sent a sample to Marshaln of the very well known blog A Tea Addicts Journal for his thoughts on the subject. He has provided an excellent review of this tea and his thoughts about Douji pu-erh itself.

Product Information

The Yiwu Zheng Shan Mountain Company is located in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan. Although relatively new to the pu-erh world, they are becoming quite famous due to their high grade "Douji" pu-erh. Their products have even caught the eye of the world renowned pu-erh guru Mr. Shi Kun Mu.

Ms. He Bei Xia, the chairperson of the Yiwu Zheng Shan Mountain Company is adamant in producing only the best pu-erh possible. She places great emphasis on quality control and insures that only the best mao cha from Yunnan will be compressed into pu-erh. This is no easy endevour and in order to keep such stringent standards she guarantees that the company will produce no more than a 100 tons of tea a year. To put this in perspective, the XiaGuan Factory will produce roughly 7000 tons of puerh each year every year.

Initial Impressions

The beeng was nicely compacted. Stone mold no doubt. No smoke or off scents with just the lovely scent of young sheng. Somewhat floral, hints of rubber and delightfully sweet. Very nice looking leaves. Interestingly, the beeng did not contain a nei piao.

Brewing Parameters

Water-Bottle spring water, generic brand. Source of water Lafayette Springs, WS

Amount – 5.g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 2 breaths

Brewing Vessel - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Method – Gongfu

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-16s
4-25s
5-35s
6-50s
7-66s

Tasting Notes





The aroma was honey and sweet which did not dissipate very easily in the later infusions. The liquor had a very nice acidity with hints of dry grass with a very delicate flutter of rubber. A very nice huigan. The liquor was also very thick with a descent viscosity that definitely coated the mouth and throat. It was certainly a powerful brew as my tongue and the sides of my cheeks were numb after the 3rd infusion. However, the numbness can not be compared to that caused by rough and harsh mao cha. It was a different kind. It was a numbness that was associated with the chayun somehow. It was indeed a highly active tea. Definitely a tea to age.

Spent Leaves



Very nice and robust leaves. Nice thick veins which reminded me of old growth.











Final Impressions


I really enjoyed this pu-erh. You can definitely taste a quality that the larger factories can not easily emulate. As MarshalN has mentioned in his review, Douji is unquestionably difficult to find in the states, and the price is a considerably much more than most beengs. However, if you can get a hold of a beeng or two, I would recommend buying as it certainly was a pleasure to drink. Thank you Sherab!

2001 XiaGuan Bao Yan "Holy Flame" Brick

As some of you are aware, XiaGuan makes a number of products sold under different labels for export such as the Bao Yan "Holy Flame" label.

Interestingly, most of the Bao Yan products will be exported to Tibet where the Tibetans will make a rustic concoction call yak butter tea consisting of, you guessed it, Yak butter, young raw sheng and sugar. As you can probably suspect, products sold under the Bao Yan label are generally made from Lincang materials of low to mediocre quality as they are intended to be consumed now. This said, you can find aged examples on the market.

As you can see, the leaves are not the best of quality, although after 7 years they do appear to be aging as they are turning a nice leathery brown. The tea has virtually no smokiness which is quite a difference from the young Bao Yan bricks I have in storage.

Brewing Parameters


Amount - 5.3g

Brewing Method - Gongfu

Brewing Vessel - Yixing Teapot 120ml

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-25s
4-35s
5-50s
6-75s

Tasting Notes



My first idea was to give an infusion by infusion description. However, after tasting the liquor on the first and second round I had noticed that the flavors nor did the aroma really evolve. I don't want to give you the impression that the tea was bad, too the contrary. However, what I am saying is that it did not transform.


Aroma

The liquor was nice and clear with a nice aged amber tint. The aroma from the sniffing cup was pleasantly woody with burnt honey notes. As the liquor cooled, the woodiness dissipated and became somewhat floral.

Taste

The liquor did have a slightly aged taste. Again, as in the aroma, it was very woody. The liquor had a nice viscosity and a pleasant silkiness. The acidity in the liquor also was nice and kept the session active. The liquor did become a bit more astringent which of course is expected in a slightly aged sheng. You can clearly taste a slight green naivete. The later infusions became less woody which did allow a faint floral note to come through. The liquor really did have a slight huigan which was a surprise for me as I really thought it would be a dud in that department.

Spent Leaves

As you can see, the leaves are true to the claim of mediocrity. They are quite masticated. Nothing special. These torn and masticated leaves are certainly one of the reasons that Ban Yan products are compressed exceptionally hard since anything other than hard compression will virtually make the products fall apart during transit. In fact, I am comfortable in calling the leaves fannings.




Impressions

The sheng was indeed palatable. The liquor was a bit dry but not boring. In fact, it did have its moments. If anything, aging Bao Yan products can certainly provide a learning experience for what time and careful aging can do to sub par pu-erh. Again, although not typically sought after collectors, you still may want to acquire Bao Yan products aging for future consumption. There is every reason to believe that Bao Yan may age well enough to become an everyday sheng that won't break your bank. I know I am! ;)

2006 Bai Cha Tang 7th Generation 400g

Factory Information

Bai Cha Tang puerh is the brain child of Mr. Ai Tian. Mr. Tian, who is also the factories tea master, is not just producing puerh to leave his mark on the puerh world, but is also on a personal quest to bring puerh back to its pre 2001 standards when quality and not quantity were paramount. He is intimately involved in all aspects of the puerh process and uses his 20 years of production knowledge to insure that his products are produced with the up most care and quaility. Mr. Tian takes puerh so seriously he purposely leaves a barrel outside the factory gates so that when he personally identifies a “fake” product, he will subsequently label the inappropriate puerh and throws it away for all of the community to see. ( There has been some concern about of some factories producing puerh using mao cha outside the Yunnan area and issues of counterfeiting due to the enormous demands of the market.)

Though relatively new on the market, his products have already made some headway in the puerh world with competition wins such as his win at the China's Tea Cup competition last year with his 3rd generation cake. For further information on counterfeiting

Product Information

The 7th generation cake is a high end product of Mr. Tian’s arbor tea series line-up. The beeng is said to be made of Ancient wild, sun dried premium Mengku broad-leaved material from Lincang which were subsequently pressed using the traditional method of a stone mold.

Initial Inspection

The beeng omitted a strong and pungent odor of puerh. From the odor alone I could anticipate that I was in for a delightful gongfu session - I hope. Lately, most pu-erhs have not been very aromatic, where products of the Lincang area just for the most part falling below par. However, the 7th Generation seems to take what is best of the quintessential puerh smell and amplifies them with virtually now smoke. Although abundant honey and florally in character, the aroma seems to be put in check with its abundant rubber hints. The leaves appear to be healthy, and of choice. It was evident from the compaction that it was indeed stone pressed. Nice surprise.


Brewing Parameters

Vendor - Dragon Tea Horse Ebay Vendor

Water-Bottle spring water, generic brand. Source of water Lafayette Springs, WS

Amount – 5.6g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 2 breaths

Brewing Vessel - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Method – Gongfu

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-16s
4-22s
5-35s
6-50s
7-60s


Tasting




First Infusion

Aroma - It appears that the dry smell carried itself into the liquor. It has pronounced honey and floral notes that were laced in a pleasant rubber smell. As the liquor cooled in the sniffer, the notes all transformed into a wonderful musk.

Taste - The liquor was virtually free of any prounounced bitterness that you would find in a young sheng. Although the tea did have a nice huigan, it was unfortnately not as lasting as I would of liked. There appears to be a slight melon flavor at the end of the swallow when the air hits the back of the throat as I breath in.

Second Infusion

Aroma - The floral notes has dissapated somewhat, but still noticeable. Hints of rubber were enveloped in a hint of grass. The musk is still noticeable as the liquor cools.

Taste - There appears to be a more noticeable astringency but not unpalatable. In fact, it keeps the flavors bright. The chayun is now alerting my other senses. The sides of my tongue are tingling while the back of my throat and the roof of my mouth are pleasantly warm.

Third Infusion

Aroma - Again, honey and rubber with more noticeble woody notes. I love the musk scent.

Taste - The huigan is at full throttle. Nice and lasting. The chayun is still making this gongfu session quite active. The flavor profile is very much consistant with the previous notes although to my suprise there seems to be a flutter or berry. The sides of my tongue are now numb but not in an offending way. The flavors are now thick on my breath as I breath in and out. Nice!


Spent Leaves



The leaves look like a good combination of leave vs buds. Nice robust veins which may be indicative of a wild variety.

Final Impressions

I do like this pu-erh. Its aroma and its flavor profile were nice and thick. The liquor has a decent viscosity which is always nice. I generally get a tired sensation if the liquor is flimsy. I did feel the qi after the 3rd infusion. My knees started to hum a bit and I started to perspire. I even had to open my window in 32F weather in order to continue. The taste was reminiscent of the MengKu area which in my opinion generally have more of a longer lasting wood and rubbery taste. The activity in my mouth did remind me of the ancient leaf variety. As with most pu-erhs, it is impossible to know with any degree of certainty if it is made of entirely ancient arbor material. However, the behavior of the tea did indicate that it may well be. Nice.

Sources: Gordon of the Dragon Tea House

2005 Yi Pin Gong Tuo 100gm

Product Information

This particular tuo was given to me by my good friend Gordon of the Ebay store Dragon Tea House. It was his only one and felt that I would enjoy it.

I am not a big collector of white puerh, and frankly I have only tasted a few. Nonetheless, white puerh is an interesting development in the production of puerh. White pu-erh is still a relatively foreign concept that had its inception roughly 6 or 7 years ago - this is where it becomes interesting. Since the practice of producing white puerh has only been a few years, its aging potential is yet to be determined. However, what is certain is that white puerh has created two very opposing and different opinions. Some will argue that silver bud pu-erhs are not well suited for long term aging and that the delicate white buds will lack the necessary flavor and complexity to fully age. However, others also will contend that the tender silver buds will age just fine and that the mellow white buds will actually provide an interseting palate and may even smooth out some of the rough edges. Of course the jury is still out.

The tuo is a 2005 made the Jin Bi Fang, which is a relative-ly unknown manufacturer in Yunnan. Its name Yi Pin Gong Tuo, literally the first grade tribute tuo cha.

It was quite clear that the tuo was made with great care as signs of craftsmanship were evident. It was wrapped in a handmade high fibrous cotton paper where it was then hand signed and hand stamped. Certainly not a massed produced tuo.

The tuo itself had no peculiar odor other than a very faint floral scent. It was a joy breaking up the tuo when compared to the many others. As some of you know, some tuos are infamous for being on the hard sidem and for some, this is an understatement. However, this tuo was quite different. In fact, I didn't need to use any tools as the tuo easily broke apart with nothing more than my hands.

Brewing Parameters


Water-Bottle spring water, generic brand. Source of water Lafayette Springs, WS

Amount – 5.1g

Water Temp - Boil then cooled for 5 breaths

Method - Gongfu

Brewing Vessel - Yixing Teapot 150ml

Infusion times
1-15s
2-12s
3-30s
4-60s


Impressions



As you can see, I purposely let the water cool for 5 breaths which generally is a bit more for puerh. Understanding that the tuo is still a "white" tea, I was careful not to shock the tender leaves as scorching water would certainly do. The liquor was beautifully clear and reminiscent of a light roasted high mountain wulong.

There was the pleasant aroma emanating from the fair cup which at first I could not easily define. However, after a couple of sniffs it finally struck me that what was wafting up from my sniffing cup was vanilla - not just a hint but a considerable amount. This had a very soothing and calming effect on my mind.

The liquor was unquestionably sweet and infused with the essence of vanilla. It had a wonderful viscosity and a playful acidity which kept things moderately active. The huigan was nice, but the throat feel was not very lasting.

Spent Leaves



Nice healthy young buds


Final Thoughts

For some, these notes might be pleasing, and in fact it was a nice pleasurable brew. However, one important element was lacking - it did not taste or resemble a puerh tea. I drink puerh because I love its taste. If I wanted to drink an oolong, I would of gladly made some. Furthermore, I have never tasted a young puerh that had any notes even resembling vanilla. I can see why some in the puerh world do not consider this type or puerh appropriate, and I will also have to agree. After 3 years of aging, the liquor was still quite green with no maturing notes that one would find in a da-yi "big leaf" puerh.

However, to be fair, this is not to suggests all white puerhs are indicative of this tuo. In fact, the others that I have tasted were not as delicate or as oolong-y as this one. I don't know if its uncharacteristic profile is due to the 3 years of aging, and the silver leaves just aren't able to transform; or if its the buds themselves or perhaps a combination of both. I suggest you try and make up your own judgments.

On a better note, I actually broke up the entire tuo and took it to work as I truly loved its vanilla, green tea quality and felt it would be a good office drinker.