Sound the Zhongcha Trumpets

Posted on by Yang-chu
05 May

4 May 2024 will forever be remembered as the day to Sound the Zhongcha Trumpets!  It has to do with the 600g ripe commemorative acquired around Christmas ’14.  The pic is above.  The reason for the trumpet sounding?  This monstrosity has finally come into form!

Just last year I thought to myself, “maybe it’s really just a lame offering that’ll never amount to much.”  The difference a few months can make.  My feeling about ZC’s Purple Sky is quite similar, though by now I should know better.  There’s a prevailing perception that ripes do not require aging.  It’s imprudent to make such a sweeping generalisation, as factors vary greatly from one production and batch to the next depending upon the conception of the maker.  ZC is probably most notorious for this, realistically providing an absolute max of five recipes but executing varying permutations of material quality, processing, and fermentation to derive “new” productions.  As the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke. . . ”

The 60 has been tested religiously since its acquisition.  Less than 100g remain.  Every session till today has been “myeh”.  Some people like a dry brew, but dryness is an indication that the production hasn’t matured.  If the “55” serves as any basis for comparison, it seems even some of ZC’s raws take about 15 years before rounding into form, i.e., for the sweetness to come in and the tannins to impart richness as opposed to astringency.

A light bulb went off this morning.  The aroma is intensely roasty.  The brew itself requiring three-stacked infusions to reach the proper ratio of density to sweetness.  Such a deep vortex of roast and molasses-esque sweetness is evocative of LCGC and Boyou offerings.  Poof!  That’s where LCGC gets its “0081.”  Duh!  LCGC’s ’13 “0081” is scrumptious.  It’s their entry-level ripe that will soon be posted.  It is to such heights that this 60 has now climbed.

Not to be repetitive but 60 is a “7581,” but not all 7581s are equal.  Before delving further, it’s worth noting that 7581 is a standard-bearer among ripes.  In fact, it is considered one of the first, if not the first, “perfected” ripe recipe.  The “75” indicates the year of production.  The “8” indicates the size of the leaf forming the bulk of the recipe.  The “1” indicates the factory, Kunming Tea Factory, which since ’07 has been the principle entity holding the iconic Zhongcha (aka ChinaTea) trademark.  This recipe constitutes a conceptual tour de force, something now hard to imagine given that most ripes emulate this production style, a style epitomized by having navigated away from attempts at approximating aged puerh and tacking more toward the coffee vibe.

Incidentally, all of the ripe ZC Lunar/Zodiac series are 7581.  It’s fair to conjecture that this series provides the best opportunity to compare relatively recent 7581 vintages.  It’s certainly sufficient basis for mentioning in an ever-so-blasé manner among fellow tea tyrants, “but you know, the drought of _____ (insert year here) in Menghai really shortens the attack after the third infusion.”  Feel free to substitute “flood” for “drought.” Be creative, expositions needn’t be confined to just weather, but could also include religious, political or any other identitarian platitude of one’s choosing; the key is conviction.  Be forewarned. The jury is out on just how much puerh prominence one can possibly gain by talking 7581.  After all, it’s been crafted very much as being “the people’s” ripe.  It’s probably best to start such a conversation by noting thematic inconsistencies in the Zodiac/Lunar wrapper, finish with compression and leave it at that by circling back to talk about HK and Taiwan vendors.

In the past six months, I’ve had the opportunity to visit the ’12 7581 individually boxed brick, part of Ripe Sampler Group #1.  I picked up a slew around April ’15.  Tracking its transformation has formed the basis for a great education on the nature of ripes in general and the 7581 specifically.  Recently (since spring ’23), the brick started to take on some the berry notes often found in Hunan heicha.  There’s also a nice blend of creaminess.  After so much time, there’s a level of sweetness, roundness, and depth that just cannot be found in either a new or questionably stored brick of the same vintage. Yet satisfying as the brick may be, it is clearly comprised of more modest quality material than either the Snake or 60. . . or maybe it’s just that 2012 was an especially ordinary year.

Material quality does vary between cake, brick, and tuo, but there’s no consistent practice across factories.  ZC tends to be most recognized for their bricks, but as stated the ’12 brick doesn’t hold up to Snake nor 60. Curiously, the same year I picked up, unbeknownst to me, the first year Houde was offered.  An Instagram associate in HK recently posted some shots of his, so I gave Houde a visit after several-years’ hiatus.  Previous sessions where characterized as having a wretched cherry note and the lacking character of immaturity.  The recent session was actually quite pleasant, reminding me of that rotund gourmand extraordinaire.  Houde comes up because it’s from the same same year as the brick.  Houde is classed as an outstanding daily-drinker.  Productions from ’12-’16 are nowhere to be found in cake form but there are still some bricks around, which might indicate some batch variation.  Houde and the brick are in similar neighborhoods, with the former being slightly more durable.  Houde doesn’t approach the Snake or 60 either.  Tis time to circle back to 60 for now.

Whenever a treasure comes into form, a little fanfare is in order.  When it comes into form and is as good as the 60, then it’s positively time to sound the trumpets.  Pondering the finer points of 60 compared to 55 and Snake, both of the annual commemoratives were very tannic.  Befuddlement: recipes are highly guarded secrets.  At one time I would have said that by appearance alone that 55 was not 7581.  Filled with so many gold buds, “55” appears to be something else. . .  but for that matter every other 7581 is something else too, so it becomes extremely difficult to make any definitive calls even about what 7581 actually is.  The situation is complicated by storage variability, which is of incalculable importance.  Still, buds tend to make for a more tannic expression and for this reason alone it’s probably safe to assume that 55 is not 7581.  Another thing noticed about the 55 is that the qi seems to be getting more intense with the passing of each year, something not really noticed with the Snake, from which I’ve drunk much more parsimoniously.  After only a couple years the Snake appeared promising, in part because it wasn’t particularly tannic yet obviously already quite rich.  Frequent drinking would have only proven an indulgence at the expense of sampling productions about which there was less certainty in terms of it maturity and storage stability.  By Snake’s fifth year, through the fortune of plenty heat and humidity, a full explosion of petrichor and camphor emerged.

The 60 is victim of fairly stern compression, which in the long run may account for some of its splendor.  At 600g, size and compression mutually factor into the rate of transformation.  However, my cake has been drunk down to well less than 100g for over five years.  Interestingly, the 60 now is already much sweeter than the 55.  Blame it on 55‘s bud content. Naturally, not all recipes are crafted with the same sweetness in mind, as the delightful T8371 shows.  Conversely, 7581 should be unequivocally sweet and rich, barometers of maturity, storage, and quality.  By these measures, 60 has earned its trumpet, having not only become ready but also expressing some of the best that  7581 has to offer.

Recap

Ripes age.  The 7581 is a trailblazing ripe recipe, but not really meant to be expensive.  Nonetheless vintage, processing, storage, and age variability contributes to considerable variation in price.  Fermentation styles of ripes vary.  The maturation of 60 comes at year 14 of its evolution, which is roughly about the same amount of time required of 55.  Invariably, each offering has its charm.  The berry and cream in the ’12 brick stands in contrast to the dense petrichor and camphor of the Snake both have their place.  The 60, not for sale, is remarkably similar to the LCGC’s 0081, itself inspired by the ripe paragon, 7581.

Cheers!

Five Puerh (Im)Possibilities?

Posted on by Yang-chu
03 May

Puerh Junky got to thinking of Five Puerh (Im)Possibilities.  The title sounded nice, so why not just run with it?  They’re puerh musings upon offerings currently feeling neglected (CFN).  You see, most of the newer arrivals receive the bulk of attention. Listed puerhs have already gained storage stability, so attention naturally goes toward actively evolving items (AEI).  AEIs necessitate more drinking to ascertain their level of readiness.  It’s less about drinking for pleasure than for readiness.

So below, CFNs are given their day in the sun.  Many of these have been visited in the past 10 days (today is May 3, 2024).

’04 Uncle Creme Florale vs ’11 Creme Florale

Somewhere in an imaginary universe, Uncle Creme Florale and Creme Florale meet.  Unfortunately, poor Uncle had not been visited for the better part of a year (presently spring ’24).  It has always performed consistently, exhibiting a strong yet soothing presence.  Conversely, the nephew has been one of the better sellers.  A recent shipment necessitated adjudging relative differences in storage.  This latest iteration (Mar ’24) expresses a greater underlying humid character than the previous two.  It doesn’t reveal itself till after the fourth infusion.  Astringency is also greatly diminished, making for a far smoother drinking experience.  I got it at such a good price, I put it on sale.

The greatest difference between the two is that despite its chronological age, Uncle is younger. . .  not by a whole lot.  Both are super delicious.  The Uncle is shrouded in sultry vanilla. There’s also some anise with just a vintage Lily-of-the-Valley kiss coming emerging on the back end.  The sweetness level and the lasting vanilla in the mouth will make it your favourite Uncle for sure.  It’s now more  even more of what made it so delicious to start.  ’11 Creme Florale has matured greatly.  There’s more roundness and complexity in a humid orchid waltz.  MKRS vibrancy emerges with each infusion.  It’s starting to reflect attributes of the vaunted Tiger.

’07 Mincemeat vs ’07/’08 Water Blue Mark

Whereas PJ is less certain about the batch processing of Fuhai, maker of Mincemeat, at least the procedure for designating batch differences with Zhongcha (aka ChinaTea) maker of Water Blue Mark, is presumably understood.  The last tasting of both Mincemeat and ’08 WBM was shortly before the new year ’24, both being backorders from different but familiar vendors.  The vendor of the ’08 audaciously claimed “first batch” (charging as much), but only being second.  Pretty infuriating.  There’s a significant difference between batches and the only reason for venturing into ’08s in the first place was because first batch ’07s couldn’t be sourced.

Pouting aside, WBM ’08 is mossy, with camphor, hidden spice notes, and a lingering vanilla and minerality.  Durable, nice texture and sweetness, not garishly sweet.  It is nothing like the ’07 or Mincemeat.  The comments on astringency in the product description no longer apply.  It’s very balanced in this regard.  The descriptor “peat” is often used to describe a mineral, vegetal quality, “mossy” takes this expression another level altogether, lichens by a forest brook, if you will. Petrichor isn’t just for ripes anymore.  That’s the taste!  A seriously wet petrichor note, i.e. moss.  Vastly different from the ’07 and actually in the neighbourhood of the ’03 7536, Fuhai.The spice from Mincemeat is now more an afterthought, as either this batch or due to evolutionary forces it’s moved into the plum zone with a blend of wood and kerosene in the aftertaste.  There’s no pencil shavings and the kerosene simply constitutes a nice compliment to the plum.  Mincement continues to impress, though Puerh Junky cannot help but feel a bit wistful for the complex spice symphony it previously expressed.

If a Jade Mark Falls in the Woods. . . 

Would anybody buy it?  In the course of the never-ending shuffle and reconnaissance that is the Puerh Junky Cave, a single Jade Mark turned up.  Right about May ’24 marks its 10th anniversary.  It’s also included among the “Most Popular” sampler set.

What if the Silver Pekoe from Tulin, 6FTM, and MKRS had a Battle Royale?

Tales of the tape: Tulin ’06, 100g, tuo, Wuliang; 6FTM ’06, 357g, cake, Menghai; MKRS ’09, 150g, mini-iron cake, Mengku.
What on earth is “silver pekoe” anyway?  It’s the hairy buds, Igor.The Tulin and MKRS have very similar profiles, being dry-stored and packing a punch that many find appealing in terms of mouthfeel and aftertaste.  The taste itself is something PJ associates with dryer sheets, something “church lady” perfumy with fleeting hints of cantaloupe and maybe strawberry.  That fleeting berry is more notional in the MKRS.  The emphasis is church lady, with a fair measure of church-lady bitterness, and an impression that stays with you long after she’s left your presence.   This trait is an aspect of camphor, which when subjected to more heat and humidity orange-juice sourness before becoming explosively menthol-y (i.e., camphory).  MKRS isn’t listed yet but you’re welcome to ask.

The first two sips of the 6FTM initiates the qi response.  The 6FTM storage box is accessed less than any of the other, allowing for serious storage action to set in.  There an immediate mushroom note billowing from the gaiwan as the water is poured.  It’s not humidity.  It’s mushroom.  By the time the liquor is poured, honeysuckle billows from the pitcher.  The texture is light, the huigan intense, honeysuckle reverberating.  Very pleasant huigan, sweetness.  Cheese in the first infusion before assuming a more aggressive posture, thicker texture, more bitterness, much stronger floral force in the mouth with the mushroom singing harmony.

Last Orange Mark Standing

I wouldn’t call Orange Mark (BZ OG) citrus.  Citrus expresses varying degrees of florality and sourness.  Jade Mark, for example has expressed citrus notes and I often pick up grapefruit notes in various productions.  Orange Mark, on the other hand, is “orange” flavour.  After opening and sitting for about four hours the thickness is greater and the sweetness is at candy level, coating the tongue in orange-y sweetness.  There’s only one remaining.

Wrap-up

So there you have it.  The Currently Feeling Neglected (CFN) have had their chance to show their stuff.  The ’08 Water Blue Mark was definitely the biggest surprise, though hardly should have been complaining about neglect having only arrived in Nov ’23.  Perhaps had we been moving into autumn the Uncle would have beat it out.  The aged vanilla intensity is. . . intensifying.  Orange and Jade Marks and the Silver Pekoe, 6FTM strike this drinker as more in tune with the melody of spring.

Cheers!

March ’24 Puerh Musings

Posted on by Yang-chu
05 Mar

March ’24 Puerh Musings must be prefaced by commentary upon the ventures of some individual(s) who thought it necessary to scrawl my personal FB postings to otherwise disaffect those who might be affected by my views on matters entirely unrelated to tea. I’d like to dedicate this post to them and hope whatever ventures upon which they engage beyond defamation do well.  For what it’s worth, I do not retract one scintilla of what I’ve posted.  At the same time, I do not care to belabour matters about which most have very little discernment, which has essentially been my life purpose.  I welcome any interlocutors who are of good faith, but it should be noted that were I a conventionalisto, then that which I’ve been able to offer would be off the radar because I’d be too busy adhering to “herdism,” that which is anathema to my being. . . eh?  (though I’m not Canadian)

We now resume with the third-person lens where we find the Puerh Junky moving from the kitchen of burping cabbage fermented concoctions to the front room alcove, where he crafts his “musings.”  He has designs to discuss the few Zhongcha/Chinatea offerings upon which he’s been sitting as well as some Xinghai and other productions that have been sitting in the cave for a while.  In particular, he feels that there have been some ripes deserving mention.  He’ll start there.

Leap Week LME Ripes

Leap Week LME Ripes occurred spontaneously.  For clarity’s sake, LME stands for the Laoman’e brand and not the terroir, per se, though all of their productions seem to come the three same terroir: Bulang, Nannuo, and Banzhang.  All LME ripe offerings can be characterized as rich and dense, having full fermentation.  There’s full mouthfeel and considerable bitter finish.  This bitterness is likely their most distinguishing feature.  They provide a range of entry points in terms of price.  Prices for widely available productions tend to hold steady, but the Arbor King and BZ Peacock have shown movement to the upside, the latter being a rather extraordinary offering.

The week started out with the ’12 Arbor King, which proved to be its poorest performance ever.  Typically, there’s a cherry note that accompanies its intensity but this time it could not be detected and it was definitely on the flat papery side.  It’s not likely the storage, at the same time AK has not been temperamental.  The best guess is the weather and I’ll be sure to revisit in the next month or two for latest developments.  Overall, I found the visit disappointing and a later visit in the week proved no better, even after airing a bit.

I recently picked up three more ’11 Orchid Vibe.  It’s a good price and I’ve enjoyed the vanilla, along with a fermentation that’s a bit lighter than the others, though by no means light.  I stored it in the ripe big box.  The taste is vastly different from the past with much more wood resin.  It seemed quite similar to the Langhe Ripe Tuo, though they’re stored in different places.  Overall quality and character are solid, but the personality differs greatly from any previous session in tasting for a number of years now.  Again, must be the rainy-season effects.

By this time, the Puerh Junky had a fancy to test a LCGC ripe acquired in Nov ’23.  A more exhaustive write-up on LCGC ripes will be in order some time this year ’24.  The year ’23 had Puerh Junky more curious about their ripes.  It proved a good change of pace, as it brought the LME ripe house style into greater relief.  The greatest difference?  Sweetness.  The LCGC possesses a light molasses and Wheat Chex quality.  The sweetness adds a layer of thickness, though it’s not sticky sweet.  Since Old Geezers which sold out to a local fiend, I haven’t found such a production.

Finally, there was the ’06 Nannuo, LME. It’s in the ripe sampler set #4. This was sampled straight from storage and twice thence in the same week.  Each time, totally blind, PJ’s wife made remarks whereas none of the others elicited a peep.  The Nannuo, of which, I’ve picked up three more in a most recent order (yet to be received), possesses a layer of Vienna Fingers vanilla cookie.  There’s a top layer of this with the LME house bitter finish.  Still is not remarkably sweet.

All were brewed in my ripe pot 10-12g about 3m to start at same or upward with about four infusions.  No vegetal at all.  Prices for these between in the $60s-110.  Samples avail in Sampler U or on respective page.

Zhongcha

Zhongcha is ChinaTea.  I’m trying to get use to using that name more frequently.  They’re a full-range outfit but most of that which Puerh Junky offers is in the “peoples” and midrange priced offerings.  There have been a few individuals who’ve examined the leaves and made critical remarks, then showing me Chenshenghao’s yedi.  I’ve not endevoured to portray my ZC’s on par with CSH’s, but when I look at such monochromatic leaves, I immediately suspect blow drying.  No bueno.  In any event, Zhongcha has presented itself as a volume seller of casual drinkers that “the people” can afford.  Until ’14 they adhered to strict processing methods that didn’t pander to quick-sweet tastes.  Furthermore, they’re iconic and worth visiting for a sense of classic puerh history.   Since ’07 the Zhongcha brand has been synonymous with Kunming TF, though there’s an out layer or two.  Initial forays into Zhongcha were with the ’07 offerings, with a few offered as late as ’16.  In ’23, I ventured into a few ’06 and ’08 with generally positive findings but much different from the ’07s that had served as a centerpiece of acquisition from between ’14-’20.  Astringency is much greater in the ’06 and ’08s.

During the leap week I visited two relatively recent productions, the ’12 Mangosteen and the ’13 Bulang Shengtai.  I had to sit the Mangosteen out for two weeks after first test.  There’s a very high-pitched camphor note that may only be detected by mouth cooling for newbies.  There a middle note of aged fruit, plum possibly, with a zing of erstwhile mangosteen, but a wicked astringency that is altogether not in comportment with the house style as I know it.  I’m still not offering, though I’ve had on hand since ’14, only offering to those confident about their storage.  Having tracked essentially since inception, two more years seems the minimum.  It has maximo classical processing and I’m optimistic given it innate character.  First batch, late March/early April.  It’s bona fide and taking it time.  At least three on hand.

The ’13 Bulang Shengtai has been more fudged in processing if the Mangosteen serves as any comparison  The sugars have already come in, an overall fruity character, having an element of bitterness.  Zen front, fruit second, not unfriendly.  Easy. Everyday drinker.  A good candidate for one unfamiliar with 10yr plus productions that have been only moderately fired.  The wrapper is iconic, but if I’m resorting to wrapper I cannot be all that taken.  It’s very possible that it’s just early.  The 10yr spot is just for starters, nothing negative, seasonal factors included.  Fine.  Much better than two years ago.  Again, the sugars are present but Zen needs some differentiation from bland.  A good conservative starter for testing your brewing method.  I’m expecting more with the the weather changes, say late Aug.  Hit me up.  I won’t raise price in next two years.  I plan to post on a Zhongcha page at the latest by May ’24.

Xinghai

Xinghai grabbing continued afoot in ’23.  Now is a time for proper testing the first stage.  We’ll visit the ’07 Oasis Odyssey, ’07 Paolo Santo, and the ”06 Treasured.  I also tried the ’06 Bulang GS, which is prolly issued under ’07, but I’m willing to give it some time.  Let’s start with the Oasis Odyssey.

Oasis Odyssey seems to have been acquired in May ’23, offered in Nov of the same year.   Over time, it has traversed from oily purple to the typical astringent XH personality with good salivation effect as opposed to drying.  Mostly in the Zen Class.  Compression is massive.  The purple has diminished in expression.  Balanced sweetness.  We’ll have to observe how it evolves in relation to the changes of the seasons.  I’m looking for more oil and purple as last year.

The ’07 Paolo Santo tuo has me rather excited.  It’s a second batch production that has lemon and wood attributes.  I can easily see how the first round would be much more expensive.  No smoke, high limonene wood expression, not too sweet. smattering of bitter.  It’s not available presently, as I only acquired in Nov ’23 but around May ’24 will be.  Bright wood bitter, lemonime, complex, nice.  It’s very promising.  Not sweet but quintessentially Xinghai.  Qi is overall warming and settling.

Finally, there is the Treasured, acquired in Jun ’23.  It has yet to be listed, but one of the projects for the Xinghai Raw page two.  Treasured is the second batch.  It’s in the Tobacco Class, possibly approaching tequila.  Not atomically pressed, with a nice balance of smoked wood, wood resin, sweetness, and astringency.  Probably the most notable element regards storage.  Most productions require the proper treatment that these LA environs provide.  Even then, it takes several months to bring them into a form that make them presentable.  It’s needed every bit of the nine months to come to form.  It’ll appear on the XH second page for certain.

Wrap up

March ’24 Puerh Musings have covered a range of raws and ripes.  The ripes were confined to Puerh Junky’s LME offerings, while raws involved Zhongcha and Xinghai productions.  LME ripes stand out for their bitter finish.  ZC’s ’12 Mangosteen is showing promise, but the astringency is a bit of a hair raiser presently, so it’ll sit at least till after the summer.  The ’13 Bulang Shengtai will be posted soon on a page with a few other others.  The Xinghai visits covered two productions that will also be listed soon.  If all goes well, at the latest mid-May.  Each has a distinctive profile and all being second batches are very reasonably priced:  Oasis Odyssey is Zen with balanced sweetness; Paolo Santo is as the name suggests with remarkable qi; Treasured offers wood complexity of Tobacco Class.  Paolo Santo is also Tobacco Class, but possesses a vastly different quality from Treasured, more closely resembling their Green Peacock.

Puerh Junky’s Xinghai Perseverations

Posted on by Yang-chu
04 Feb

Puerh Junky’s Xinghai Perseverations is the catchy phrasing yours truly came up with to capture the past ten days, which are very much like all the other.  The Puerh Junky is sitting upon a massive load of Xinghai productions, acquired mostly in the past two years.  The past ten days had the Puerh Junky visiting at least four Xinghai TF productions.  Xinghai has a resolute house style with astringency being its key trait, elements of apple of various expression often thrown in.  They adhere to strict processing before ’07 and thereafter begin to ease into more of the new style with reserve.  This to say that their new processing is very skillfully executed. In ’22 Xinghai celebrated their 20th anniversary, but they were bought out in ’18 and no offering after ’16 has me interested.  In this Junky’s Log we’ll visit BZ Wild King, Oasis Odyssey, Naka bamboo, and HK Returns 10th.

BZ Wild King

The BZ Wild King is the late 2nd batch offering from an unimaginably expensive production.  It’s the people’s offering.  As mentioned, the earlier second batch is not time-stamped but this is.  In this latest session of winter ’24 the smoke was far more evident than in most sessions.  I noticed a similar smokiness in the Bulang Shengtai Tribute.  Previous sessions only presented with the smoke once.  I presume that that smoke might become more pronounced.  Stunner is the sweetness and a heretofore novel creaminess totally unknown to Xinghai offerings.  It’s shockingly friendly for Xinghai given the sweetness and cream.  There’s a familiar star anise note that often visits productions from XH specifically and the region in general.

Oasis Odyssey

Oasis Odyssey came into the collection in the early part of ’23 as part of the XH obsession.  It’s on the Xinghai Raw page listing.  Initial tastes indicated need for restoration with an already unmistakable “purple” quality.  As it has come into form, more of the characteristic XH astringency has presented itself.  Let’s be clear, Xinghai is astringent, often punishingly so.  Oasis Odyssey is atomically compressed and there’s zero humidity in the flavour, though it completely reflects proper KM storage,  coolish and dry.  Solid everyday drinker for those favouring astringency.  Seems less oily than it was previously.  This may come back as the weather warms.  The Chinese name actually references a top-tier tribute series that seems to come out on a yearly basis with a different wrapper, but this cake doesn’t endeavor to reach such heights, probably because it’s second batch or later.  Pricing is 100% honest in this regard, a solid intro to XH astringency but the characteristic apple hasn’t come through just yet.  .

Naka Bamboo

The Naka Bamboo will have to sit a bit.  It didn’t come in bamboo and the compression is also atomic.  It doesn’t express characteristic Naka traits in terms of cucumber and perfume.  It didn’t come into reserves till Nov ’23 and it will need at least a year to justify the price paid for it.  Although Xinghai does sometimes venture beyond its primary terroir featuring some prominent Yiwu for instance, this Naka may be a kind of one off.  Needs more time, unlisted.  Right now has an interesting sticky rice note and very interested to see how the initial bamboo stage contributes to a marvelous production.

HK Returns 10th

The HK Returns 10th has been tasted often.  It is also on the Xinghai raw page.  The newest progression is of incense with grapefruit.  Previously described as the Xinghai workhorse, it has taken on a much more interesting character.  It’s in a new stage with previous character still expressing.  Transformation traits are expressing along a promising trajectory with decent with a moderate level of sweetness but an oft highly regarded grapefruit/pumello note.  Not particularly bitter.  Huigan forward.

Wrap Up

Puerh Junky’s Xinghai perseverations continue in large part because beyond offering decent value, it continues to demonstrate promise in underlying material and transformational potential.  Seasonality brings out different attributes in performance, thence this Junky’s Log.  The BZ Wild King showed a smokiness heretofore unknown.  Oasis Odyssey has showed more sassy astringency.  HK Returns 10th expresses a layer of incense along with its grapefruit.  Cannot say much about the Naka Bamboo, but it’s good to know about the stages involved before a production gets listed.  The BZ Wild King and HK Returns were both the most surprising, the smoke and cream with the former and then incense with the latter.  Those keen on aggressive style will need to look no further than XH at this stage of the game.

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.

 

 

Winter Tasting 2024

Posted on by Yang-chu
18 Jan

Winter Tasting 2024 finds “Peej”, as he’s known on the streets, back to the arduous task of sampling.  His focus goes back to Xinghai factory, in the dispassionate manner of any hoarder.  He recently acquired an edition of the ’06 Bulang GS without the “special” stamp.  I guess this would make it the 3rd or late 2nd batch.  It you drink it like most teas, it’s hideous; if drunk like cognac or ouzo, then at least you’re prepared.

Bulang Old Tree (no stamp)

There’s that hella fennel, star anise, bitter grasses, like golden rod. . . white oak.  I’m using my slow pour floral zisha, 150ml at 6.7g, which I feel is far too much really, but I’m giving this intensity a go.  It’s deathly astringent and drying, but less so in the throat.  I think the easiest thing to call it would be black tea, dianhong, but this species of star anise is particular to Mt Bulang in Banzhang.  It’s a recuring theme in many Xinghai productions and is evident in the LME Quincy, and the Tiger, CMS.

The Bulang Old Tree “Special” ostensibly is the second batch, as the neifei bears no timestamp.  Presumably, there is a Bulang GS “Select”, identical but for the designating stamp on the wrapper as well as the date stamp on the neifei.  The Special strikes me as having notes similar to the MKRS Daxueshan, a Lincang production.  Such are the hazzards of getting too hung up on terroir.  Daxueshan, nonetheless is on the “black tea” side of Lincang in contrast to Bingdao, which tends toward round and fruity, white grapey, pear.   Daxueshan area has a taste like Fengqing, in Simao, home to the largest and most famous producer of dianhong in all Yunnan.  There’s two cakes of this no-stamp version and price is quite modest, under $70usd.

Dianhong also goes by the name Yunnan Gold, or just black tea from Yunnan.  Oxidized productions are a specialty in itself.  The area of Fengqing is thought to be ideal for making black tea.  The puerh from this area tastes the same, with a distinctive rose nose and taste.  The 6FTM Lunar New Year Series possesses at least 30% Fengqing material.

BZ Wild King

The nose on the ’06 BZ Wild King evokes a sense of a spicy Smurfberry Crunch, lots of vanilla and blueberry, some nutmeg.  It hearkens to an era in the 80s, when Post cereals still existed.  While that opens up, should mention the run in I had with the ’07 Imperial Tuo, 250g raw.  It may get posted soon for a short spell.  It’s a very recent acquisition and has now entered a tasting rotation of sorts.  It has a personality akin to the Tiger Tuo.  A citrus pine vibe presents in the nose and liquor, some characteristic Xinghai apple and moderate sweetness with big astringency. Quite similar to the Green Peacock come to think of it.  The Green Peacock is a dreadfully good buy, more oiling, and one of the most well-received of ’23.

Goodness!  The ’07 BZ Wild King is nice in this ceramic shot glass.  It was just as good in the porcelain cup.  Smoke and wood, sweet then red-fleshed plum, super-intense Juicy Fruit factor on back end.  As usual, possesses that bracing astringency characteristic of Xinghai factory particularly before ’07.  There’s that distinctive medicinal note also found in the Bulang Old Tree.  BZWK has a top end note of swiss chard with vanilla, but turning more fully vanilla with spices like ginger and clove.  It’s on par with ’07 Mincemeat in terms of spiciness.  The sweetness is greater than usual for XH, but that’s definitely balanced out by the bold astringency, which is instant and reaching into the throat.  It may be testament to the “wild” in the title.

Stylin

The smoke evident in the first two infusions forms more of an accent than theme in the overall construction of the batch.  Smoke is much more evident in Stylin, from the same year.  Stylin’s leaves seem to be fairly small and expectations are that it will be intense.  The 6.7g used in the second case of BZWK proved more appropriate than for the Bulang Old Tree (special).  The nose is floral and fruity, sweet and the rinse is sudsy.  A definite aroma of honeysuckle and backdrop of smoke in the pitcher.  The smoke hits first followed by creamy and ferment-y butterscotch and then smoky, fruity, mineral-y.  Very nice sweetness.

The brew is lightest and longest-stored of the three sampled.  Intense smoked dryer sheet essence. Definitely more bitter than the BZWK.  The incense/dryer sheet essence fades to Juicy Fruit.  Stylin is first batch with a timestamp on the neifei.  A florid aroma coats the pitcher, there’s that “pissiness” of certain flowers, like magnolias.  The pissiness is disguised by the smoked wood in the broth.  It may be a puerh, but it’s tequila-identified. Puerh Junky knows next to nothing about tequila, but there is one type that is sweet and palatable like amaretto.  They call it “anejo.”

The third infusion appears slightly more coppery with some lasting suds befitting its dish-soap fragrance.  The really perfume-y puerhs are disgusting.  The flowers here are sultry and oppressive.  It’s pure perfume and the smoke is fighting a losing battle.  A bit of wintergreen and bitter grasses.  Astringent.  Cloying, like a woman seeking attention by wearing very loud perfume.  Although the perfume is evident in the nose, the taste is of ginseng, unapologetically bitter, spinach minerals, and a bittersweetness of Sweet-n-Low.  Feels now more like the cheap tequila that you’re just drinking for the hangover the next day.  Feels like it’s at least five years off for the lightweight Junky.

I just made that five-years bit up to make myself sound like a knowledgeable soothsayer.  Stylin‘, despite its cunning that sounds lower on the register, still possesses a rambunctiousness that belies youth.  Right now, it’s quite dreadful.  The smoke and perfume are hideous and punishing, then the bitterness.  Experienced drinkers may enjoy this or prefer to sit this one out till it gets a few more years under its belt.  It might end up being for the ages if you can store on your own for a couple years.

Instagram shots here.

Did Puerh Junky Mention II

Posted on by Yang-chu
08 Dec

Did Puerh Junky Mention II continues its look into the past.  Last time we visited some of the stellar productions.  What distinguished them is the excellent storage.  The subsequent discussion continues by bringing to the readers attention productions that worthy of note.  Let’s start out with the cream note, shall we?

The ’04 Uncle Creme Florale and the ’07 Mengsong are both solid cream-drinking experiences.  Sweet and dynamic with pleasant camphor notes.  These two are great everyday drinkers or newbies who’d like a completely different quality of puerh experience that is free from the heavy muted notes of more humid-stored productions, while still enjoying the benefits of serious age.

Ripes have heretofore gone rather neglected.  The ’11 Peacock Gold, Fuhai is in a good place.  Excellent everyday drinker for those enjoying a balance between viscosity, sweetness, bitter and camphor.  Storage is succulent and composition fully expressed under current conditions and age.

Discerning ripe drinkers have almost universally glowed over ’12 Operation Macau.  Most commissioned productions are far from ordinary and Operation Macau is no exception.  If you’re interested in trying a next-level ripe that favours the palate of discerning Macanese standards, rich, sweet, humid, then this sets a standard against which all others can be judged.  The geosmin note excels.  This is one that people load on.

Those ripe-inclined interested in a bit of history should take note of the ferocious ’02 Purple Mark, 6FTM.  This is the only 6FTM ripe production offered.  It took over two years to resuscitate a production held in deep storage and fairly recently released.  Dark chocolate that seeps through the pores.  Perfect after dinner treat.  Can be brewed heavy handed but forget about thermosing!

The cries of the humid crowd have not gone unheeded.  There’s an entire “Humid Old” category set up for it.  Noticeably absent from the list is the Revolutionary Suspect.  Rested here in LA, CA since ’15, the production is alive with the notes of pine.  Though I recommend the full set among the Humid Old , particular attention should be directed toward the Simao Orange, which hasn’t been listed yet but for which there are a few available.  Acquired in Jan of ’23, it took only a few months for this production to blossom and a handful of others were acquired this (Nov ’23) and are still waiting their turn.  Explosive camphor along a backdrop of heavy humidity.  Compression is stellar and Guangdong storage albeit true to form didn’t rot the underlying material.  Those who like the fast-forward qualities of heavy storage should find this a true pleasure.

Amidst the humid and smoky into just smoky two bear mentioning.  First is ’07 Poison, 6FTM which is humid and smoky, and the ’06 Bulang Wild Big Tree, Fuhai.  Given the colder temps, these two will it the winter spot.  Camphor is prominent in both but through very different characters.  Poison would be characterized as “menthol”, while Bulang Wild would be cast as having a more medicinal quality.  Poison is more bitter, woody and in-your-face with complexity, while the Bulang Wild surprisingly is less bitter and low toned, green.  The latter was characterized by one drinker as being like scotch, which I wouldn’t know.  Sweetness with both is high.

 

 

Did Puerh Junky Mention?

Posted on by Yang-chu
06 Dec

“Did Puerh Junky Mention?” is a bit of a retrospective.  The last puerh order for the year has been placed.  All the Nov acquisitions have been nestled along with the rest of the mounting stash.  None of the orphans are feeling lonely, and some of the “long with” items are excelling.  Let’s start with the excelling, shall we?  There are three offerings that come to mind.

’08 Buddha Impressions is a Jinggu, Simao offering from a local factory.  The pressing is moderate to light.  They didn’t fall sway to modernism or herdism, which seems fairly typical of the Jinggu offerings tracked down.  They have an iconic brick offering and it seems that at one time were part of “the monopoly.”  Anyway, storage conditions here in LA, CA, USA have be very good for it.  The past three years have not been very warm and its cooking has not in anyway been stressed.  At the same time, the zing in the material has increased greatly and the underlying quality shines greatly.  The factory offerings are increasingly difficult to come by and that’s presumably due to pre-orders or connections with exclusive distributors.  It’s worth a sample for those seeking good value from established terroir-specific factories.

’03 Yiwu Princess has always been a fav of Puerh Junky, but its vaulted to another level in the past year due to ideal storage conditions.  Originally of a humid nature, the extremely moderate conditions of LA, CA, USA have allowed all the intrinsic qualities of the the Princess to take the next step.  Most interesting is its evolution from old to young.  It previously had a taste of old chrysanthemum and has subsequently blossomed into a young floral taste along its aged backdrop.  The storage transformation for it has been stellar, exhibiting a lively mouthfeel and depth of high-grade material and superb processing.

The Puerh Junky has a vague recollection of writing upon the ’08 Dali Tuo.  In most of its stages its been pleasant, though there was one juncture where faith was close to loss.  Now, it could be said that its at the stage where one favouring wicker and berry should not hesitate.  Compression is tight.  Complexity is engaging.  Exquisite.  Instagram shots.

Finally, there is James Brown.  It’s an ’02 sinewy offering with funk and depth.  Those keen on wicker and extraordinary value.  The name indicates a funk factor akin to some cheeses.  It’s NOT mouldy or dank.  Rather, some type of cultivation has occurred that is unique to say the least.  Duration is long.  Woody, funky, spice, and deep– potent aroma.  The unexperienced will ask, “Is it really tea?”

 

Wuliang Longevity Ripe

Posted on by Yang-chu
26 Nov

The Wuliang Longevity Ripe came to settle in the Puerh Junky Lair (PJL) in March of ’23.  That makes it a newcomer to the community of LPTAWA, otherwise known as Languishing Puerh Tea Associates With Ambitions.  Dear Reader, don’t fret.  It has plenty of company.

The WLR doesn’t have a page of its own, but can be found on a page  where it clusters among productions from the same factory, Haixintang.   It falls into the category of heavily fermented ripes with an unapologetic fruit expression, in this case cherry, fermented to be precise, but to characterize it as fruity would overshadow its complexity.

Wuliang is in the Lancang/Simao region, whence cometh GPE and Tulin and a region somehow associated with the Xiaguan TF tea region.  This could be a misnomer derived from assuming that the Tulin founder and XG disciple simply picked up shop and moved across the proverbial street.  In any event, Wuliang productions tend to have quite the personality.  The WLR is no exception, particularly in terms of the roast note that comes through, most evocative of coffee.

WLR has a syrupy quality about it.  It is super smooth and coats the mouth with a thick layer of sweet and smoothness.  There’s no doubt that it would perform quite well in thermos.  It doesn’t have the playful fruitiness of Merlot, nor the wicked bitterness of LME’s ripes.  It’s very well conceived, notes of chocolate, orchid, even a suggestion of cinnamon.  It’s sweet and juicy, but all balanced by a powerful roast presence.

Obviously, people looking for their ripes to approximate coffee will love it. Instagram shots.

Puerh Junky Visits Dali Tuo

Posted on by Yang-chu
25 Nov

Puerh Junky Visits Dali Tuo is a deceptively titled journal entry because we find Puerh Junky festively clad sniffing at something in a most indecorous manner.  Aye, he’s at it again, this time confusing Bob Cratchit for Ichabod Crane.  The camera zooms in and there’s something about the dude’s eyes that are certifiably “not right.”  It’s the amulet, yeah the spellbinder he’s pawing and sniffing at that’s got him all in a lather.  No doubt some of it has to do with the incantations scribbled upon the wrapper of the thing, the thing he holds.  The thing they call “a tuo.”

Dun-dun-dun.

There’s the hint of smoke and fresh-pressed cotton clothing in the tuo.  Yes.  It gives off a distinct impression of tobacco, something they no doubt smoked upon the Pequod.  It’s got a warm air about it, dressed impeccably in a fine high-cotton wrapper despite being 15yrs old, in the Puerh Junky‘s clutches for three years, stowed away without the light of day in the PJL, what everyone knows to be the Puerh Junky Lair.

“Seems to have blackened up a bit, it does,” he mutters to himself.

Lid removed, big waft of band-aids in the lid, while berries bubble from the cup.  That’s the five min warm cup warm up.  Wood.  No smoke or sugar jump out.  Still warm, complex, a bit cranky, scruffy.  It all comes together in the aroma of the rinse, perhaps berry predominates but now there’s smoke again.  Or wood.

The taste of the rinse is obscenely delicious.  Super sweet, kerosene and berry.  Smooth.  Slick in fact.  It was a headless move to drink the rinse, but such are the perils of conjuring the spirit of Ichabod Crane.  Besides, it’s a long 15m from the opening to the official first infusion.  The aftertaste is super slick.  Three drinking vessels tried: cracked ice Longquan celedon, porcelain glazed zisha (inner glaze), and glass.  The celedon cup gives an alarmingly sanguine finish.  All the while the wood, kerosene, sweet fester in the aftertaste.  From glass there’s a wicker front, a bit more astringency, which is a bit of a surprise.  The porcelain, wood and spice.

It’s aged extremely well.  The band-aid smell from the first infusion is now oppressive in the cup.  Aroma in pitcher is lighter, more nuanced.  Taste of berries shifts to black pepper in the throat, then to kerosene and band-aids.  Band-aids and berry in the aftertaste, then strawberries.  There’s some elements of the vaunted Forever Love in there, smokier presumably is the Dali Tuo.  There’s a kind of echo of smoke.  The note will bend kerosene or smoke depending on perspective.  Storage still clearly fantastic.

The second infusion has the smoothness and viscosity standout.  It’s more wood and petrol in the taste.  Not as sweet.  Tasting more like it’s done being all fruoux, fruoux.  An image of these dogs sitting about a card table smoking cigars comes to mind.  The Puerh Junky tries to distract himself with nicer thoughts like of Ahab and the Pequod.  There’s a lemon note endeavoring to make itself known, and some vegetal bitterness has definitely made itself known, maybe something like dandelion.  Room temp the sweetness and berry prevail in the porcelain cup.

The Dali Tuo gets more and more serious with each passing year.  It’s in a darker more petrolly place presently.  Maybe a year or two before becoming even more strait berry hard to say.  Instagram fotos.