2016 Sheng Olympics (group buy)

This group buy is open to all; whether it be those trying to figure out what to buy and store for the years to come, find out what would be great to drink today, or just come along for the ride.

Details: This is a sheng group purchase meant to bring awareness of the difference in taste between many different factors via experiencing the leaf itself.
Budget: $1000
Open slots: 50 @ $20 per slot
Max slots per person: 5
Purchase Date (LP): February 2016 (except Verdant for Cyber Monday deal)
Payments Due: First week of March 2016
That thing called ‘shipping/handling’, $6 domestic, $10 international

Confirmed
Yunnan Sourcing: Around $320 $388.50
You Le Mountain pu’erh comparison by year and age; 7 grams/each per share
2005 http://yunnansourcing.com/en/hai-lang-hao/1608-2005-hai-lang-hao-you-le-zheng-shan-raw-pu-erh-tea-cake.html
2009 http://yunnansourcing.com/en/rawpu-erh/816-2009yunnansourcingyoulezhichunrawpu-erhtea.html
2015 http://yunnansourcing.com/en/2015/3602-2015-hai-lang-hao-you-le-old-arbor-raw-pu-erh-tea.html (LP will take the additional 50 grams and subtract $18)
A surprise
A second surprise

Verdant: Around $160 $143 (Cyber Monday!)
Pictures of the different trees used, http://steepster.com/discuss/12225-transparency-in-the-tea-industry?post_id=188034#forum_post_188034 (look for Lily’s comment)
2015 Dongsa Cooperative tree age comparison; 4 grams/ each per share
1800yr (single) http://verdanttea.com/teas/2015-eighteen-hundred-year-single-tree-sheng/ x2
1000yr http://verdanttea.com/teas/2015-thousand-year-tree-sheng/ x2
300yr http://verdanttea.com/teas/2015-three-hundred-year-tree-sheng/ x2

Private Buy $70
2015 comparison of Crimson Lotus’ Bai Ying Shan, or White Warbler Mountain, cakes; 4g/each per slot
Whispering Sunshine http://crimsonlotustea.com/products/spring-2015-bai-ying-shan-whispering-sunshine-sheng-raw-puerh-from-crimson-lotus-tea
Hidden Song http://crimsonlotustea.com/collections/sheng-raw-puerh/products/spring-2015-bai-ying-shan-hidden-song-sheng-raw-puerh-from-crimson-lotus-tea

J Tea International $100 $105
2001 Silver Needle Pu’erh; 4g/ each per slot
https://www.jteainternational.com/tea/silver-needle-raw-puer-2001

Tea Urchin: Around $150
Bang Wei vertical comparison: 7 grams/ each per share
2007 http://teaurchin.com/bang-wei-2007-s.html
2011 http://teaurchin.com/bang-wei-2011-s.html

ChaWang Shop: Around $115 $127
Information http://chawangpu.blogspot.com/2014/05/laos-tea-of-phongsaly-province.html
2014 Laos comparison: 4 grams/ each per share
Ban Komaen Blue http://www.chawangshop.com/index.php/pu-erh-tea/2014-laos-ban-komaen-blue-gu-shu-raw-puerh-cake-200g.html
Band Komaen Black http://www.chawangshop.com/index.php/2014-laos-ban-komaen-black-gu-shu-raw-puerh-cake-200g.html
Ban Payasi http://www.chawangshop.com/index.php/2014-laos-ban-payasi-raw-puerh-cake-200g.html

Total $988.50 on tea, $30 on bubble wrap, $7 on poly mail shippers, $35 on ziplock bags = $1,060.50
.
Participate slots
Liquid Proust 4 3 2 paid not shipping
Dexter 2 paid shipped
Dr Jim 2 paid shipped
Cookies 2 paid shipped
Shezza 2 paid shipped shipped
Rasseru 1 paid shipped
AllanK 1 paid shipped
Schadowrider 3 paid shipped
Everyday_Teaist 2 paid shipped
Ubacat 2 paid shipped
Chezmj 2 paid shipped
Haveteawilltravel 1 paid shipped
Flyawaybirdie 2 paid shipped
Mrmopar 2 paid shipped
Brentusaurus 1 paid shipped
Malsa292 2 paid
curlygc 1 paid shipped
Just John 1 paid shipped
Lindsay 1 paid shipped
Lumpkin 2
TeaExplorer 2 paid shipped
Rich 1 paid shipped
Single Origin Teas 1 paid shipped
Tealluminati 2 paid shipped
physiognomy 2 paid shipped
Duckboogie 2 paid
Rui A 1 paid shipped
Azurephoenix 1 paid shipped
Tea in Spoons 1 paid shipped
Kuroeko 1 paid shipped
Ag 1 paid shipped

gift =) 1 + 1 paid shipped

50/50

Please comment below how many shares you’d like to commit to.
Please message all questions to keep this thread nice and clean!

431 Replies
Dexter said

I would like to commit to TWO slots/shares. :))

That comment is harassment and I’m kind of sad that it has breached into something I’ve been working so hard on.
sigh

Login or sign up to post a message.

Dr Jim said

Two slots for me. Great idea. I’m really enjoying the aged oolong, to the point that the what-cha group order has kind of slipped off the back burner.

Login or sign up to post a message.

I’m in for TWO slots. Yay me!!

Login or sign up to post a message.

cookies said

I’m in for one slot!

cookies said

Can I actually switch to two slots please? 4g is a little small for me.

Login or sign up to post a message.

Dr Jim said

I love the idea, but have concern about the math. My initial assumption was that when you say 17 grams per share, you mean for each tea, not the total for the group. I’m pretty sure that’s not the case, but even working on the group total, the numbers seem off.

For instance, if I look at the Tea Urchin teas, the two cakes at 357 grams would be about 7 grams per tea when divided by 50 shares. the two cakes add up to $157, which is close to your $150 estimate, but ignores shipping. So the total amount of tea seems closer to 14 grams than 17 (and I would present it as 7 grams/tea rather than 14 grams/vendor, and push the estimate up to $177 (I think they do flat-rate shipping).

For whatever reason a ‘1’ was put in front of the ‘7’ which made it ‘17’, I didn’t even notice; thanks! I would assume 7 grams would equal a session of each. So with Yunnan Sourcing it’s three sessions total, one of each to compare (per slot)
In regards to cost… just like all my other group buys, I have money to pay the difference. This is something I am passionate about. With the Aged Oolong group buy three others helped contribute which was nice, but that is something I won’t ask of this time. I’m putting $200’ish towards this myself to provide either the Last Thoughts or some 90’s sheng.

Dr Jim said

Thanks for the clarification. Makes a lot more sense now. I’ll bump my order to two shares.

Login or sign up to post a message.

shezza said

I’d like to join in! edited again: actually, please put me down for two.

Login or sign up to post a message.

duckboogie said

I’m new around these parts, but I’d love to join if possible. Two slots, if that’s all right. :)

Login or sign up to post a message.

Rasseru said

Yeah im down with this as well. Put me for one, maybe I’ll up it later. But very skint with lots to save for the next few months

Login or sign up to post a message.

AllanK said

This sounds interesting but I would like to know the details, how many samples would we get per slot?

YS: 7 grams x 3 = 21 grams
Tea Urchin: 7 grams x 2= 14 grams
Verdant: 4 grams x 3 = 12 grams
ChaWang: 4 grams x 3 = 12 grams

Emmett: ?
Special (Last Thoughts or some 90’s): ?

Each slot is 60+grams
At least 12 different full sessions
:)

AllanK said

I think I am interested in one slot.

Login or sign up to post a message.

3 slots please!

Login or sign up to post a message.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.