Working on a Mandala “Year of the Dragon”cake. I received this a while back from Garret at Mandala with an order. This tea is the exact tea you should give a first time puerh drinker. This tea has the smoothness and creaminess noted in earlier tastings and a bit of a surprise to me. This tea is made with jingmai material that usually has a citrus twang to it. This is absent of any of that. I think if you wanted a good puerh to sit back in the chair and relax this is a good one. It has a good depth of flavor with no off or earthy taste to it. It has no drying of the tongue like some shou does and leaves a light cocoa vanilla taste. A well made tea in my book.
All the Mandala posts are very positive. Perhaps I’ll try them out soon. Glad you’re enjoying!
Yeah Garret has sourced and made some good stuff. I still have more samples he has given me that I hope to be able to review soon on here. I don’t think I have had one I didn’t like. I think his taste and mine are very similar on puerh.
2007 Menghai Yunhai 5g Puerh Ball
I recently received my first order from PuerhShop.com. Very fast delivery – placed the order on a Wednesday and received it at my front door on Saturday! They have a nice selection and very fair pricing. I’ll be ordering again very soon.
This particular shu is a rich dark chocolate looking tea ball with a woodsy smell. I brew these in a 6oz glass steeper and love to watch the 1 inch tea balls unfurl in the boiling water as the very dark brownish-red tea soup develops. The flavor is earthy yet smooth and mellow. While I definitely prefer the ripe puerh bricks or cakes, these little guys are a great value for an every day shu!
While spending the day making apple butter (I picked my neighbor’s tree yesterday), I am sipping on a very impressive Master Han’s 2002 shu pu-erh (pressed in 2012) from Verdant tea. This tea has been mentioned several times in this thread. I am very impressed with it’s mellow taste with subtle hints of forest, citrus, and gently penetrating camphor in the finish. A really wonderful shu.
mrmopar was asking about the Haiwan cake I got cheap at the Chinese Market. I hadn’t broken into it, so thought, hey why not.
It looks good, it smells good, tastes good. I just made a quick cup western brewed. Tastes like Ph’erh to me. I’m nice and smooth, not astringent, maybe not as bold as I would like. I can drink this. Will reserve final judgement until I’ve had a few cups. Here are a few (no so good)pictures.
http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/Dexter3657/media/IMG_2680_zps3cd49c10.jpg.html
Sorry, the tag thing stuck in the leaves, is the logo like the front of the package the date stamped on it is 18Jun2007 – there is another loose square of paper in it with Chinese characters that mean nothing to me. The leaves are nice and big, and twisted. This looks good to me. I know nothing, but I think this is the real thing.
The 12 jun 2007 is the date the cake was pressed. Haiwan recently started doing this to keep fake ones down. Steep it a little longer and it may bring some more flavor out. Glad it turned out good Haiwans are nice most of the time.
There is a bit of information about your lovely sounding cake, Dexter3657 at http://www.tuochatea.com/haiwan-7598-jiajia-pu-erh-beeng-cha-p180/. Yunnan Sourcing also sells a similar cake. Great find – it reminds me to check Chinese markets when I’m in an area that has one.
Thanks, all I know is I have recently been ordering straight blacks for approx 12.00/25g. This pu’erh cake seems like a steal. It’s not as deep and complex as some of the Mandala ones I’ve had. If Noble Mark is a gentleman pu’erh (as Grace would say), this one might not bring you breakfast in bed, but it’s been raised right, it has some manners. It’s a really nice every day pu’erh. I could take this to work and drink it all day.
Dexter3657, Any updates on the Haiwan 7598? What year is your 7598 cake? Thanks
Breaking open one of my new 2009 Feng Qing Ripe Tuos from Yunnan Sourcing, It’s really awesome, sweet, smooth, super molassesy, and maybe a hint of woodyness. Really excellent and super cheap ($8/250g).
2006 Jingmai with mooncake. Very pleasant brick with very nice large leaf.
I have heard a lot about mooncake. I think I am going to have to find a place that sells them.
I have heard a lot about mooncake. I think one day I am going to have to find a place that sells them.
Hahha you should! It goes really good with tea :). Pick up any new Puerhs?
Oh yes! Check my cupboard and go to the recently added. You may see some that you haven’t seen yet. Just got a Menghai “2013 Star of Menghai” in today. Been waiting to get one of these. Also got a 1000 gram Bada brick in this week also. Where did you get the moon cake from?
You can’t go wrong with a menghai! Have you tried it yet? I’m considering a big leaf Jingmai cake from the puerhshop. I’ve become fond of Jingmais recently lol. 1000 gram brick? Holy smokes, that is huge! hahah. I picked up the mooncake at a local shop here in Toronto. You could probably find them in any chinese supermarket this time of year.
Mrmopar. Chinatown in D.C. Go to the smaller shops around passing the Gate and the Chinese Cultural center there’s a Chinese bakery, you’ll be able to get that and other baked goods!
I enjoyed some of Mandala Tea’s Special Dark 2006 ripe loose pu’er yesterday. It was soo smooth, rich and cocoa that got better each sip. http://oolongowl.com/2013/09/03/special-dark-ripe-loose-leaf-puer-2006-from-mandala-tea-tea-review/
Today I’m craving it again!
Having a second session from yesterday on a 2007 Menghai “Jade Luster” that I acquired from Garret at mandala tea a while back. this tea is still as rich and warming as the first time I had it. Absolutely no bitter or off flavor. it has hints of cherry in it along with an almost raisin aftertaste. It has been just as enjoyable as I remember and I am glad I have another as the first one is about depleted. I liked this so much last night that I took some to work to “share” with a couple of convert/students i have at work. I will hear their results tomorrow but I think they will really enjoy it.
Sheng, my preferred astringent drink from the East. Now tasting a 2007, from the king of Pu’Er tea industry group, says the 60gr package, straight into my royal zhong, where’s my princess?
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