2008 Dayi 8582

Side-by-side brews! Same leaf:water ratio, water temps (205 F), steep times (10 + 3 seconds), etc. First one is the 8582 803 I have from Puerh Shop (https://steepster.com/gyokurohead/posts/441904). Second tea (this one) is the 8582 801 I just got from TWL. Time for judging!

Differences are clear from the get go. Smell of the dry and wet leaves is much less potent in the 801. Liquor of the first brew is darker for the 801 as well. The 801 has a much more rounded, subtle flavor in the first brew than the 803.

Second steep is darker still for both batches, but the difference in darkness is less now. The 803 at this time has developed a bit of an “off note” compared to the still weaker 801. The 803 has a bit of bitterness at this point. Honestly, not getting much flavor from either, but the 801 is better at this time. Main note is some hay. Both showing a bit of mouthfeel that is not very different between the two.

In the third steep, colors of the liquors have evened out fairly well now. 803 still slightly bitter. 801 staying smooth. Wet leaves are noticeably darker for the 801. More hay from both and a bit of pepper from 801. Cha qi already setting in heavily.

4th steep: 801 slightly darker again. Sweetness poking it’s head through in 801. Bitterness fading in 803. Less hay now for both. Still a hint of pepper in 801.

5th steep: Liquor color unchanged. 803 still with off note, also some smoke now. In my first note on 803, it took 10 infusions to get honey and white grapes. Wondering if they’ll appear sooner in 801 if at all…

6th steep: Where’d the smoke go? 801 sweeter still with better aftertaste and bit of honey now. Hay is gone in both.

7th steep: Off note is dissipating.

8th steep: Hint of sweetness in 803 now. 801 even better now, but hard to say how.

9th steep: Off note still there in 803. No changes.

10th steep: 803 sweeter now. Off note mostly gone. Differences becoming less noticeable.

11th steep: White grapes now in 803. 801 suddenly sweeter as well, with predominant honey, hints of almond butter (think Justin’s almond butter/honey packets).

12th steep: Even more white grapes in 803. From experience, this is a greener note, so makes sense it isn’t found in 801. Out of personal preference, 803 beats out 801 in this steep.

13th steep: 801 back on top. Less white grape.

14th steep: 49 seconds each. 803 getting worse. White grape gone. 801 losing flavor, but could still go a bit further. That’s enough tea for now, though :).

Overall a fun experiment! I definitely prefer 801, although most of the difference probably lies in storage. 801 was > 10 yrs in natural Taiwan storage. 803 probably drier although not much info about storage of either. Is it worth almost twice as much ($60 for 803, $110 for 801)? No. But 801 is noticeably better for sure. Both okay to drink now, but certainly neither has peaked.

Batch: 801