19 April 2010

2007 Ruipinhao Spring of Jingmai Mountain Sheng (raw) pu'er

2007 Ruipinhao Spring of Jingmai Mountain Sheng (raw) pu'er
or
2007年瑞聘号景迈山之春生饼

This is one of Puerhshop's selections I have tried as a sample thanks to yet another tea friend who decided he can no longer stomach young sheng pu'er--appropriately, because if young sheng troubles your tummy, this bitter monster of a cake will turn you off to young sheng entirely.

It's bitter, very bitter, but to express just a tiny apologetic nod to the tea, my sample was loose bits that perhaps don't represent how the cake normally brews.

But it's so bitter!

One of the women behind the tea table at one of the better known tea houses in Hong Kong once asked a friend to find whatever cheap super bitter young tea he could find to satisfy her fervent belief (inherited from her tea master) that bitter, tenacious young sheng turns into strong, solid aged pu'er. If you are of that school, this thick, tobacco-ash flavored, bittersweet finishing sheng pu belongs in your cabinet.

If you're of the (primarily Taiwanese?) school of juicy whole leaves and strong flavors with little bitterness, you will lambast this tea as typical low grade plantation tea marketing itself as "old arbor" tea.

Believing that educated ambivalence is the logical conclusion of any philosophical pondering, I don't subscribe to either camp--or perhaps subscribe to both. Thus, I don't know what to make of this tea.

I will say that, if Puerhshop sold it for closer to its price on Taobao (26 yuan or $3.80 at time of writing), or even at twice this price, I might indulge in a purchase for the purpose of experimentation. As it is, I'm not sure I will.

BTW, consider this post an update. I originally posted here.

6 comments:

sasi said...

Hi Jason,

Have you had any chance of tasting
2006 Menghai V93 Raw Pu'er tea tuo cha ?

As I new to pu'er I am wondering whether I should buy this ?

please advise.

thank you

sasi

Bearsbearsbears said...

Hi Sasi,

I have not tried the 2006 V93 raw tuo, and I can't find tasting notes about the tea in English from other bloggers.

Jason

MarshalN said...

It was a very overpriced tuo, iirc. No real reason to drink it when there are many comparable ones out there, unless you happen to have some already.

sasi said...

hi,

2006 Menghai V93 Raw Pu'er tea tuo cha is about $24 for 250 grams.

http://www.amazon.com/Menghai-V93-Raw-Pu-erh-tuo/dp/B0029Y9IWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1271972458&sr=8-1

i dont know hoe authentic it is ...

sasi said...

Hi Jason,

Can you please suggest a good raw puer tea that I can enjoy as a beginner ?

thank you


regards
sasi

Bearsbearsbears said...

Hi Sasi,

Please email me for the suggestions.

Thanks!