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Another one from my second NS order. This one is pretty similar to its 2011 counterpart, but it’s hard to tell the differences without doing side-by-side. Also love this one, but will do a side-by-side comparison in the coming week or so to really tease out any nuances. Definitely high 90s, but will hold off on formal rating until then :).

Edit: Did a side-by-side comparison of this one with the 2011 from the same company. They are pretty similar overall. I will say it is perhaps an unfair comparison. The primary difference is less sweetness and a lingering off note in the 2012. However, looking at the leaves between the two, the 2012 leaves are much more broken. I’m not sure if they just got more crunched somehow, but certainly these leaves will let off more unpleasant notes quicker than the more intact 2011 leaves. Not sure if that’s the only factor contributing to a difference. Nonetheless. this is still a great tea!

The last sample from my order from EoT. This one is decent, though one of my least favorite for shengs of this age. Can tell this one spent some time in HK.

Very smooth and with no bitterness or astringency. Barely any sweetness, if at all. Lasts 12+ infusions. Nothing wrong with this tea per say, but the storage notes are fairly lacking compared to it’s same-aged counterparts. That is what I want, and this tea has likely had too “clean” of storage since it’s days in HK to be the right one for me.

Final tea from my TSR order. Been meaning to try this shou for awhile as it’s on the lighter side of fermentation and is well-loved. I don’t sample shou as much anymore, but I think for the price, this is really nice and I’ll probably have to get a tuo. I just need to try it a couple more times before making up my mind.

This one tastes and smells more distinct than many of the shous I’ve had. Fruitier and less earthy, with a more potent sweetness and more interesting nose. I quite like it!

Another one from my LP order. This is just okay. I’m not getting much from this tea tbh, but I will reevaluate after a rest at some point. I expected more from this famed brand!

From my first ever order from TSR. First tea I’ve tried from Haiwan, and the 200th tea I’ve reviewed!!! This one is super yummy! I think there is a lot going on here and it’s hard to untangle.

There’s a nice mouthfeel with ever so slight of an astringent note that keeps you pining for more. The sweetness is pretty good and it’s got a good lasting flavor. I need to try it one more time after a bit of a rest, but I am almost 100% positive I am buying a cake of this 7452 homage very soon (at an amazing price – $0.19/g!).

So I will say I have tried this tea twice now and after a rest, the flavor has opened up some. It is certainly on the subtle end of shengs, though. I do quite like it, but I think at the price ($0.37/g), the Haiwan 7458 is a much better purchase. However, I’m glad to try this classic iron cake recipe that I have seen on so many puerh vendor websites!

Decent longevity of 12-15 infusions. Mild sweetness with no astringency or bitterness. But unfortunately, the smell does more than the flavor, so it’s not quite what I’m looking for at the moment. Make no mistake, though: I will definitely enjoy finishing the sample!

First order from The Steeping Room in Austin, TX. I didn’t expect greatness from this one, but I just thought it would be fun to give it a try. This is made by a private factory in an attempt to imitate one of my favorite recipes (or just, my favorite?), 8582. I can see what they are going for in the first few steeps and it does give some similar notes to an 8582 during that time. The next infusions have more astringency than the real thing, though it’s not overpowering and somewhat pleasant. However, this does not have the same hui gan or power as the real thing, so it doesn’t quite measure up in the end. Still a fun experiment, and a bit cheaper for sure than the real thing.

This was a birthday gift from my parents, and boy is it good! Yamashita is an award winning producer of gyokuro and I can understand why! There’s not an off note in this thing and the power is amazing!

Super brothy with very thick mouthfeel and incredible theanine. An incredible tea that I am so glad to be able to taste! I will have to try this company’s other offerings.

Ummmm idk how this is so good and I can’t describe it very well anyways but it’s just a phenemonal tea. I’ve tried it twice now after a rest, and I have to say it’s the best puerh I’ve had! Wanted to try this famous cake and now I understand it’s renown. The wrapper is so beautifully designed too! And to show how much I like it, I ran this one for 25 infusions, so 4 g in 60 mL is plenty hahaha.

This is certainly worth $1.5/g, but I can’t begin to think about sparing the $600 for a full cake haha. I’m just glad that LP gave me the opportunity to try a sample :).

Next up is this one from 2012. It was given as a free sample. Quite an interesting sheng in terms of aroma of the dry and wet leaves, which give dates and, when wet, leather with barley.

Mouthfeel is nice and thick on this one. Very minimal hui gan. Starts out with a nice, subtle flavor, but falls off pretty quickly after 3-4 infusions. Fairly disappointing tea after a fun aroma.

Location: Dong Banshan, Mengku, Shuangjiang County, Lincang, Yunnan, China
Cultivar: Da Ye Zhong