Which Puerh teas from Red Lantern Tea?

[JEEP]

I am planning to use the last of my birthday money on a Gong Fu Cha kit from http://stores.ebay.com/Red-Lantern-Tea

I am planning to order some raw puerh teas along with the set. Any suggestions as to what I need to try out?


Regards.

Jakob

 

[netsurfr]

Hi Jacob -
As for raw teas, I would recommend that you get some from the major tea factories.
For the Menghai Tea Factory, pick up some 7542, 7532, and 8582. The 2008 vintage teas are still pretty reasonable. Menghai did not make a 7532 in 2009 so don't bother looking for it.
For the Xiaguan Tea Factory, pick up some Yun Mei and perhaps some Exquisite Elegance. These are still available in 2008 recipes at pretty reasonable costs.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Hobbesoxon]

I am planning to order some raw puerh teas along with the set. Any suggestions as to what I need to try out?

I like the 2005 and 2006 Changtai cakes at Red Lantern. Good tea, good price.

The 2009 Changtai "Qian Jia Feng" is good, too.


Toodlepip,

Hobbes

 

[JEEP]

Thanks for the input

How about this?

2008 Xiaguan FT "Yun Mei" Special Grade RAW 500g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Xiaguan-FT...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea8c7db69

2005 Menghai Dayi 7542 (502) RAW Pu-erh 357g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Menghai-Da...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea8941d33

2008 Mengyang Guoyan Menghai 7542 RAW Pu-erh Cake 357g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Mengyang-G...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c52725e7c

2005 Changtai Bulang Pu-erh “Mr.Old Chen’s Tea” RAW 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Changtai-B...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5143f677

2005 Changtai Tea "Qian Jia Feng" RAW Pu-erh Tea 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Changtai-T...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eab033d0b

2006 Changtai "Dragon Horse" RAW Pu-erh Tea 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2006-Changtai-D...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c53021241

That should give me both some to store and some to drink right away. Right?


Regards.

Jakob

 

[Carlin]

Thanks for the input

How about this?

2008 Xiaguan FT "Yun Mei" Special Grade RAW 500g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Xiaguan-FT...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea8c7db69

2005 Menghai Dayi 7542 (502) RAW Pu-erh 357g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Menghai-Da...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea8941d33

2008 Mengyang Guoyan Menghai 7542 RAW Pu-erh Cake 357g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Mengyang-G...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c52725e7c

2005 Changtai Bulang Pu-erh “Mr.Old Chen’s Tea” RAW 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Changtai-B...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5143f677

2005 Changtai Tea "Qian Jia Feng" RAW Pu-erh Tea 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Changtai-T...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eab033d0b

2006 Changtai "Dragon Horse" RAW Pu-erh Tea 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2006-Changtai-D...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c53021241

That should give me both some to store and some to drink right away. Right?


Regards.

Jakob

Looks good, see if theres any extra $$$ in the budget for some menghai 8582 90x

 

[JEEP]

Added

 

[P_K]

Thanks for the input

How about this?

2008 Xiaguan FT "Yun Mei" Special Grade RAW 500g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Xiaguan-FT...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea8c7db69

2005 Menghai Dayi 7542 (502) RAW Pu-erh 357g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Menghai-Da...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea8941d33

2008 Mengyang Guoyan Menghai 7542 RAW Pu-erh Cake 357g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Mengyang-G...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c52725e7c

2005 Changtai Bulang Pu-erh “Mr.Old Chen’s Tea” RAW 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Changtai-B...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5143f677

2005 Changtai Tea "Qian Jia Feng" RAW Pu-erh Tea 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Changtai-T...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eab033d0b

2006 Changtai "Dragon Horse" RAW Pu-erh Tea 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2006-Changtai-D...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c53021241

That should give me both some to store and some to drink right away. Right?


Regards.

Jakob

I would go with the Exquisite Elegance (Duling Fengsao) over Yun Mei and possibly skip on the Dragon Horse and the Mr. Old Chen's as they are quite light. I would also go with the 2008 8582 or the 7532 over the Mengyang Guoyan cake. My 2 cents.

 

[shah8]

Just had the Old Chen's Bulang. Yes, skip that one...it's just not a very good bulang, and it tastes like a not very good Menghai with lots of middle, but little in the way of tasty top notes.

 

[JEEP]

Thank you for your help

An updated list:

2008 Xiaguan FT "Duling Fengsao" RAW Pu-erh Tea 454g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2008-Xiaguan-FT...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c517c4cb8

2005 Menghai Dayi 7542 (502) RAW Pu-erh 357g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Menghai-Da...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea8941d33

2009 Menghai Dayi 7542 (901) RAW Pu-erh Tea 357g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2009-Menghai-Da...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5143c04b

2005 Changtai Tea "Qian Jia Feng" RAW Pu-erh Tea 25g - http://cgi.ebay.com/2005-Changtai-T...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eab033d0b


Regards.

Jakob

 

[Carlin]

My personal nonprofessional opion

8582 <901>
http://cgi.ebay.com/2009-Menghai-Da...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c515b7209
2009 8582

And instead of that Guoyan 7542, I'd get the standard Menghai version. It is their recipe of course.

7542 >901>
http://cgi.ebay.com/2009-Menghai-Da...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5143c04b

 

[JEEP]

That makes sense.

Wouldn't it be better to pay a little extra and get the 8582 from 2008 instead of 2009?


Regards.

Jakob

 

[Carlin]

That makes sense.

Wouldn't it be better to pay a little extra and get the 8582 from 2008 instead of 2009?


Regards.

Jakob

Hi Carlin –



Well, you have asked me a tough one since I cannot claim to have the most advanced palate. But here goes:

I found the 2009 to be a bit more floral than 2008 although it had a bit more astringency to it. However, astringency does not bother me too much and it can be controlled rather well to your preferences based on brewing times. The 2007 was difficult for me to distinguish from the 2008 but it seemed to have a little bit more depth in what I call the bottom end (more earthy flavors of wood, straw, mushrooms and maybe a hint of leather). However, when you compared the 2007 to the 2009, the bottom end flavor profile was more apparent. The 2006 had more flavors of the woods and mushrooms with less straw taste. Now, four years is not that aged but it seems to have jumped to another level from the 2007 at least for me.



You might want to get the 2006 and the 2009 so that you can see the biggest variation in the tea.



Naturally, all lf the above is extremely subjective and someone else might have an entirely different experience based on their palate, brewing parameters or even the source of the tea and how it was stored in intermediate years.



Let me know if I can be of any other assistance.



Best regards,

Steve

I had asked Steve for tasting notes between the 8582.