For episode 100, we’ve done an extra long (42 minute), free-flowing session. Throughout the session we drink a few different tea concoctions and engage in an extended Q&A.
Author: James
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Raw Pu’erh Oddities. Feat: Small Leaf, Purple Leaf, Purple Bud, etc.
Pu’erh is a very elusive term, that carries many definitions and radically different taste profiles depending on who you ask. While for the most part, pu’erh is produced with Camellia Sinensis v. Assamica, the big leaf varietal; the term itself is attached with the geography (Yunnan) and the processing, not necessarily the leaf varietal. As pu’erh has picked up steam and demand has spiked, there’s been a few interesting oddities that are cultivated and marketed. Many of these are naturally growing and some haven’t been produced as pu’erh until recently (causing heavy scrutiny into the aging potential). (more…)
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Yunnan Sourcing’s Tieluohan — TeaDB James InBetweenIsode Episode #23
In inbetweenisode #23, James continues his series on Wuyi Oolongs this time with a guest star, Meet. The tea is one that James has been slowly sipping away on for over a year, Yunnan Sourcing’s Tieluohan.
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Aged Huali Box Tea [Episode 99]
Big thanks to Carolyn who sent this tea in. A mystery tea that came from a box!!
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May/June/July Tea of the Month 2015
Here’s the announcement of the next batch of tea of the months. Feel free to drink alongside, give suggestions, etc. Due to being egregiously and hilariously over my tea budget, I’m not sure how much I will be able to accommodate specific requests!
- Greater Yiwu, Mengla County + Youle (May 2015)
- Menghai County (June 2015)
- Aged Oolongs (July 2015)
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Red Box Sea Dyke Dahongpao — TeaDB James InBetweenIsode Episode #22
In inbetweenisode #22, James begins a series on Wuyi Oolongs (Yancha). Sea Dyke is an old-school brand of Wuyi Oolongs that mainly exports out of China to southeast Asia. This episode also coincides with the March tea of the month.
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Essence of Tea’s 2014 Mengsong Red [Episode 98]
A red (black) tea made out of pu’erh materials and pressed into a cake, Essence of Tea’s 2014 Mengsong Red. Compared to your average dianhong this is a high-end, aromatic affair.
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Cutting Out the Middleman (And is it Worth It?)
As westerners we are in a land far from the production of our beloved Yunnanese pu’erh and from the huge tea markets of China. This seemingly locks us into a constant struggle to eliminate as many middlemen and meddling hands as possible between us and our teas. The western market for pu’erh is far smaller and physically further from the source, giving east Asian vendors little incentive to accommodate us. It’s no surprise that there is a western premium that most of us pay to get our teas. However, unlike oolong or green teas, pu’erh is also sold with very commonly label. For mass-marketed teas like Dayi or Xiaguan it is very easy to find the Chinese prices for the tea using Donghe or Taobao. It is also possible for the willing and resourceful to buy directly from the Chinese market (via Taobao). This article examines this and several of the different tea types and approximates the markups. (more…)