Due to its reputation as a tea that improves with age, pu’erh and the buying culture surrounding it are different than other teas. This makes sense. People are (rightfully) more comfortable buying larger quantities of pu’erh than dragonwell or green gaoshan. However, it is also a buying culture filled with hoarding and constant procrastination (over drinking the good stuff). Other tea types have a natural timer that regulates purchases. Drink it soon or it will get worst. This urgency and rate will vary tea to tea, but most teas are not stashed away in the same way pu’erh is. This article aims to take a step back and compare pu’erh purchases with both other teas and other consumable beverages. (more…)
Author: James
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1990s HK Style Raw Pu’erh — White2Tea — TeaDB James InBetweenIsode Episode #5
Inbetweenisode Episode #5 from James. The tea is mid 1990s HK Style Raw Pu’erh acquired from White2Tea. Topics include white-label tea and more mature + traditionally stored pu’erh.
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White2Tea’s 1998 White Tuo [Episode 81]
In episode 81, Denny & James review an aged ripe pu’erh from White2Tea, the 1998 White Tuo. Dark and dank, this tea is a very good value proposition for a tea of its age (see white label tea).
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1990s Ba-Zhong Red Mark Raw Pu’erh — Origin Tea — TeaDB James InBetweenIsode Episode #4
Inbetweenisode Episode #4 from James. The tea is mid 1990s Ba-Zhong Red Mark acquired from Origin Tea. Topics include traditionally stored and more mature pu’erh. Recommended reading: Traditional, Not Wet.
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Everlasting Tea’s 1982 Baozhong [Episode 80]
In episode 80, Denny & James review another aged Baozhong. From 1982, this oolong is clean, plummy, with really interesting texture and represents a big contrast vs. the gardeny aged Baozhong from Episode 79 and the modern, green style Baozhong. Thanks to Jake from Drinking Teas for introducing this.
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White2Tea, Featured Vendor
The vendor profile for White2Tea is a part of our Pu’erh Tea Vendor Series, covering a number of Pu’erh-centric vendors that sell to the west. This interview was conducted with TwoDog of White2Tea.
White2Tea is the prototypical curated vendor. It is run by tea blogger turned vendor (TwoDog), who sells a relatively small but diverse selection of predominately small brands and white labels, a stark contrast with the huge, warehouse-like selection of Yunnan Sourcing, Cha Wang Shop, and ebay vendors. Despite being inherently smaller, White2Tea’s selection covers an impressive range of teas including various ages, areas and storages (both wet and dry). The price range also caters towards different consumers, some teas geared towards beginners and others to experts. Cakes range from $12/beeng to $1,000/beeng. (more…)
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Menghai 2012 8592 Ripe Pu’erh — Yunnan Sourcing — TeaDB James InBetweenIsode Episode #3
Inbetweenisode Episode #3 from James. The tea is 2012 Menghai 8592 Ripe Pu’erh from Yunnan Sourcing. Topics include ripe pu’erh and big factory pu’erh.
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40 Year Old Baozhong via Zero Tea Zen [Episode 79]
In episode 79, Denny & James review an aged Baozhong kindly provided to them by Philipp Abba of Zero Tea Zen. A total contrast vs. the modern, green-style Baozhong that currently dominates the Baozhong market. Read more about the tea here (English at the bottom of the post).
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Menghai Ziyun 2009 Ripe Pu’erh — Mandala Tea — TeaDB James InBetweenIsode Episode #2
Inbetweenisode Episode #2 from James. The tea is 2009 Menghai Ziyun Ripe Pu’erh from Mandala Tea. Topics include the ripe pu’erh market and buying from a big factory in general.
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Yunnan Sourcing’s 2012 Purple Yiwu [Episode 78]
In episode 78, Denny & James review a raw pu’erh production by Yunnan Sourcing, the 2012 Purple Yiwu. It is a reasonably priced young pu’erh that is both sweet and very pleasant to drink now.