TeaDB

Category: Raw Pu’erh

  • Tea Urchin, Featured Vendor

    Tea Urchin, Featured Vendor

    The vendor profile for Tea Urchin 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 Eugene & Belle of Tea Urchin.

    Based in Shanghai, Tea Urchin was created in 2011 by the husband/wife team, Eugene & Belle. Eugene had previously run a blog, titled The Tea Urchin, and the online store adopted the same moniker. When first created Tea Urchin’s selection was predominantly composed of their own pu’erh productions, principally higher-end, small-production gushu. Eugene & Belle still travel to Yunnan yearly to press their own branded cakes but have also branched out into other tea genres, specifically Wuyi Yancha, Dancongs, and most recently Taiwanese Oolongs. Their spring lineup of pu’erh pressings typically consists of ~10 teas, the majority from Xishuangbanna but also including several other pu’erh regions (Jingmai, Xigui, etc.). Tea Urchin’s overall tea selection has also slowly broadened to include many teas from other pu’erh producers as well as a few older teas. (more…)

  • 2006 Yunhai Nannuo Raw Pu’erh — White2Tea — TeaDB James InBetweenIsode Episode #7

    Inbetweenisode Episode #7 from James. The tea is a 2006 Yunhai Nannuo Raw Pu’erh. This is not a particularly special tea, but an inexpensive one that finds its way to my tea table often.

  • Announcing Tea of the Month 2015

    This is an announcement about the tea of the month series for 2015 as well as an outline of January’s upcoming tea of the month. Similar to the other tea of the months this will be more of a personal blogging style post. The mature pu’erh report will come out independently in two weeks.

    I launched the first tea of the month in March 2014 and have since done eight different reports. Overall, it’s a fairly free-form format which I’ve personally enjoyed a good deal. It gives a far less filtered look at certain teas and more comparative impressions. As many have stated, the TeaDB video reviews end up being a biased selection of teas that are usually hand-picked for review. While we (especially Denny) will do blind tastings of teas on occasion, they’re often picked out for some reason or another. Big thanks to our readers and for suggestions, this is a great time to post them in the comments! (more…)

  • 1980s Loose Yiwu Raw Pu’erh — Tea Classico — TeaDB James InBetweenIsode Episode #6

    Inbetweenisode Episode #6 from James. The tea is a 1980s Loose Yiwu Raw Pu’erh generously offered as a sample to me from Tea Classico. Topics include loose raw pu’erh tea, storage, and the tea of the month series.

  • Pu’erh Budgeting. Buying Psychology, Hoarding & A Calculated Strategy

    Pu’erh Budgeting. Buying Psychology, Hoarding & A Calculated Strategy

    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…)

  • 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.

  • 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).

  • 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.

  • White2Tea, Featured Vendor

    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…)

  • 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.