Pu’erh Inventory
I will be announcing all pu’erh purchases I make in that are over a cake. This can be viewed here. This page will be live and updated as I buy tea. The purpose is to promote transparency and provide insight into what I actually do buy, which the video reviews and tea of the months may or may not indicate very well.
| Tea | Vendor | Quantity | Price | Cake Size | $/g | Date Bought | Purpose |
| 2009 Yongde DXS | Fine Pu’er | 5 | $58.00 | 500 | $0.12 | 1/2015 | Store/Drink Now/Reference |
| 2014 Bulang Beauty | Tea Urchin | 1 | $99.00 | 357 | $0.28 | 2/2015 | Store |
| 2012 Miles Birthday Blend | Tea Urchin | 1 | $169.00 | 357 | $0.47 | 2/2015 | Store/Drink Now/Reference |
| 2006 CNNP Yiwu | Fine Pu’er | 1 | $28.00 | 357 | $0.08 | 2/2015 | Blind |
| 2012 Sanhezhai | Yunnan Sourcing | 2 | $39.00 | 400 | $0.10 | 2/2015 | Store |
| 2012 Wujiazhai | Yunnan Sourcing | 1 | $46.00 | 400 | $0.12 | 2/2015 | Blind |
| 2012 Wuliang | Yunnan Sourcing | 1 | $36.00 | 400 | $0.09 | 2/2015 | Drink Now/Reference |
| 2007 CGHT Yiwu Chawang | Houde Asian | 3 | $85.50 | 357 | $0.24 | 6/2015 | Drink Now/Store |
| 2007 JMT Guangbien Laozhai | Houde Asian | 3 | $129.50 | 357 | $0.36 | 6/2015 | Drink Now/Store |
| 2015 Little Walk | White2Tea | 1 | $19.50 | 200 | $0.09 | 6/2015 | Blind |
Tins
I drink pu’erh in alot of ways. However, one thing I commonly do is break off large chunks of my cakes/bricks/tuos and toss them into small, cheap, non-airtight tins I buy from Daiso. This serves a couple purposes. It is nice because I can break off a number of sessions all at once rather than breaking from a cake constantly. For traditionally-stored pu’erh it also serves the purpose of breaking it up and partially airing it out. As a note, none of these teas tend to be particularly special to me, but very functionally drinkable.
Raw Tins
| Tea | Vendor |
| 1980s Wild Arbor | Origin Tea |
| 1982 Sun Moon Lake | Taiwan Tea Crafts |
| 1990s Bazhong | Origin Tea |
| 1990s HK Style | White2Tea |
| 2000 Fuyuanchang | Origin Tea |
| 2001 Dingxing | Taobao |
| 2002 White Whale | White2Tea |
| 2002 Yiwu Ancient Spirit | Yunnan Sourcing |
| 2004 Jianshen | White2Tea |
| 2005 Fengqing Zhuan | Teavivre |
| 2006 Old Bear | White2Tea |
| 2006 Yunhai Nannuo | White2Tea |
| 2008 Xiaguan Happy Tuo | Chawangshop |
| 2012 Purple Spring Yiwu | Yunnan Sourcing |
| 2012 Wuliang | Yunnan Sourcing |
| 2013 Xiangming | Yunnan Sourcing |
| Tea | Vendor |
| 1997 7581 | Yunnan Sourcing |
| 1998 White Tuo | White2Tea |
| 2011/2012 Yong de Organic | Yunnan Sourcing |
21 responses to “Pu’erh Tea Inventory & Tins”
[…] will now be announcing all pu’erh purchases of a certain size as well as my tinned teas. You can view the page and learn more. This page will be live and updated as I buy […]
Do you mind posting a link to where you can buy these containers? I’m really in the market for non-airtight (preferably ceramic) tea containers for broken up puer cakes.
Hi Ian,
I buy them at a local Daiso (Japanese dollar store). Where are you based? You might be able to find something similar poking around thrift stores and what not.
Cheers!
-James
Ian, Also check out:
http://www.daisojapan.com/p-26466-steamed-egg-cup-d31-x-h31in-676-fl-oz-8pks.aspx
http://www.daisojapan.com/p-26466-steamed-egg-cup-d31-x-h31in-676-fl-oz-8pks.aspx
Peace,
bellmont
Daiso online.. I didn’t even know! Guess I can eliminate that 15 minute walk downtown :).
Thanks for sharing.
-James
Hey James,
I appreciate the transparency.
What would it look to have column that gives a quick blurb about what you plan on doing with the tea… for instance: “stored for aging” or “all for drinking now” “half stored, half drink now” “use as barter material for magic beans and subterfuge later on” etc…
peace,
bellmont
Hi bellmont,
Excellent idea. I’ll add some columns soon :).
Cheers!
-James
I’ll also add that everything in tins is for drinking now.
This is awesome I always wondered myself what tea reviewers/blog actually purchased with their own money.
I like the additional column suggestion, would you be opposed to adding one more giving information on your one major view/opinion/purpose of the tea eg. Daily drinker, cha qi, nice fruity yiwu, aromatic, thick mouth feel,etc. And might you add other types of tea later especially with spring coming around Im curious what greens/oolongs you guys think are worth purchasing
random question, what do you think of the W2T “2006 Yunhai Nannuo.” I have blind bought a few cakes to avoid double shipping charge and been happy with my gambles so far.
Hi Tea,
Thanks for the comment and kind words! That’s a good idea. I’ll think about ways in which I can add to this to make it more useful.
As for the 2006 Yunhai Nannuo, I own part of a cake (reviewed this a month or so ago). It’s decent enough and easy drinking for its low price. Having had that and the 2005 Gaoshan Qingbing, I’d probably pick the Gaoshan Qingbing despite being a few more dollars.
I end up buying cakes in the same way. Sometimes with shipping costs it just makes sense to get the whole thing!
Cheers!
-James
Just realized I saw that episode too whoops, egg on my face. After a little thinking I am just going to hold off on the qingbing and nannuo at the moment since I bought the 05 xiangming manzhuan so that will be my go to fruity tea at the moment.
Going to place an order from W2T within a week or so though is there any teas you think I should sample? Thinking about adding 07 yeixiangwang naka, 90 hk, and 02 yellow mark but my cart is looking pretty expensive as is so I may just get one or two samples.
Btw sorry for the long comments is your email just “info@teadb.org”? feel like I am spamming the comment section.
Hi Tea,
Depending on how much experience you have with aged sheng the 1990s could serve a few purposes. If you’ve had a bunch, it’s a decent tea for a decent price. For the more uninitiated, I think the 1990s HK makes an important learning material/reference point for a certain style of pu’erh. I’ve recorded an inbetweenisode a few months back and I definitely enjoy the tea for what it is. It’s probably my favorite bang for buck of the W2T aged pu’erh that I’ve tried.
I think the 2002 Little Yellow Mark is really just an all-around great tea. The storage on it has been very well-executed and it’s at a great place right now. It’s been a while since I’ve tasted it so I don’t have my notes fresh on-hand but it’s a very well-balanced tea.
I have yet to try the 07 Naka, but it sounds good.
No worries on comments. I enjoy answering questions and giving my thoughts on tea. Our email is teadborg@gmail.com , if you’d prefer to correspond over that.
Hope this helps and cheers!
-James
Is this your long term storage system then? I know you’ve mentioned elsewhere you have a cabinet with “basic humidity added”? I was wondering if you could elaborate or lead me to an article I seem to be missing?
Thanks
Hi Zach,
My long-term storage is a simple mini-fridge. I adjust the humidity to be around 70 by just adding a bowl of water now and then. I haven’t needed one in nearly half a year due to the natural humidity in Seattle.
While there’s overlap in this piece and my own setup, the intent here is just for more transparency about purchases.
Cheers!
-James
Found it, didn’t realize you added a link under puer tab. I hope Miles birthday blend comes on the next random sip curious to see what provoked you to purchase a $170 fresh cake.
Keep up the good work I watched an older episode the other day and you guys have really made strides, especially over winter.
Hi tea,
That’s a good idea. Frankly, I’m still a bit camera-shy with my pu’erh list, despite it being public and all. I should add a link soon!
As can be seen from my purchases, you can probably expect a Tea Urchin review or two soon :).
Cheers,
-James
Cool, I made a big sample order and still sipping slowly through it. They seem to have quality offerings relative to other vendors but I have not come across a tea I loved enough to pay that $20 shipping, it really blows the prices that much more out of proportion.
Realistically I would probably have to fall in love with two+ samples and buy the cakes to spread that shipping cost out but nothing us U.S. residents can do I suppose.
That’s fair. I’m still drinking through a couple orders of samples as well. The Gaoshan Zhai and Wangong Zhai from their latest harvest crossed me as very serious teas. Dunno how they’ll evolve with age, but they’re quite tasty now.
Cheers,
-James
[…] Grass aroma. Sweet, hay/grass, granary taste. Buttery thickness. Thins out around steep 4 or so and starts to get a bit watery. I like it a bit more than the Fengchun. It’s also a bit tough on the stomach. Some huigan. Highly enjoyable and the only tea I bought from this month. […]
This seems to have been abandoned relatively quickly. Any chance of 2019 updates? Or maybe june 2015 the last time you purchased tea 😉
Hah. Perhaps I should’ve erased this completely. I got embarrassed at my own habits and stopped. Maybe I’ll publish something of what I’ve bought.