Sheng pu'er aging transition patterns: bringing it all together

 

I've been writing a good bit about this subject lately, related to trying a couple more sample sets.  But it has been a running theme for the past decade or so, even though I really only completely switched over to mostly drinking sheng pu'er within that time, maybe something like 8 years ago.

I still only guess about transition patterns, and the effects of varying storage environments on teas of different character, expressing different aspects.  But I've been guessing about it for a long time, based on varying exposure.  I first bought sheng right around the time I started this blog, maybe within a year of then, so I've been dabbling in that exploration for around a dozen years (or looking back the first post about sheng pu'er was 13 years ago).  

It's interesting thinking back to how badly some of those initial trials went, the earliest of which wouldn't have been covered here (although buying that one cake 13 years ago was an early venture).  It's no wonder lots of people don't like sheng early on, given how new factory teas or bad versions can go.

I'll separate this out by individual topics to make them approachable.  These won't be in any particular order, maybe starting with more of what comes up first, and some of what I like best.  

The context that I've been trying two different sample sets recently is interesting; that never goes exactly how I expect.  One was from a favorite vendor, mostly newish versions of "gushu" from a Swiss vendor, Tea Mania, and the other was known Yunnan area versions from a Malaysian vendor, of even more varying age, with storage occurring there adding an interesting twist.  Final outcome is always complicated, and in between 3 and 4 years or 15 to 20 there's a broad range of fermentation levels that make less sense, that vary a lot by starting point.  It would be nice if I could summarize that more clearly than I'm able to.

wet versus dry versus natural storage:  this is really a better topic for an entire 1500 word post on the one storage conditions input.  But I'm limiting this discussion to quickly framing a lot of related inputs, so it makes sense to only add a little about it here.  I don't necessarily think that cooler and dryer storage is really a bad thing, but that kind of environment does preserve tea, slowing it from changing in any way.  Maybe a slow, gradual change is better under some circumstances, and there might be typical negative trade-offs related to that, other aspect input experienced as less favorable.  A limited sourness or cardboard flavor can come up in dry-stored teas, but long-term storage in cardboard boxes may be a part of that.  

For factory tea, aggressive, intense, unapproachable tea that really needs at least 15 years to be approachable, more humid storage is better.  The effect of temperature can be a bit complicated; reading up on some Late Steeps blog post experiments on that is interesting.  I think teas I keep in Bangkok change fast and change differently because of both the humidity and the heat, but I can't really break that down, even to the extent he does there based on testing.  The heat might cause heavier flavor range to emerge, just to add something.

I've not really said much about more conventional cases; what about boutique style teas, or factory teas that aren't as clearly in need of lots of transition, as a Dayi 7542 cake or Xiaguan tuo demand?  How variations of styles and character age in general is a bit complicated, and my own guesses aren't much of a clearly acceptable baseline.  I'll add more about types and get back to those later on.

factory tea:  this is what people encounter first, not my own main preference.  Dayi / 
Taetea 7542 is a main example (a "recipe" number), and Xiaguan tuocha versions I see as the other main example (and the cakes they produce).  This general style, as much as it represents one, typically requires a full 20 years of aging to enter a pleasant and drinkable range, and under conventional conditions 30 years might be better.  You can get away with rushing that when hot and humid storage conditions rush the process, as occurs here in Bangkok, or someone maintaining high humidity in a cooler place would work, just not in the same way.  I think the faster transitions happen the better for these teas, since in cooler and dryer storage they may not be well-transitioned even after 30 years.

The change is what people expect, what they think of related to pu'er transition in general:  harsh, astringent, bitter and intense general character gives way to smoother, deeper, warmer tones, that is much more drinkable.  There is no partially aged stage that also makes sense for most factory teas, in general, as occurs for versions that can be exceptional with some rough edges smoothed out, after "only" 3 to 5 years of limited change.  Then again that's probably a statement about my own preference, over-extended a bit related to what could possibly occur.  There was just a Reddit thread about someone liking some 5 year old Dayi 7542, and that preference opinion isn't invalid.

nearly 20 year old Xiaguan, aging fast due to storage time in Bangkok

A truism comes up that aging won't turn bad tea into good tea.  This can be taken as meaning completely different things, all of which may only apply to a limited extent.  One potential meaning is that if a tea tastes bad originally it may never recover from being of bad quality (which already mixes different inputs as assumptions).  A limitation of this is that aging potential doesn't necessarily always relate to a tea being approachable when young; factory teas are the main counter-example of this.  Another factor is that maybe being approachable when young relates to good aging potential, and maybe it doesn't.  Considering the relatively opposite style of sheng categories can help place this.

drinkable when young pu'er:  this is the opposite extreme.  It's not really a single, unified category, because sheng can be more drinkable for a number of different reasons.  Autumn harvest versions can lack intensity, or more wild origin material can seem quite different, less bitter and astringent, and quite flavorful.  Processing variations could lead towards this general nature, but the result wouldn't be the same as when these other two causes were primary.  Breaking this range down by these distinct inputs makes sense, even when they would tend to combine, and not enter in as just one input.

Some areas tend to produce much more drinkable versions, probably related to a combined set of these kinds of inputs (plant genetics, local climate input, typical growing conditions, and processing choices).  Yiwu area teas might be interpreted as mostly sweet, approachable, and floral, but saying that brings in a limitation and risk of over-generalizing:  that's a broad area, and the teas would surely vary a lot from different places there.  That general pattern might often hold because expectations have evolved in that direction, again for different reasons.  Then it wouldn't necessarily have to be accurate.

autumn harvest versions:  spring teas are typically more intense, often more flavorful (range is greater, not just intensity), and are more desirable.  They'll often have more aging potential, and can reach favorable intermediate age stages that work out better, in some circumstances.  So why drink autumn tea?  Mainly because it costs less.  Sometimes a vendor will obtain and sell a highly in-demand origin area tea version from the autumn, because they have trouble finding a version they can afford to buy and resell from the spring.  Once their applied mark-up involves trying to sell a tea at over $1 a gram they might naturally see market demand as a likely problem.

Could an autumn harvest version be more favorable in some way, beyond just being less intense?  This goes beyond my experience range to answer.  Those kinds of absolutes seem to never fully hold up, but you don't hear much about exceptions either.  It brings to mind a Chinese Wuyi Yancha producer describe how they never do more than one harvest per year for their teas (from their plants), because the cost is too high related to offsetting positive character of the tea and general intensity.  I think pu'er material sources are often harvested three times a year, twice for pu'er, in the spring and fall, and once in the summer for making black tea, although who knows, maybe that's completely wrong.  I'm passing on standard hearsay.

wild origin / varying genetic material teas:  this mixes two radically different inputs that tend to go together, growing conditions and plant types.  It's hard to say why a tea plant growing in the midst of other types of trees would produce more flavorful, more distinctive, and less intense and less challenging tea.  Maybe a lot of shading would reduce intensity.  Maybe plants do carry over flavors of what is growing around them (this generality is often repeated).  It could be that plantation tea tends to be more managed, weeded, and fertilized, the types of inputs that allow plants to grow at maximum speed and produce a lot of leaf compounds.  Who knows.  

We tend to want one or two causes to explain any given thing but in the real world a mix of lots of inputs can enter in.  Maybe it works out that monoculture oriented, high volume production plantations are often located at lower elevation, and more natural gardens higher up, and this one input alone changes things.

Genetic variation of tea plants is an even more complicated subject.  Some plants probably would interbreed with other Assamica or Taliensis versions, as people often speculate.  Just the normal range of variation of genetics by different locations is hard to place. 

effect of varying pressed forms on tea aging:  there isn't as much effect as one might expect.  A very tightly packed tuocha, or larger well-pressed cake, probably would age slower than a smaller, looser packed cake.  I've not seen much speculation about how dragonballs or tea coins age differently, but in general those aren't as favorable for brewing for other reasons, per my experience.  Maocha, loose versions, could potentially age a little faster, but it's still much more standard for vendors to carry and sell pressed versions.  

Related to shapes like dragonballs and tea coins, you end up taking 4 or 5 rounds to get all the material wetted, so you are brewing the outer material well into the transition cycle before the stuff in the middle gets started.  That still works, but out at 10 infusions in or so you have relatively spent material having been infused for longer than normal, to push the pace of wetting the inside, and to get enough intensity out of a fraction of the tea in early rounds.  So that starts contributing characteristic bitterness and off flavor before the infusion cycle ends, maybe green wood, as brewed-out sheng still produces well past 10 rounds.

This is more about aging, and I'm not sure how that would be different.  It might age faster in small forms, since most of the material is relatively near an edge.  For a hard-pressed dragonball maybe that's not as true.  A loosely pressed 357 gram cake might afford a lot more air contact exposure.  It makes sense to me that vendors have moved on to pressing everything a bit less tightly, making the tea easier to access, and potentially enabling more uniform fermentation.

optimum fermentation transition range for different types of tea:  this comes down to preference, as everything does.  Some people might only love well-aged sheng.  To me for factory teas, of a conventional style range, those really do work much better fully aged, so it's on to considering a now more dominant style range, more whole-leaf, higher quality, often narrow origin sourced (versus blended) range of teas.  Sometimes these are referred to as boutique style teas, but people probably mean different things by that reference.  Some would fold in quality concerns, not just style.  Some of these can be much more drinkable when young, and intermediate aging levels may make more sense, drinking them new, or within 3 or 4 years.

There are too many variables and potential outcomes to frame it all as being that simple though.  To me, as a general rule, a high level of bitterness and pronounced astringency, a rough feel versus fullness and richness, are the kinds of starting points that enable positive transitions, and to the extent these are very pronounced maybe more transition could be better for a tea.  I've kind of already said that, and this is more about the opposite range.

People sometimes criticize young sheng for being unapproachable (typically early on in their exploration), which could relate to different things.  Maybe they're just not acclimated to any bitterness yet, or a significant level.  Rough astringency feel can correspond with broken leaf or lower quality material; that's usually not so pleasant.  It's funny hearing different descriptions for off flavors in young sheng, like describing it as tasting like kerosene.  That kind of thing might relate to a quality issue.  A brand new 7542 cake doesn't taste great, per my exposure to those at different ages, but it might not actually taste like kerosene (like it smells; people don't end up tasting that).

The generalities only go so far; to some extent you need to try different types of tea at different ages to see what you like.  Something might really click that you don't expect, doing so.  Interesting flavor changes can occur, beyond the transitions that you might come to expect.  

a few intermediate range patterns:  I've been trying teas of different ages lately, and lots of different patterns emerge.  These are higher quality, relatively whole-leaf, origin specific, relatively less blended versions, again which one could think of as "boutique" versions.  Or not, the label doesn't change much, beyond narrowing things a bit further for some people.

One pattern is that some teas just fade away after a medium-long storage time, within 15 to 20 years.  Some can lose lots of intensity within a decade, even if the character doesn't change over to a relatively aged form.  I suspect that it's not so difficult to experience and identify a range of initial aspects or character that relates to the negative or positive transitions, it's just hard for me to draw clear and conclusive links.

Another negative pattern is that some teas end up expressing off flavors, eg. tasting like wood.  This is separate from less favorable storage conditions either adding negative flavor input (eg. mustiness), or suppressing fermentation transition altogether.  In general I think a range of styles and initial aspects probably tend to link to this outcome as well.  I'm not sure it's a one-to-one mapping of what you might taste in a new tea shifting to that later; it may work out that non-standard initial character could change negatively in different ways.

Then there are a range of positive transition patterns.  This can relate first to some teas being quite pleasant after very limited transition time, maybe 2 to 3 years of storage.  Rough edges can settle, and some depth can emerge, with bitterness and astringency mellowing.  Usually flavors won't completely shift over this short a time, but teas can change a lot.  The next two ranges of concerns are more complicated, an intermediate in-between stage, where it all can make less sense, as younger and older (more transitioned) aspects mix, and then finally, after 15 to 20 years, the final aged form can emerge, which is often interesting and pleasant, but not always remotely close to optimum.

atypical processing inputs:  this relates to a theme I've encountered a lot in South East Asian teas, with sheng pu'er often more oxidized (only one pattern, that overlaps with another topic already mentioned, drinkable when young versions).  That makes it sweeter, a little warmer in tone, and more approachable, at the cost of swapping out some aging potential (my take, at least, which does tend to keep changing).  How do I know that oxidation level was higher, in any given case?  You can taste it, and also see it in browning of the leaves, often more noticeable in the stems.  

Per input from one vendor (a main one in China) this can relate to not drying the tea to a normal level at one step.  Per input from another tea producer, and a researcher, this can be a very intentional style choice.  One producer even mentioned that they add more rest time to allow for oxidation after the heating / kill-green / fixing step, which isn't something I would expect.  I would've expected a long wither and initial oxidation to be a main input instead.  I suppose both could come up, used differently by different producers.

two examples of that, subsequent years from the same Vietnamese tea producer, both young

Some of my overall favorite teas have seemingly been processed in this way.  They can be sweet, warm, fruity (which relates to different inputs), and less bitter and astringent right away, very approachable and pleasant as relatively new tea.  I've not tried much of this range of tea aged for a decade to confirm that it wouldn't age well, or maybe none at all, it can be hard to keep track, since I've not been buying and tracking aging progress for lots of tea versions for over a decade.

Some other versions don't have this included as a noticeable input (although that may be hard to identify), and those other versions can also be sweet, mild, complex in flavor, and approachable over the first year.  I have confirmed that one of my overall favorite sheng versions--from Yunnan, sold by a main vendor--was best within the first year, still ok by the second or third, and then not as positive when I tried it later on.  I suppose that could have related to a processing input I've not identified, or mostly to plant type, or some other cause.  Even when you see interesting transition patterns play out you don't always sort out a clear cause or set of causes input that explains what had happened.

If some tea versions are a blend of lots of different versions of material, balancing out initial character, offsetting flaws, making the most of positive contributions from several, then it might be quite complicated what led to what as such a tea changes over time.

If a tea version is heated too much during the kill-green / sha qing step it will just seem like green tea.  That can still be ok; I've tried a version that worked out well for.  Related to input from a vendor it's possible for a cake pressing vendor--that kind of thing can be outsourced by producers--to overheat cakes during a drying step, and a comparable effect can occur, pushing the style towards green tea.  Again it's conceivable that the outcome could be positive, but more likely that wouldn't be regarded as a positive input, by the tea producer or by a endpoint customer.

problematic teen-age middle years:  I comment on this all the time, but left it out of the initial posted version.  People often mention that there are years in between early fermentation and final aged form that just don't make sense.  The tea can come across as flavorless, or else aged and young flavors can not match together.  It's such a standard theme that just mentioning that adds nothing new to the discussion, so I'll extend this line of thinking a little.  

This can happen at different actual ages, at a different number of years, because dry and humid storage happen at different paces.  A tea can be a decade old and still express young character, when dry stored (often in Kunming, but anywhere).  Where I live, in Bangkok, natural humidity is often around 70% RH, sometimes higher, and the heat seems to change and speed up transitions as well.  Within 5 years all of the newer characteristics have transitioned, and teas take on a relatively aged character within a decade, a bit ahead of a normal schedule.  It still takes about 15-20 years for a full transition process to occur, but this can take 25 to 30 under different circumstances.

Can a tea character be positive right at this stage; could preference lead to someone liking this character?  There's no reason why not, but in general no.  Teas just don't make a lot of sense at this stage.  Some greener aspects mix with warmer tones, but it all doesn't really integrate.  Flavors can come across as muted.  Feel doesn't transition over yet, and bitterness can be at an odd level, not gone, not pronounced as when young, but not matching the level of the older, more developed, transitioned range (jujube, medicinal herb, incense or root spice, etc.).

It wouldn't even be easy for people to evaluate how the next step would go at this stage, per my experience.  With enough practice maybe to a limited degree, but it seems to me that it might be easier to identify how a tea will age within the first 5 years than in between 10 to 12.

real cases being a bit complicated:  people tend to not write meandering, overly general descriptions of this sort of range like this, because too many variables enter in for the presented ideas to be cohesive and helpful.  The last half dozen posts about sheng versions highlights how that works, but I can't really extract an extra helpful few hundred words of description to pin it all down.  When you try a half dozen teas you see a range of outcomes, snapshots at a certain point in time, but you can only ever guess about specific inputs, or next steps, the further potential.

It makes it all the harder that the goalpost is a match to personal preference, not some range of objectively desirable outcomes.  Maybe shared consensus about what is positive lets those two themes map together, to some extent, but probably variations add up to as much range as the shared space.

This can seem to contradict what some online tea discussion expresses.  People more than a decade into exploration, more experienced than me, tend to discuss tea in shared, common ways, and agree on patterns and outcomes that they prefer.  Often these people learned those preferences together, even if they weren't sitting at the same tea tables regularly.  Tea groups discussing teas tend to collect and form into informal "classes," self-sorting to end up that way.

What does this leave out?  Probably as much as it includes, with parts included on the "getting it all wrong" side.  Whatever I write I often second-guess as my opinion and understanding evolve over time.  It seemed like a good time to collect some thoughts, but these will keep changing.

I didn't commit to whether gushu material tea really will typically offer more aging potential; lots of limitations like that must be included as well.  At a guess that depends on the tea style, largely tied back to processing choices, and other factors, more so than that one plant related input (plant age).  Probably in another 10 years I'd express that completely differently.

I think people with different exposure, with more budget to throw at their sheng pu'er habit, and draw on more input from a group of fellow pu'er enthusiasts, might be onto different patterns and outcomes I've yet to experience.  Or maybe they could "poke holes" in some of what is offered here.  I never do get much feedback about writing; that part of blogging never worked out.  It's understandable; I should be part of a set of friends who explore together so that more-interested parties read the content.  Even if we've never spoken it would be interesting to hear from you, about how your experiences work out, whether they're the same or different.  Or not; the standard paradigm of just putting ideas out there has been ok for me.

If you are a vendor who has sent me samples, supporting my exploration, then many thanks for that contribution.  This wouldn't have went as well without your help.

Thai conflict with Cambodia

 

I'm writing to cover my impression of the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.  This won't relate to setting the record straight in terms of history, or unpacking all the layers and different relevant perspectives.  This covers what I think is happening, related to hearing similar news relatively regularly over the past 17 years while living here (in Bangkok, abroad for parts of that time, but not much of it).

It's an ongoing conflict.  The root cause seemed to be that ownership of a temple area was always contested, and never completely clarified by final divisions between the countries back when the colonial era ended.  Thailand never was a colony of a foreign empire, but land division changed a bit in relation to neighboring areas that were.  When French rule ended, or their colonial oversight did, maps were re-drawn to reflect the modern status of country divisions, and that didn't always relate to as clear a status everywhere as it might.  I think the contention over an area between Malaysia and Thailand is slightly different, more about some groups in the South not wanting to be a part of Thailand, with the official border area well-defined and accepted, by most.  In this one case it's just about ownership of a small temple area.

I'm not sure how many times open conflict has erupted over this issue, but if memory serves--which is not a given--this may be the third round, or more.  It has involved actual fighting before, limited military conflict.  I'd know better what serves as a trigger if I followed the news more closely than I do.  But the underlying cause seems to be the same:  conflict over ownership of a very small area, and an old temple.

In other countries people might apply a different perspective and paradigm about how local land ownership issues work out.  In the US you can find clear markers for map lines of all kinds, and people know where they are in relation to these.  In some cases main divisions might go right through a town or city, and then it's clearly known where that division lies, often down to a few feet.  In rural areas things are different, even in the US, but perhaps all the more so in countries like Thailand.  

Some rural groups, not of the Thai majority group background, lack clear citizenship designation, per my understanding, so people could be not officially a citizen of Thailand in spite of being born here, to parents also born here.  People can also move between different countries in rural areas, especially indigenous groups, known as hill tribes, through less controlled routes.  This was said to be a main cause of Covid entering the country when people passed back and forth from Myanmar.

None of this leads to this conflict making perfect sense, but it can be a normal state of affairs, in an unusual way.  It leads on to considering if Thai people have negative feelings towards people from Cambodia (or Myanmar, or anywhere else).  Not really, but to a very limited extent perhaps.  Thais favor the best interests of Thailand and other Thais, but they seem to accept that people mix in this region.  People from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia often work in Bangkok, I suppose with or without legal rights to do so.  Probably more often without that.  The borders are generally a bit open to people moving back and forth, accepting this status, building it into policy enforcement.

To be sure this is where things get a bit hazy to me.  I'm not sure how formal process works, and how exceptions do.  I've known of people working in Thailand from other places, probably most often without the right paperwork, but I can't really draw a parallel in relation to how that is the same or different than migrant farm workers from Mexico working in the US (or from anywhere else).

Then in this one case it's especially odd how Thailand and Cambodia enter the status of officially being at war, when the conflict doesn't seem like one resembling a war (or had; it seems to be officially and in practice generally resolved now).  There is no intention of full-blown military engagement, on either side, it doesn't seem.  So what is the point?  Why start conflict, and what is the desired goal, for both countries?  Again this is where my understanding leaves off.

I've visited Cambodia, quite a number of times.  The border is quite open to Thais traveling to there, as I'm sure also works in the other direction.  The land border has a strange feel to it, versus entering by air, which is just like entering any other country by air.  The enforcement practices related to foreigners--people from other countries--coming and going has kept changing over the past 17 years, but then that's a completely different subject.

People in the US ask if I'm worried about the conflict, when it "heats up," if I feel like we are in danger in Bangkok.  Not at all.  Apparently four people were killed in minor conflict that somehow connected back to that theme, in Bangkok, but in a sense four people dying in a city of a dozen million doesn't feel like a high risk level status.  Also we have no connection to this issue, of any kind.

People died at that border area, and that's different.  Risk level in the close proximity to that border location was significant, and people died there, civilians.  I'm not sure what to make of that.  It's a tragedy, but an all-too familiar one for lots of people in other types of conflict zones.  People die in the South in Thailand regularly, I think.  It's not even an atypical news story, I don't think.  It's nothing like in Gaza, in former Palestine, but a limited number of deaths is also a tragedy, even those four.  Hundreds of people dying in a different kind of conflict is just more of one.

It might sound like I'm claiming that Thais are familiar with death and tragedy, and ok with it, but really the opposite is more true.  They don't have the terrible public shootings here (a couple, and a bombing, but that's it for the country's recent history, that 17 years).  It's not at all that "life is cheap."  Accidents might kill people for what seem like the wrong reasons from time to time, like a boat sinking, but Thais respond appropriately, with empathy and serious regret, and with varying degrees of preventative resolution.  People are less protected from themselves than in the US, restricted from hiking on a dangerous trail, for example, but that's essentially another different subject.

That said I can think of an example that contradicts the last point, and our impressions are made up of these bits of experiences.  We went out hiking on a national park trail once and it was required that we be accompanied by a park employed ranger.  We learned on the hike that this requirement came from the risk of wild elephant contact, and that a ranger had been killed by an aggressive wild elephant earlier in the year in that area.  Such a happening is rare, per my understanding, but male elephants do undergo a radical change of personality at one point in the breeding season, when some hormones are active, and are aggressive and dangerous then.  At one point the ranger with us saw elephant sign, and we ran out of that area.  

It's probably clear already, but the point is that Thai park policies and restrictions are put in place to protect people while hiking, at times.  They could have just informed us of the risk and sent us off, and everything probably would've been fine, but the extra step made for extra protection.  There was some limited fee related to this, if I remember, but it would've seem trivial back in the US, since in some contexts under $10 goes a long way.  It might seem odd that I'm claiming that people are less protected by regulations and restrictions here, given I've just cited a counter-example.  It's that the US is heavily into regulations and restrictions, which aren't always effective, but in some cases these would actually protect people.

Of course I can't project the future of Thailand and Cambodia's ongoing conflict; I can't even fully place what has happened in the past month.  But open war seems unlikely.  This sort of very limited scale conflict makes no sense at all to me, but then not everything does, especially when foreign culture perspectives and government directions are folded in.  What my family members say about perspective on neighboring countries and peoples can be a bit contradictory, but that's also how this works, that people hold varying opinions, and even any one person's full perspective may not be completely consistent.

Liu Bao comparison tasting, 2004 and late teens versions

 

LOT 031 version left, in all photos

I'm reviewing two versions of Liu Bao tea, one sent by the Legend of Tea vendor (the main one I'm reviewing), and another from a friend in Malaysia, maybe in 2019 or so.  I may have never reviewed that other version here; that's strange.  In this post I reviewed some other Liu Bao he sent earlier, in 2017, but I think this was from about two years later.

It took some doing figuring out what this version is, because it's labeled in Chinese, and the site doesn't make mapping that back easy.  At first I thought it was this, but it's not:

Hilltown Aged Liu Bao  (2011 product, $2.31 for 10 grams or 74.34 for 450 grams)

Drinking Pu'er and Liu Bao tea is a time-honoured Nanyang Chinese tradition that continues to this day. From the tin mining era, miners have been drinking Liu Bao tea as their daily health elixir. Renowned for four unique qualities "red, rich, aged and mellow", Liu Bao tea had won hearts of those who have tasted its charm.

Hilltown Aged Liu Bao tea leaves are fine and tight in appearance, with a glossy hue of blackish brown. Upon steeping, its liquor is a lustrous deep red, pleasantly mellow and sweet, with a well balanced aroma. The enchanting tea essence lingers long after each sip, and the smooth and enduring mouthfeel makes it a delightful companion for multiple steepings.

Then it seemed like possibly something from this sample set, and it is one of those teas.  The vendor helped fill in that it's really this:

Chun Xiang 031 Liu Bao 10G | 100G | 250G | 1KG ($65 for 250 grams, available as a 10 gram sample for $4.16)

Lovingly matured for 19 years, this tea has mellowed out with a rich and velvety profile. A true testament of its age, its tea liquor is bold deep red accompanied with an enchanting aged aroma upon steeping.  The taste is a harmonious blend of smoothness and depth, leaving a satisfying aftertaste. Over time, the tea's character intensifies, becoming even more full-bodied and mellowly sweet, making it a prized addition to any tea collection.

In this post I was guessing that it was a pre-fermented variation of Liu Bao, similar to shou / shu pu'er, because the fermentation level is so complete.  It being from 2004 explains that fermentation input level, potentially in a different way, or maybe it was processed in a manner similar to shou.  21 years is awhile, especially for teas being stored in Malaysia; it's there.  Then I can't say for sure that it wasn't pre-fermented originally as well; there are different styles of Liu Bao, processed in different ways, per my understanding mapping fairly directly to the sheng and shou (raw and ripe) pu'er types.

There's not much about the other version to serve as a baseline.  I describe what it had been like earlier, but it has changed a lot in a half dozen years.  Here's where it was from:

Who sends an online friend a kilogram of any kind of tea?  That friend, and not very many other people.  Of course I never had any idea how much it cost; you don't ask about gifts like that.

There's more from him in a description of Tie Kuan Yin's origin story (along with a review of two TGY oolongs that he also sent), which is the most background I've even included about him.

The review notes don't make much of the 031 version's leaves being finer, or brewed tea color differing quite a bit, focusing more on the experienced aspects (vision is an experience; I mean flavor and mouthfeel).

Review:

Legend of Tea Liu Bao (2004, it seems, but I wrote review notes without knowing that):  heavy on that distinctive mineral range, which reminds me most of cement block.  Using a rinse for these would have been reasonable, but I didn't (although this was a fast infusion, so it's a rinse if you throw it away, and an early infusion if you don't).  I might just check the flavor and character and skip drinking all of it.  

So far this seems promising.  Early mineral related range is a little rough, but I think that will smooth out quickly.  Feel is already smooth and rich; by rough I mean that it's a little dry, a little far into tasting like cement range.  There is lots of other depth there already there, other sweetness.

This reminds me of seeing a comment about the set (7?) of distinctive Liu Bao flavors awhile back.  I asked Google's AI results what those were, but I'm sure the list isn't exactly the same:

Liu Bao tea boasts a complex flavor profile, often described as earthy and mellow, with prominent notes of betel nut, medicinal herbs, and wood. It can also exhibit hints of honey, jujube, and even a subtle fungal aroma, particularly in aged varieties. (and pine smoke is mentioned in the detailed breakdown after).

I'll do more of a flavor list next round, referring back to that.

comparison version, from a friend in Malaysia:  much different.  It's warmer, missing some of the cement block flavor range, but with plenty of other mineral.  I think this is quite different than when I first tried it a half dozen years ago, mellowed quite a bit.  "Different how" will be easier to describe in the flavor list breakdown next round.

LOT Liu Bao #2:  lots of cement-oriented mineral range still comes across, but it already balances a lot better, with other range stepping forward more.  Probably next round this early transition will be more complete.

It's hard to say if this really does taste like betel nut, medicinal herbs, wood, honey, jujube, fungal aroma, and pine smoke.  It's complex, and most of that seems to work.  There's a decent chance that betel nut is the most pronounced flavor, after that mineral range, but I'm not familiar with that flavor to call it.  There's a little jujube (Chinese date), but it's secondary to a lot of other complexity.  Wood tones stand out more, and pine, maybe pine wood, versus smoke.

It's cleaner than it probably sounds, as that list.  Flavor range is on the deep, warm, and heavy side.  Per my understanding Liu Bao can be relatively pre-fermented (like shou pu'er) or not much at all (more like sheng), and this seems to include that process as a main input [editing note:  unless this is significantly aged, and then distinguishing pre-fermentation input and aging effect would require plenty of exposure to lots of versions to become clear on].  But it doesn't result in exactly the same heavy, rich flavors as those common in shou.  It's related, but a different set.

Complexity is positive in this.  Clean effect is nice, and sweetness is good.  Feel is rich and full.  So to me the make or break related to the experience is how one takes that mineral base flavor, which really sets the stage for all of the rest.  It's in between pine wood and cement, which one could interpret as medicinal herbs instead (which sounds better).  It should "clean up" a lot over the next round.

comparison version:  a heavy, distinct flavor range stands out in this, which I don't remember from trying it many times before.  Lots of what I do remember has transitioned to become only supporting aspects, a rougher, lighter mineral range.  Maybe part of that is betel nut (again), since I'm really describing a set of flavors that are primary that come across as connected.  Richness and sweetness weren't as present before, and a dried fruit range also entered in (like jujube, dried Chinese date, but I suppose it could also be interpreted in different ways).  

So is this not as good, better, or just different?  I'll get back to that over the next couple of rounds.

LOT #3:  this really does come together nicely this round; warm and sweet tones ramp up, and drier mineral tones balance better.  That same complex set of aspects is all present, all integrated really well.  I could probably sort out what the flavors are better, but that earlier list could work as identification.

comparison version:  this is pretty good too, but the profile is narrower.  It has softened and deepened over time, which is nice, but it lacks the fullness of flavor across the broad range the other expresses.  That's not necessarily worse, but it does seem to leave out part of what is making Liu Bao work, that intensity of balancing flavors, so I guess the complexity.  This is centered more on the deep mineral, with some woodiness, a bit towards pine, and a touch of what could be interpreted as dried fruit.  That probably sounds like a description of the other, but somehow it covers less range.

It's interesting considering that if the other version is closely mapped to shou pu'er it's at a relative end-point for fermentation, or the same would be true if it's quite aged instead, and at 7 or so years along this would be more at a mid-point (although I'm not sure how old it was back then, when I got it).  It should keep changing more over the next half a dozen years.  I'm not sure how well that parallel holds up; it's a different style of tea, not made in the same way, not expressing relatively identical young character in terms of aspects.  It might work better as a thought model or point of comparison than a guess about future transitions.

LOT #4:  depth, complexity, feel, and overall balance are nice for this.  It does seem like this is closer to a shou style, related to that warm, earthy depth.  That or else this has really been aging for a long time, a decade or more [21 years, per the product description].  It's different than shou, of course, with that dry mineral base standing out (that's not really present in shou at all), with the rest matching better.  That mineral level and type has softened and changed over the last two infusions.  

Even for the rest shou doesn't taste like jujube / Chinese date, to this extent, and what I'm interpreting as probably like betel nut isn't common either.  The rich feel and warmth is comparable, and fullness.  

It would be interesting to see if I can tolerate this while fasting, as I can shou, if that part carries over.  When a test of that doesn't work it puts me in an awkward place, because I won't just eat some food to resolve it.  I can drink shou or aged white tea when fasting, and so far the rest doesn't work very well.  I've only experimented with aged sheng a little, because the initial trial didn't go well.

comparison version:  there's a bit of sourness in this, that has been evolving to be stronger.  To me it's decent tea, interesting for being where it is, and it may well have positive transition potential left.  But the other is more positive now, in a couple of different ways.  Feel is pretty good for this, and the warmer tones work a lot better than how it came across a half dozen years ago (to me; people could love that edginess and intensity).

It's not a given that Gongfu brewing gets the best out of Liu Bao, or that all versions would work out the same related to relative optimum preparation.  To me for sheng and shou pu'er Gongfu brewing is best, in general, but these teas might work well brewed using other approaches, using a much lower proportion.  Just a good sized pinch would be enough for "grandpa-style" brewing, drinking it together with the tea left in, using a very extended infusion time.  It would probably still brew a few rounds that way, and you could add another pinch to keep on going, for quite awhile.  The first Legend of Tea version, for being closer to shou in character, would probably brew tea well using a thermos brewing approach, which isn't completely unrelated, using a very long infusion time, and very limited proportion, letting it sit for an hour or two.  Proportion could be really low for that; it wouldn't take much to brew a strong 700 ml of tea.

All of that is more discussion than suggestion; messing around with brewing approach might turn up interesting and positive results.

LOT #5:  since these aren't transitioning that much I'll probably leave off after this round.  Intensity is backing off just a little but this is far from finished, it seems.  Within another couple of rounds I'd be stretching timing a little, which would change aspects some, but I'll probably not write about that.  It's good, similar to how it has been for the last couple of rounds.

comparison version:  a sort of roasted sunflower seed flavor emerges; this is changing a little more.  The sourness that had evolved has now largely dropped out.  It expresses a more limited flavor profile, so it's less complex, but the range is comparable, and it's also good.  

This might match up really well with a range of foods, which is one positive potential that my Malaysian friend, who sent this to me, had emphasized in talking about how they prefer to experience Liu Bao.  It would be rich and intense enough to balance dim sum nicely, and include enough mineral and astringency to offset some of those dishes being heavy, rich, or oily.  The other would be ok too, but it would be more like drinking shou pu'er with food, which could also work.  

The way this tea was 5 or 6 years ago was a lot more intense, a bit harsher, including more mineral expression and astringency, and that would've balanced against heavy food in a different kind of way.  I suppose that it could work to see this character as in between how it had been and the Legend of Tea version I'm using it as a comparison with.

Conclusions:

This seemed to leave out two different kinds of conclusions:  to what extent do I like the teas (match to my preference), and how do I judge them in terms of quality level or trueness to type for Liu Bao?

The first relates most to my type preferences in tea, more so than to the quality level of either.  They're good, but I like sheng pu'er most, as tea types go.  From there I also really appreciate black tea, basic Chinese-style versions, especially Dian Hong, and a lot of oolong range, especially Wuyi Yancha and Dan Cong.  So I do like these, but not absolutely loving Liu Bao limits that.  It's the same for shou pu'er; it can be fine, but I tend to not love it.  And all the more so for green tea, which is more or less my least favorite main broad type.

Related to quality level these seem fine, but I can't really place either on a scale.  They seem like relatively different variations of Liu Bao, possibly relating to that raw / ripe or pre-fermented or not divide.  It's trickier to try to place two different teas in relation to being good quality examples of two different types or styles, in relation to each other.

I think the main version I'm reviewing here, the Legend of Tea version, is really nice, pleasant and complex, well-balanced, and in a drinkable style.  It's better tea than the other version, but that's probably not comparing apples to apples, since it is much more fermented than the other, older, or maybe a processing difference also entered in.

I think it does match one normal type range of Liu Bao, a variation that's already well fermented.  I can't place it on a quality scale, or guess about a normal pricing range, because the type just isn't that familiar.  But I can add that unless someone is looking for a slightly more challenging type, as the other was when it was newer, this covers pleasant and complex Liu Bao range in a very positive way.  Flavors are intense, complex, and well-balanced, and it lacks any kinds of flaws or obvious limitations.  As I interpret it the style is a good match to the general type.

The other version is fine too, but it may be even better in another half dozen years, once it finishes an aging process.

Since I can't really place this for quality level, due to not being familiar enough with a higher end range of Liu Bao, it's also hard to place it for value.  I can add that if you buy a few aged Liu Bao versions from a source like Yunnan Sourcing there is a good chance that none will really compare well to this, regardless of their age, or possibly even brand and version.  Storage conditions need to be somewhat optimum for the initial quality of a version to carry over well to an aged form; too wet and one would be quite musty, too dry and the fermentation process wouldn't occur properly.  

It's been awhile since I've done that, but Liu Bao has turned up here and there in samples since.  This version is one of the best I've tried, and maybe the best, since it's hard to keep track.  It will be interesting trying others from them, to help place it further.

2011 Bulang and 2012 Mengsong Malaysia stored sheng pu'ers

 

I'm reviewing two older sheng pu'er versions, again from the Legend of Tea vendor in Malaysia (sent by them for review; many thanks!).  This should be interesting for balancing out a set of different aged versions from them and from Tea Mania, a Swiss vendor I've also been reviewing teas from.  

I'll cover their listing description, then the review, which I essentially always write before reading any description.

2011 Xiao Ba Wang Raw Puerh Tea  (Bu Lang origin, $77.70 for 200 grams, equivalent to $139 for a 357 gram cake)

The raw material selected by XiaoBaWang in 2009 is from BuLang Mountain, which is one of the six ancient tea mountains in China, and it is also one of the most famous Puer tea production areas. BuLang Mountain is located in South Asia, with a tropical monsoon climate, full of sunshine, abundant rainfall. These natural conditions contribute BuLang Mountain Tea as a legend in Puer tea.

Tea liquor tastes high sweetness, after 9 years of storage in the pure dry warehouse, it becomes thick and smooth, not astringent, not dry, and docile.

A little to unpack there:  that may well be tea that's two years older than the pressing date (which isn't so unusual), with the 9 years time-frame just relating to when the page listing was updated (in 2020, it would seem).  The "dry warehouse" part relates to natural storage, per discussion with the vendor; conditions weren't maintained at a consistently high humidity level.

2012 Xiao Ba Wang Raw Puerh Tea  ($72.96 for 200 grams, equivalent to $130 for standard 357 cake)

XiaoBaWang 2012 chose to use spring tea leaves from MengSong Mountain, MengHai County. MengSong is one of the oldest ancient tea plant in MengHai, the history of MengSong Mountain minority tea planting is as long as that of NanNuo Mountain minority tea planting.

The tea leaves are tightly knotted, bitterness melts in the mouth, leaving a lingering aroma. The palate is rich and thick, with a sweet aroma of honey fruit.

That seems clear enough.

Review:

2011 Bulang:  it's pretty subtle at this point, warm tones and not much more.  It will open up a bit and strengthen, it's just a matter of how much.  I actually used a rinse this time too.  I'll push it the next round and add more description.

2012 Meng Song:  also subtle, also warm in tone, but a bit different.  Both of these express a slight mustiness, like old book or stored boxes smell, which I don't see as necessarily too negative.  That kind of thing can transition away within a round or two, as harsher astringency sometimes does in younger sheng.

2011 Bulang #2:  perhaps brewed a bit too long, from the color, but that will move things along.  This is definitely well-aged sheng, towards the end of that process.  Breaking that down to a flavor list is never so easy.  People end up mentioning descriptions like camphor, medicinal herb, ju-jube (Chinese date), and old books, which are all reasonable and valid enough, but those can lend themselves to seeming a bit vague.  Medicinal herb could be a lot of things, and "old books" is sort of an underlying context or impression.  

This tastes a little like old books, or old furniture.  I suppose there's a sort of old tropical hardwood flavor going along with that.  Feel is interesting, with some fullness, and then also dryness.  I can't really place fruit or spice, and that list doesn't seem long enough yet, to describe what I'm experiencing.

2012 Meng Song:  there's a good bit more root spice to this, or something along that line.  It could be a bark spice.  Old books might also work.  It comes across as more intense; the other is still a bit subtle at this point.  Again feel has some structure and also some dryness.  Ju-jube might actually fit for this one; kind of funny it works out like that.

2011 Bulang #3:  it's funny how much intensity and complexity comes across in this, with it still hard to describe as tasting like much.  It has a lot of depth.  Warm mineral tones stand out, and that aged books sort of theme, more pronounced than it usually is, more of a main flavor component, versus a supporting aspect.  I've tried varying versions of aged teas that seem to just fade, and a warm depth remains, but not much else, and this isn't like that.  It doesn't work to say this is subtle, but in one sense that's true.  A faint woodiness is also present, like the deep washed-out scent of driftwood.  It's probably better than it sounds, related to how much I like it.

2012 Meng Song:  this is more intense, more conventional.  Old books flavor is also present in this, or maybe it's old furniture.  Again the rest is a bit like a spice-tone, maybe a root, possibly bark.  Interpretation as dried fruit could work, again with Chinese date working as well as any other.

Both are fairly clean at this point; that initial mustiness did drop out.  Mouthfeel is unusual for both, or maybe not that unusual related to how well-aged sheng go.  It's full in a different sense, even a little dry, with strong mineral tones seeming to match with that experience, with both carrying over.  It's interesting that mouthfeel can carry over, as is common with aftertaste.  These are definitely truly aged sheng versions, pretty far along for this being only 13 years old.

I used the broken parts of the sample for this Meng Song version; that probably affected the feel, bringing out even more dryness, which may soften over a couple of more rounds.

2011 Bulang #4:  it improves, but it's still subtle.  A warm sweetness picks up.  For people on this page this experience could be lovely, but for many others they just wouldn't get it.  I'm in the middle.  

It's complex enough that someone with the right background or imagination could list out a very long flavor and feel aspect list, and then for most it wouldn't come across as expressing much that's distinct at all.  Aged sheng can be like this.  

On the positive side this may well be a humid-stored sheng version that's now 16 years old, not 14, and for some trying a relatively fully aged version might be really novel.  It might mellow and deepen a little but it's pretty much there.

2012 Meng Song:  perhaps easier to relate to for stronger flavors emerging, and more distinct individual flavor range, rather than mostly depth and mineral, with aged books or furniture range.  It might taste a little greener at this stage (in the infusion count, related to transitions over this brewing cycle).  It's warm, and well-aged, with almost all the vegetal range switched over to warmer flavors (aged wood, spice, etc.), but the process isn't absolutely complete, it can still probably change more.  13 years is a long time in warm and humid storage conditions, but it's still not the same as 20 to 25.

Both of these express so much warm mineral depth.  It's one thing to say that, but hard to convey what that is like.

2011 Bulang #5:  it shifts a bit into spice range, maybe a subtle root spice, along the line of ginseng, or maybe some medicinal herb type I'm not familiar with.  It's funny how it lacks more up-front or forward flavors but the depth adds up to an experience of complexity, and even intensity.  It's also clean, and heavy on mineral base tones.  It's interesting.

2012 Meng Song:  this shifts, but it's within the same dried fruit / bark spice range.  It's really coming into its own at this stage, the best it has been.  Dryness fades, and fullness and richness pick up.  Trying them one after the other I do like this better, especially at this point, but the other has been improving as well, smoothing out and picking up more depth and complexity.

2011 Bulang #6:  a reference to something like a macadamia nut might help place what I've been trying to express, a nut type that is rich and complex, heavy with creamy flavor, but that doesn't taste like much, at least that's easy to pin down.  It tastes like a macadamia nut; that's it.  Some of that richness and fullness is present in this.  It might be closer to a Brazil nut, I think.  There's a warm mineral edge that's common across different kinds of tea, that's also hard to place.  Like driftwood?  Or subtle spice?  The aged books reference doesn't work as well since the flavor is so clean at this stage, but it might still cover a part of it.

2012 Meng Song:  that mix of flavors I've been describing doesn't seem like an ideal description, but it's probably as close as I'm going to get.  It shifts just a little each round, but the same set just comes across differently, shifting the balance of each input.  Warm mineral undertone is still a main part of the experience of both, and feel is unique for both.

Skipping reviewing late rounds isn't because there wouldn't be more to tell.  This covers most of the story, and it's too much for me to get through.

Conclusions:

It probably didn't help that I do those tastings on weekend mornings, and rush to get to errands.  Today it's a doctor's visit; yesterday it was something else.  For teas like these it's better to take your time, to drink them over an hour or more, letting the experience settle in.

They seemed good.  That would relate to preference, as for any tea type or version, and aged sheng is an unusual range.  It can be complex but subtle.  Maybe only the older Bulang version really seemed subtle, and even for that version that description isn't the best fit.

This reminds me of trying an aged sheng version (from Thailand) with a local contact, who was well-known in tea discussion circles back then, on Tea Chat.  He commented that it seemed about right, in the right range, and was pleasant, but it didn't work as well to describe what that range was, or why it was positive.  That might've been 8 or 9 years ago, and that tea was probably around this age then, or maybe slightly newer.  I'm not really capturing why these work out well here either.  Maybe if I'd added camphor as a description that would clarify everything.

Aged Xiaguan and other factory teas are completely different.  They wouldn't typically be this approachable at "only" 13 and 14 years old (or 16; the other may have been pressed from material that wasn't new), even stored in a humid and warm place.  Intensity would be dialed way up, probably with some aspects seeming like rough edges.

So just how good are these, and do they seem to represent a good version of "boutique" style-range teas?  I suppose that second distinction might be a bit broad to evaluate.  Styles and forms would vary too much.  To me they seem quite pleasant, like good examples of these kinds of styles, and it reduces down more to whether or not someone likes this type range of tea, transitioned through this form of storage input.  Maybe I do like the trade-off of rough edges and heavier barnyard flavors for older Xiaguan better, but that wouldn't work as well this young, no matter the storage conditions.  For this age these styles seem pretty suitable; they work well fermentation transitioned this much.

To make all that more specific I suppose it depends on whether someone likes the complex, layered, but somewhat subtle character of the Bulang, or the spice-range intensive distinctive flavor of the Mengsong version.  Again to me they're fine, they're good.  I suppose I liked where that younger Bulang was better (from 2021), how somewhat transitioned but still young floral range stood out.

Of course I can't extend all of this to any guesses about what these were like when brand new, or 4 years into aging.  It would be nice if I could, or if anyone else could.  With enough exposure some transition patterns would have to stand out, but it may not work well to guess what flavors had dropped out.

It's even difficult to specify how these relate to my own preference.  They're good, and I would like drinking each if I owned them, but nothing really stands out as something I couldn't do without.  It's nice how the Bulang expresses so much complexity and depth, even if forward flavor notes are limited.  The extra flavor intensity of the Mengsong version is nice, but that kind of root spice range isn't really a personal favorite.

Related to value it's an unusual opportunity to buy cakes of this quality and aged character for this general pricing range ($130-some, or both were really $70-some for 200 gram versions).  That's fairly standard range pricing for young sheng, at this point.  These are obviously a boutique style tea material and style.  That's not a great thing, if a tea ends up fading away, or aging results aren't positive, but these are good quality.  Maybe earlier on a quality marker could've identified the Tea Mania versions I just reviewed as slightly better, a little more complexity or depth, but at this stage, since they lack much for flaws, it's more about match to preference, instead of quality level being a limitation.  

I was hoping that more of a connection with the Tea Mania 2017 and 2018 versions would turn up (from Bulang and Hekai), but those are at the opposite side of the aging range, and I can't guess about what will lead to what to that extent.

visiting One Bangkok, a new mall

it's a good place to catch a movie.  if you've been considering seeing Fantastic Four you should go; it was great.

Tea Mania 2017 Bulang and 2018 Hekai gushu sheng pu'er

 

2017 Bulang left, in all photos

I'm reviewing the oldest of the Tea Mania sheng pu'er samples (sent by Peter, the owner, for review; many thanks!).  At these ages these won't be truly aged sheng versions, so this will be about where they are in that process, and how intermediate stage sheng work out, what being part-way through a fermentation cycle is like.  It would vary by the tea version, in relation to the starting point, so this should be interesting.

I'll start with the vendor's description of these:

Bulang Gushu 2017, (357 gram cake for $188 USD)

Experience the excellence of our Bulang Gushu, a remarkable tea born from the collaboration of Tea Masters Panda and Yang Ming. Crafted exclusively for us, they have meticulously captured our deep appreciation for Bulang teas. Stored for seven years in Xishuangbanna, this tea has matured beautifully, becoming wonderfully ripe and developing a subtle hint of camphor aroma. It evokes memories of the legendary 2015 Bulang Gushu—a favorite that has long since sold out—offering a similarly captivating allure.

Building upon the legacy of both the 2015 Bulang and the distinguished 5-Village Blend, this Bulang Gushu holds special significance—it originates from the tea gardens of Yang Ming’s former schoolmate. 

 

Hekai Gushu 2018,  (200 gram cake for $88, equivalent to $157 for a 357 gram cake)

These leaves, from the venerable 300-year-old Gushu trees of Hekai Shan, were skillfully processed into 200g Bingcha cakes at Yang Ming’s boutique tea factory. The tea distinguishes itself with a signature Hekai aroma, enriched by the deep, clear essence of the Gushu leaves and a subtle camphor nuance. Ideal for long-term aging, this tea’s flavor is designed to evolve and refine over time, embodying the essence of Hekai Gushu.

Funny camphor is almost the only flavor referenced in these; I wrote notes for the next review already and joked that maybe it would make more sense if I described them as tasting like camphor.  Typically that's a reference to a sub-tone that's not all that close to the camphor that stands out in balms or Thai scent sticks.  Or maybe people really are tasting that, but I tend not to.

Review:

Bulang #1:  warmer aged tones stand out initially; I suppose that's a good sign.  Per usual this will need another round or two to get going.  A flavor range along the lines of tobacco stands out, or that could be incense spice, or old furniture, antique tropical wood [or per the intro section theme, maybe camphor]. Brighter floral tones have probably evolved away.  Some bitterness remains, but this is approachable.

Hekai:  much brighter and sweeter; interesting.  A jammy sort of flavor stands out this early on.  It's towards a blueberry or black cherry jam.  There is some warmth to the character range, but not like in the other version.  A savory note rounds out that sweetness and cooked fruit range.  This should be interesting.

Bulang #2:  that first description still works: there's an interesting mix of complex, warm flavor tones.  It picks up a little depth; maybe a touch of marshmallow joins the rest.  Of course I wouldn't expect most people to make that association, especially within that context of warm tobacco, tropical wood, and incense spice tone range.  Feel has a bit of dryness, and plenty of structure.  That's not overly pleasant in this, and not negative, but it may relate to it having complexity that could support additional transitions, to aging potential.

Hekai:  root spice tones are dominant now, with a bit of fruit remaining.  By that I mean along the line of ginseng, so an alternate interpretation of herbal medicinal flavor would be saying the same thing.  Maybe it relates a little to sassafras too, tasting a little like root beer, just not much.  The lighter tone is nice, the brightness.  It matches well with the sweetness, and that flavor complexity.  Brewing both of these fast should work now; they're intense enough for that to work well.

Bulang #3:  to an extent intensity dropped back for trying out an infusion of less than 10 seconds, but in another sense this is still quite complex.  Feel stays full, and one part remains behind in aftertaste expression.  The warmer tones are a little less intense but it's still complex in that same way, still covering that same range.  There isn't that much floral range to speak of; that seems to have largely evolved away.  Bitterness is present but very moderate.  I suppose this is the kind of tea that match to preference would determine placement for, that some people would love this, and others not like it.  

It's not exactly at an in-between age that doesn't make sense, but it probably would have seemed more positive a few years ago, and will balance in a different positive way in a few more.  So in a sense that's it, but it still balances reasonably well now.

Hekai:  this definitely seems to make more sense at this current age.  The warm tones, good sweetness, and root spice all work together well.  It seems like another half dozen years of transitioning in the same direction might be quite positive, but it works well now too.  Feel is a bit richer and fuller, while the other includes a dryness that takes over what you notice.

It's interesting considering fermentation level; are these less transitioned than the 2021 versions I've been trying that were stored in Malaysia, and if so, how are they different?  Yes, to the first part. 7 and 8 years of transition doesn't add up to the same degree 4 or 5 did for those other teas (from Legend of Tea).  Change has been slower, more gradual.  I suppose heavier flavor range doesn't enter in as fast, instead of the level being a linear distance or amount sort of thing.

Bulang #4:  it's changing, but only related to the proportion of what I've already mentioned.  I suppose that it's softening, in a sense, with the flavors becoming warmer and richer.  Feel is also softening; that dryness is dropping out.  I suppose a green tone may also be picking up a little.  

This is a sort of in-between age theme, just not in a form I'm completely familiar with.  Warmer transitioned tones picked up quite a bit, with what I assume was earlier floral range shifting to now be expressed as green wood, earlier on more in the range of warmer aged tropical wood.

Hekai:  that spice note is catchy.  Maybe within a year or two this might make less sense, being more in-between, divided between where it is now and where it's headed.  For as gradually as these seem to be transitioning it might be a long wait to more fully aged character, possibly relating to another decade, depending on where it is stored next.  It would be a real shame if it just faded.  I'd guess that it won't, that it's intense enough now, even for dividing character across a significant range, that it will retain decent intensity for that longer term. 

Kalani helped take this picture; I usually leave the toast out of it

Bulang #5:  depth is good; a charcoal sort of mineral range picks up.  It stands out more than the green wood range that has evolved.  Tobacco still works as a main flavor interpretation.  

Hekai:  that interesting spice tone stands out, but some green wood range is fairly pronounced now too.  I think these aren't at the best stage for drinking just now, probably better younger, or much more aged.  They're pleasant, and clearly good tea, intense, complex, and balanced, but this fermentation level isn't a natural optimum.  I'm not sure what I expected, looking back.  Whatever storage they experienced--in comparison with the other two I've tried, and in general--doesn't push the pace of transition, so they would be right in between newish and aged.

Infusion #6, both:  more of the same, just slight differences in aspect balance.  To me both are at an age where it could be interesting trying them once a year to see what changes, but they're just not there for transition to a place that makes the most sense.  

Then the problem is that if you buy a small cake, 150 to 200 grams, if you try it even once a year for a decade it's mostly gone by the time it gets to where it's going.  I've bought two cakes of the same tea for this purpose before, to keep trying one, and to have one for later when it really does make more sense.  But are these a great prospect for that?

I'm not sure.  I can't really judge in relation to an in-between-age snapshot related to later direction and aging potential.  I haven't tried enough versions over a long enough time-frame to tell.  Even if I had been through that experience a few dozen times it may not be enough.  Different factors could always be entering into play, related to different storage conditions, different inputs that tie to aging potential (like origin, tea plant age as one factor, or processing style).  It would be easy to experience the same types of patterns over and over, and to skip entire ranges of inputs and outcomes.

Still, I should be able to guess, right?  Something must trigger some pattern recognition.  Not really though.  I've experienced more of factory tea themes, related to relatively fully aged versions.  Related to gambling on lower quality, more inexpensive cakes--which is easier, in terms of budget allocation--I'm more familiar with what tends to go wrong.  These aren't just fading; they avoid that limitation.  They are picking up a woody character, but that can be expressed in a different form that never does fade, a warmer, cured hardwood sort of tone.  As I take it this vegetal range these express will change over, I'm just not sure to what.  

So potential is good?  Maybe, I just can't really conclude that either.  It's promising that they are clean, complex, intense enough, and well-balanced, even though they are at two different places in intermediate aging transition stages.  The quality seems quite good, intensity is more of a concern, if they'll fade over the next decade, and then what aspects will be like once they change over.

Myra visiting early in the session