So I received a box I've been hoping for for awhile today, it included some young puerh, as I realize I have yet to try some of these classic recipes at a younger age. Though I've been warned by many that the quality of many of the classic recipes was compromised during the puerh bubble. So with the 8582 first thing I notice is the leaves are already on the browner side, not rusty as in aged, but sorta that greyish brown, much different than the 2009 Nada cake. I'm wondering if a year can really make that much of a difference? Though this cake comes from Hong Kong, which is notorious for wet storage, so that could very easily explain why it looks slightly older than it possibly should (Mind you I am on the new side with puerh from many different years, so I am unsure what a cake should look like at any age).
Is color is on the more orange side, but it definitely smells fresh. Its aroma is like grass, pineapple and bananas. Its got a bit of a malty character but its quite strong, though compared to other young cakes the year might have helped a bit, and it could be the compromising of the recipes towards drink now. But it still has a bit of that banana like tropical feel to it that I picked up in the aroma.
Actually it bares its fangs in the second infusion, much more potent and stronger, with a distinct nutty aroma.
In the third infusion its almost like a bitter rose water, with a slightly candy like characteristic.
This is proving to be quite interesting.
2 comments:
I have a '08 8582 which looks kinda brownish, though mine is from Kunming. I keep hearing that quality is beginning to decline, but than I realize what the heck is going to happen in the future.
No matter how much we scream and cry, there will come the day when there will be no more stuff from the pre-boom era (well, available at reasonable prices) and that we'll just have to "suck it up" and just deal with lesser quality stuff.
We seem to be on the same wave length as I'm waiting for an 8582 and 7542 from '07 to quell my curiousity too. Even if the quality has dropped, the price tag of about £11 each 350g bing just can't be beaten. That's a lot of tea for your pennies.
There are also good, small run, post bubble bings in the meantime that still don't cost the earth (unless someone has blastered banzhang on it of course!)
.. you just have to find them.. :-D ..
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