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I came across this tea while sorting through a lot of pu samples. I prepared about 5.5 grams and steeped them for a brief 5-10 seconds. I usually use shorter steep times with LMEs. The wet leaves have a pleasant nose that brings smoke and fruits to mind. Surprisingly, the liquor isn’t as bitter as I had expected, considering its origin. There is a heavy ku but its definitely tolerable. Nice hui gan and mouthfeel. There is what I find to be a charming astringency in this tea. IMO, this tea can definitely be enjoyed today but giving it a few years may be required for those who enjoy softer pus. 82/100

With the heavenly sounds of the Guzheng playing in the background, I decided to write a review for this tea. It truly looks beautiful as a soft compression brings out the beauty in each and every tea leaf. Truly, a piece of art to look at. The soft compression allows me to break off 6 grams while maintaining the integrity of the leaves – always a good sign. I briefly wash the tea and pour 100 mL (+/- 5 mL or so) of water into the gaiwan and watch the two mediums intertwine. I feel a great tranquility during the steeping as the beautiful tea leaves work their magic along with the sounds of the guzheng. The wet leaves have a soft delightful aroma that I cannot describe, but have found it common among yiwus. The soup has a bright golden colour and exhibits no cloudiness whatsoever. The processing was, clearly, very well done and in a clean environment. The soup is thick in the mouth with a charming mouthfeel. Vegetal, citrus notes and a slight smokiness seem to come to mind when drinking the soup, but perhaps what I find most enjoyable is the teas softness. I find that this tea is very enjoyable and is comparable to some gushus out there that cost 2-3 times more. I stand behind this tea. 85/100

P.S I will definitely be drying one of the leaves and adding it to my scrapbook!

I decided to go back in time with this 1960s Guang Yun Gong that I picked up from David at the EoT. The dry leaves have a dark (almost black) colour with a red shading to it. The dry leaf also seems to have a subtle spicy aroma and a large amount of twigs, probably more than in modern bings. I don’t mind this as I find it adds to the teas visual appeal. A quick wash of the leaves releases a beautiful aroma of spices, woodiness and bell peppers, an aroma that brings the 1979 Aged Beauty to mind. Very pleasant nose indeed. As one would expect, the soup has a dark reddish colour. The soup has a pleasant sweetness, which is consistent with the wet aroma, and mouthfeel. The soup seems to leave a long lasting lingering sweetness in the back of the throat. There is also an instantaneous hui gan. The cha qi is very apparent as a single cup of 40 mL has put me in a state of bliss. In conclusion, this tea is a joy to drink. It’s an example of what we all strive for when aging our own puerhs. Of course, this tea isn’t an everyday tea. At a whopping 5 pounds/ gram, this single steeping has set me back almost $50! However, I do think its worth to try. Easily a 90/100

Parameters : ~5 grams/100 mL brita filtered tap water
15 second steeps

Edit : You better believe I will be steeping these leaves 20+ times LOL!

Note : I’ve been drinking this tea more and more often as my daily tea. I’ve decided to increase its score to an 84 as it seems to be growing on me.

I am really excited to sample this Bing Dao this morning. Hearing all the stories, I am curious as to what this tea is all about. Last night I sampled the 2012 Spring Guafengzhai and, I must say, I was rather disappointed. I found it to be rather fruity, probably too fruity to be true gushu. Anywho, I found it ok, but nothing special. This tea seems to be more consistent with true gushus I’ve had before. The wet leaves produce a subtle fruitiness with a tad of smokiness… just enough to make it pleasant.
The broth is thick in the mouth with a good balance of ku wei and sweetness, a sweetness which tends to linger for awhile. There is a soft citrus note that I commonly come across in gushus that I enjoy. Not much in terms of hui gan but definitely some qi. Really enjoying this one. Would I pay the asking price for a full bing? Probably not. 84/100

I Decided to go with the classic 7542 this morning. This tea is a 1991 sheng that I was lucky enough to pick up from David at EoT. During the breaking process, I immediately notice how beautiful the leaves are… most are intact and very few, if any at all, are chopped. Wonderful craftsmanship. The wet leaves produce a beautiful dark red broth… a colour that brings a sweet cup of Port to mind. A primary woody aroma with fruity and spicy notes emanates from the bowl. A very pleasing nose I must say. Signs of traditional storage is apparent from the nose. In the mouth, the broth is smooth, has a thick body and has an aged sweetness that lingers in the throat. There is a strong chaqi with this tea as only a few cups (40 mL each) have seem to put me in a meditative state. An excellent example of an aged 7542. Definitely think an 88/100 is a fair assessment.

I decided to sample this bing this morning. The compression is a little tighter than EoT’s 2012 Bangwei but still low enough to break off full intact pieces. I use about 5.2 grams to 100 mL of water. A subtle floral aroma with hints of citrus emanates from the beautiful wet leaves. The liquor is of a golden amber colour with little to no cloudiness… a very clean tea. Taste wise, this tea is very clean and pure with a soft sweetness (a sweetness than I generally associated with the Lincang area) that tickles the taste buds. I’d say the overall mouth-feel is well balanced. There is a nice hui gan and calming chaqi with this tea… pretty nice overall experience. 81/100