Taiwan Wet Storage Puer Sampler #1

Sampler Includes

• 15g Loose Leaf Sheng Puer (Circa 1980s) — $1.00/g
• 25g Jiang Cheng Sheng Brick (Circa 1990s) — $0.69/g
• 25g Naked Shou Brick (Circa 1990s) — $0.41/g
• 25g Bamboo Shell Shou Brick (Circa 2000) — $0.34/g
• 25g 2014 Bada Gushu Sheng Cake — $0.56/g

Total tea weight: 115g

Introduction

All of the teas in this sampler come from a very close friend of mine. I first began drinking them around fifteen years ago and have spent countless hours with them over the years. They’ve become deeply tied to my understanding and appreciation of puer.

The collection was acquired in the early 2000s and stored in a warehouse nestled in the humid mountains of Miaoli County, Taiwan. The teas spent many years aging under aggressive storage conditions before being moved to a drier environment around three years ago.

Aggressive humid storage can quickly transform the greenness of young puer into something darker, deeper, and smoother, while also producing strong storage aromas and damp cellar notes.

I used to drink this kind of tea all the time and greatly enjoyed exploring my friend’s collection. I appreciated their earthy richness and energetics. At one point I went through a dry storage purist phase and began viewing this kind of storage as a drawback. Over time I came to understand that the storage itself was part of what gave these teas their identity and appeal.

These teas are not for everyone, especially those who only drink dry stored puer. At the same time, over the years I’ve watched many people deeply enjoy teas like these, so I know there is an audience for them. This style of storage can also be difficult to come across outside of Taiwan, which makes me especially happy to be able to share this sampler.

For those who decide to try this sampler, I encourage approaching these teas with an open mind. In many cases, the early infusions are dominated by storage character, while greater clarity and distinction gradually emerge over the course of the session. These are teas that award patience. 

Included Teas

Loose Leaf Sheng Puer (Circa 1980s)

15g included — $1.00/g

Dark with medicinal and camphor notes. There is also a distinctive floral character that someone familiar with this tea described as 蘭香, which roughly translates to “orchid aroma.” This tea has the kind of energetics that make it ideal for a more focused and contemplative session.

Jiang Cheng Sheng Brick (Circa 1990s)

25g included — $0.69/g

This tea has good depth and strength, while still retaining a surprisingly light and refreshing character. The texture is soft and gentle in a way reminiscent of Yiwu, while notes of tobacco and sour berries make up much of the flavor profile.

Naked Shou Brick (Circa 1990s)

25g included — $0.41/g

Dark, smooth, and mellow. Sweet and creamy. Similar in some ways to the bamboo shell brick, but this tea is more concentrated in character. 

Bamboo Shell Shou Brick (Circa 2000)

25g included — $0.34/g

Sweet, earthy, and medicinal with hints of ginseng. Normally I don’t include brewing recommendations in my tea descriptions, but for this tea I feel it’s necessary to brew it using a 1:10 ratio in order to fully appreciate it. I also recommend breaking the tea into smaller pieces to increase surface area and extraction.

2014 Bada Gushu Sheng Cake

25g included — $0.56/g

This is said to be single-area material from older trees in Bada, Menghai. The flavor is big and bold, the mouthfeel thick, and the chaqi strong and steadily building over the course of the session.

Brewing Recommendations

Aside from the Bada Gushu, these teas generally perform best when brewed strong and with water as hot as possible.

These teas also tend to benefit from a long (30–60 second) rinse or even two shorter rinses, which can help soften some of the heavier storage character in the early steeps.

For the two bricks — especially the bamboo shell brick — stronger results can often be achieved by breaking the tea into smaller pieces in order to increase surface area and extraction.

These teas also tend to pair well with teapots that have a stronger muting effect.