02 September 2009

2005 Chen-Guang-He Tang "MengHai Yieh Sheng"

According to information provided by Guang, the Menghai Yieh Sheng (Wild) is a beeng produced by Chen Guang He Tang in 2005 as a blend of Ban Zhan (not Lao Ban Zhang) and other Menghai wild spring leaves harvested at 2005. This is one of the more expensive young pu-erh, a standard 357g beeng costs $120. It must be an exceptional cake to justify that price – so I decided to try a sample and if it’s really that good obtain a whole beeng.

2005 Chen Guang He Tang Menghai Yieh Sheng

This tea is produced by the same producer in the same year as the 1st Tea Expo beeng I like very much and even shares the wrapper design with it. Of course, the price is 4 times as much.

The leaves point out to quite wet storage being much darker and more brownish than the Tea Expo Memorial beeng. The cake looks stone-molded, the sample could be easily separated into single leaves, so I used the most whole and biggest of them for the first time.

2005 Chen Guang He Tang Menghai Yieh Sheng

The smell of liquor points out to the wet storage, though I found a clear fragrance of peaches under the cellar smell. The taste points out to the Taiwanese storing conditions, too, though the aftertaste is excellent, clear and long lasting. Actually, I liked this tea quite a lot, it was energic and fresh with interesting taste.

If this tea is $50 per beeng, I would easily buy few cakes to store and drink later, but since its $120, sadly I have to live without it.

5 comments:

Salsero said...

For better or worse, cost does provide a convenient measure of the value to each of us of tea ... sort of a reality check I guess.

Zero the Hero said...

I just finished my 1oz sample of this tea the other day. I agree that it's a good tea--it hadn't occurred to me that the storage may have been on the wet side, but the tea's aging does seem to have progressed satisfactorily, if not quickly. I'd also be buying some cakes if it weren't so expensive!

shibumi said...

I will inquire about 7 plus cakes and see how low the price can be.

Anonymous said...

I agree with this Salsero about the cost and value of Pu-erh teas. I've started judging samples I've been buying on what kind of value they are. And price is always a main consideration of value with Pu-erh. --Spirituality of Tea

Anonymous said...

If you go Pairs, there is tea house in the 16th district called La Maison de Thé de Passy. The owner will gladly brew a pot of this tea for you for a free tasting! This is his treat to any true tea connaisseur. Needless to say, it's a very fine tea!!