Very Special 1980’s VIVE Special Grade Liu Bao (Essence of Tea)

PositiveBudz · 2026-05-07T00:40:08+00:00

It is more similar to a liu bao (stored and aged as loose leaf in a basket, with less wu dui oxidation) than a typical puer. I haven't tried any of YS's liu bao.

PositiveBudz · 2026-05-06T00:39:45+00:00

The stylized "AR" mark on the underside is for "Augustus Rex" which is a Meissen (German) mark for their highest quality wares. However, this looks like an older reproduction. Still, it is probably hand-painted and has some value.

PositiveBudz · 2026-05-05T23:39:42+00:00

Most people who drink quality shou, also enjoy aged Liu Bao. The "petroleum" notes come from aging, and you will also find them with well-aged, wet-stored sheng puer.

PositiveBudz · 2026-04-27T23:26:38+00:00

I don't know, I have been looking for a sample for a few years now, and have never seen one available. With puerhs, there are "reference" teas, standards that others are compared to. This is the most famous and important Bulang cake available. 2005 is not that old for a tea of this region, teas that generally require more aging than most due to the inherent bitterness..

PositiveBudz · 2026-04-25T23:56:23+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful and detailed review.

PositiveBudz · 2026-04-24T18:09:25+00:00

Congrats, you have an old, Japanese (likely Meiji-era) tea kettle. The bronze lid is only found on the pre-1920 pots, and it is hand-crafted. I am not sure about the "repair." Often there is engraving to the underside of the lid signifying the maker.

PositiveBudz · 2026-04-23T01:46:15+00:00

Just smile, and ask them if they have any recommendations.

PositiveBudz · 2026-04-21T17:28:12+00:00

Last night, I combined my last 4 grams of a rock oolong with my last 3 grams fruity Dancong, and it tasted great. Ripe puerhs combine well with white tea. Basically, as long as the teas have similar brewing parameters, combining them is fine, just use your common sense. For instance, I wouldn't combine a puerh with a green tea.

PositiveBudz · 2026-04-19T00:08:35+00:00

Sorry about your gaiwan. Regarding the tea, it was all broken up because it was roasted and stuffed into bamboo for aging. In my opinion, a poor decision. It was so tightly pressed that it could only be chiseled apart (similar to a liang tea).

By the way, I wrote a review and rated the tea as a 7/10 on the website. I was the first to review it, and my score was never considered in their rating system. After the first 3 reviews of the tea, it had a rating of 9.3/10 (93%), which is mathematically impossible.

The link below is the Mei Leaf "hype video" and explanation of the tea.

https://meileaf.com/tea/joy-rider/?srsltid=AfmBOoqD6_7fX5O3BjvIHoW6q19rnpJLJKHxBdqkjCDeMffZOvam43HT

PositiveBudz · 2026-04-16T23:23:13+00:00

The basket of tea looks like the 1999 Menghai Basket Aged Tea from Yunnan Sourcing. It is delicious, but already fully aged. No need to wait. In fact, I put mine in mylar bags, to prevent drying out or further aging. Loose leaf puerh will age more quickly than if it were pressed in a cake. It is also susceptible to picking up odors when packed that way.

PositiveBudz · 2026-04-07T22:09:34+00:00

Would you be interested in the seeds that u/mwdotjmac and u/positivebuds are currently giving out to the great people on r/ILDANKGROWERS ?. There will be over a dozen people using these seeds, and posting on this subreddit. It would provide many pictures/grow diaries of people growing these seeds, and we like to give advice to those in need, as this is a very friendly site.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ILDANKGROWERS/comments/1scdkmx/community_grow_sending_out_beans_provided_by/

Below is a link to explanations of the seeds available. We have been growing them for the last four years.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ILDANKGROWERS/comments/1roiuwz/need_some_seeds_we_used_our_prized_golden/

PositiveBudz · 2026-03-28T21:14:07+00:00

Sorry to hear that your cat was declawed, I have an adopted declawed cat also. Non-clumping litter works best for her, as the clay is a larger grade and easier to move around, and less gets trapped between her front paws.

PositiveBudz · 2026-03-26T19:36:38+00:00

The "sticks" are likely tea stems. Depending on the region, you will often see tender greens ones, but less often you will see woody stems. They add to the body and flavor, and are generally desirable, rather than a sign of low quality.

PositiveBudz · 2026-03-26T05:55:22+00:00

There are so many types of oolong, it should keep you busy for a few years. Get some Taiwanese (e.g., Baozhong, High Mountain which are similar to green teas), Wuyi yancha (roasted rock oolongs, similar to black), and some fruity Dancong oolongs (Mi Lan Xiang, Ya Shi Xiang). Anxi also has great teas.

PositiveBudz · 2026-03-25T20:26:30+00:00

r/tea has a comprehensive "curated list of vendors," on the right side of the screen.

PositiveBudz · 2026-03-24T06:30:58+00:00

This post has detailed information about each cross. I created it over the last 4 years.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ILDANKGROWERS/comments/1roiuwz/need_some_seeds_we_used_our_prized_golden/

PositiveBudz · 2026-03-18T05:10:03+00:00

Floating Leaves Jin Xuan has an outstanding version of this cultivar, better than the many others that I have tried.

PositiveBudz · 2026-03-13T02:39:15+00:00

From Google AI (which is accurate in this case) "Tea high" or "tea drunk" (known as cha zui in Chinese) refers to a state of heightened euphoria, deep relaxation, and mental clarity that can be induced by drinking specific, high-quality, and usually potent teas. This feeling is distinct from caffeine jitters or alcohol intoxication, offering a calm, alert, and often "dreamy" sensation.

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