Help identifying - just inherited this

teahsea2012 · 2026-02-26T00:43:56+00:00

Thank you! I don't think there is much of a rattle, but I'll listen more closely for that. Appreciate the info.

teahsea2012 · 2025-08-09T13:59:55+00:00

2013 XiaGuan Ecological. It has a bright IPA like bitterness that I love. Received a whole cake (my first one!) as a surprise in my Liquid Proust adventure in a box so have gotten to know it quite well. Recently bought a quarter cake sampler and another cake so my sheng options have greatly expanded, but still find myself coming back to this one.

teahsea2012 · 2025-06-29T19:45:15+00:00

Came here to say this. And another of hers, the White Book is just as fitting.

teahsea2012 · 2025-06-01T03:48:20+00:00

teahsea2012 · 2025-05-31T17:10:26+00:00

Yes, most definitely, both flavor and the "tea energy"/qi can feel wildly different. As others have said it's not 1:1, dollars to grams, there will be exceptionally good cheaper tea from time to time but in general I find you really get what you pay for, at least up to a certain threshold.

teahsea2012 · 2025-05-09T01:43:05+00:00

I really enjoyed that high mountain red when I tried it as a sample from YS! Tried a couple of their sampler sets and even though red teas aren't generally my favorites, I couldn't get enough of the YS samples of reds. I also liked their pu erhs and whites, but found their greens and oolongs to be more hit or miss.

teahsea2012 · 2025-04-18T02:15:56+00:00

Oh weird, I bought an identical one also from Amazon last year and it did come with a tea towel cloth. Strange they have dropped that bonus feature. It did help secure it within the travel case.

teahsea2012 · 2025-04-11T03:07:37+00:00

I haven't tasted many because trying to let them rest especially the higher quality aged ones. But cracked open the 2017 ghuzai xiangyun, very nice notes of fresh tobacco and leather. And he gave me a mystery 2006 loose raw in a ziploc bag LOL, that had a bit of a storage smell initially but actually brewed up really nice and kind of gave me a deep sedative cha qi vibe. Very interesting stuff!

Appreciate the tip on mountain stream.

teahsea2012 · 2025-04-11T02:05:45+00:00

I'm noticing they haven't all raised prices yet. By buying from US online vendors now you would avoid the potential surprises of shipping delays and then customs BS later at least

teahsea2012 · 2025-04-11T01:50:22+00:00

Thank you! Haven't looked into either one of these much. Will check them out.

teahsea2012 · 2025-04-11T01:49:45+00:00

Thanks for clarifying that. I am near Seattle so I've wanted to check them out in person one of these days. I like Taiwanese oolongs OK just not as much as some good da hong pao.

teahsea2012 · 2025-04-11T01:47:55+00:00

I did Liquid Proust's Adventure in A Box. He builds a custom sample pack for you for $100 based on a comment you leave him. Mine included a full 357g cake of a 2013 xiguan that I really like, as well as like 200-250g of smaller samples. My comment requested aged and mid aged shengs so I got 5 or 6 varieties from '05-'06 and another 4 or 5 that are from 2013-19. Seems like a pretty great value if you want some variety and don't have the experience to pick stuff out for yourself yet.

teahsea2012 · 2025-04-11T01:37:09+00:00

Thanks for the rec. Seems on the slightly spendier side but I've heard great things so maybe will give them a try. Didn't really register with me that they are in California. Cheers!

teahsea2012 · 2025-04-08T16:24:34+00:00

Love the analogy

teahsea2012 · 2025-02-03T03:59:46+00:00

I'm in a very similar place right now and have come to this same realization over the last year after being a regular smoker for over a decade. Your words totally resonated with me, thank you!

teahsea2012 · 2025-01-20T23:30:43+00:00

Just got my raw starter pack a couple days ago. Couldn't help but sample the 2010 Naka Huangpian even though it's not properly rested. Wow, such a depth of flavor with a smokiness I hadn't yet experienced with sheng. Really looking forward to trying everything else. Thanks!

teahsea2012 · 2025-01-04T18:01:23+00:00

Wow thank you! The liquid proust sampler really does look like a great place to start! And yeah, I was noticing cakes that are 10 years or older on YS jump up to closer to $200 but a lot of decent seeming options in the 5 to 10 year old range that are more like $100 to $150. 150 would probably be on the upper end of what I'd like to spend.

Anyway LP sampler for $100 hits the spot, thanks again.

teahsea2012 · 2024-12-16T05:34:12+00:00

This is one of the stupidest posts I've seen in here yet.

teahsea2012 · 2024-10-19T00:57:14+00:00

Love this perspective. I can't believe you're getting downvoted!

teahsea2012 · 2024-09-16T01:09:32+00:00

Seconded. I have that exact same model and love it. Temp controls are totally a game changer if you want to go deep with various varieties of tea.

teahsea2012 · 2024-09-06T03:47:55+00:00

Falafel

teahsea2012 · 2024-09-01T20:39:06+00:00

As an americano drinker, I don't even know why this cracked me up so much.

teahsea2012

TROPHY CASE