Up at 4.30 a.m., I find myself drinking some 1998 Menghai 8582. Much has changed since I tried it four years ago, and I am left with the conclusion that 8582 is not a recipe that results in amazingly complex aged tea.
I invite you to join me at the original page for this tea, where the new article has been appended.
(It's quite fun to bathe in the charming naivete of my old pages.)
17 comments:
Dear Mr. Hobbes,
I would like to respectfully disagree with your conclusions on aging 8582. I would like to offer two additional samples, traditional storage, to see if you would amend your decision.
If you like, you can find my email under About on my blog.
You're on! Thanks :)
For that service, demand a few grams of that '92 fangcha!
I'm not into 8582s either. The late eighties version was all TCM and qi. I may not quite like young 7542 (excepting mebbe the XZH), but I definitely like everyone of the aged examples I have had.
-shah8
I must disagree in the strongest possible terms. 8582 was a far superior recipe than 7542, provided you have one of the earlier (therefore, better) examples of it. Given that your sample has been sitting in a paper bag for years and that it was a dry stored example, I don't think it's really the ideal candidate to showcase the recipe's strengths.
Let's just say that I look forward to tasting evidence to the contrary ;)
Let's just say that I look forward to tasting evidence to the contrary ;)
And the scheme to obtain quality samples continues...
I look forward to your reports on the tasting evidence =D!
Did I mention that 1950s Red Label sucks, too?
Muahaha.
Hello Good Sir,
I've followed your blog for quite some time, so it's strange that my first comment is one of disagreement (or rather the hope that you experience the 8582 in all its glory:)).
I must agree with Brandon and MarshalN. I have had the pleasure of purchasing a few grams of the 8582, from 1985, from Tim over at Mandarin's Tea Room. I will say that staying power is certainly not an issue in any of my tastings. While I do discern a consistency of sweetness, I find it quite balanced and very complex as the tasting goes on.
Perhaps Brandon's gift will include a sample from 1985. Regardless, I hope the traditional storage brings the tea up to your original expectations!
Dear Justin,
Thanks muchly for the comment. I have enjoyed 8582, but, in comparison to its siblings, it strikes me as being unable to deliver complexity. It could be storage - a supposition worth checking.
There is a reason, however, that 8582 is typically available for a lower price than other recipes, I suspect. :)
That said, I keep an open mind/mouth on the matter and have a sample exchange with Brandon in progress...
All the best,
Hobbes
Hi Hobbes
What are the recipe number you prefer ?
Nicolas
Dear Nicolas,
As far as classical recipes goes, the 8582 seems a bit soft even compared with its elder brother, the 7542 - certainly in the samples I've tried. The 7542 usually costs more, too, for whatever that surrogate proxy may be worth. :)
Toodlepip,
Hobbes
Dear Hobbes,
Thanks for your answer, 7542 is a classical recipes. But the number don't show the quality :(
It's juste a recipe.
However the number can be a good indication. Between two, number one can be better than other.
I ask this question about the number, because my experience is poor about recipe number.
Perhaps can you give me a other number ? I have gone on Essence of Tea and Houde. There are not a lot of number.
Amicalement
Nicolas
For shame, as I bought two tong of modern 8582 on your praise!
J/K. :)
I would, as always, let your own tastebuds be the ultimate arbitor.
Of course, a numerical recipe is just that - it changes by year, by storage, etc. My conclusion is merely based on personal observation of some dozen or so samples of 8582 through the years.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that, on average, given no other information other than the recipe, my prior assumption would be that of 7532, 7542, and 8582 from the same year and the same storage, I would rank the latter as being least complex.
As far as Essence of Tea and Houde, I have enjoyed many of the classical Zhongcha recipes - big/little yellow/red/blue, etc. They are a great place to start. :)
All the best,
Hobbes
P.s. The 2007 Xizihao 8582 was very good!
Thanks a lot Hobbes
Interesting to see shah8 call late 80s 8582 all TCM and qi...that's been my experience with the one example I've had.
If you could compare the prices of the 1980's 7542, 7532 and 8582, you would find that the 8582 would be priced at least 1.5X to 2.0X the 7542. The exception is the 88 ching beeng (too much hype here).
A recent side by side tasting of these 3 cakes from the 80's, the 8582 had by far the highest complexity plus great chen xiang returning from the throat.
pg
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