For a few puerhs more

In 2017, I wrote about this puerh in an article called "2003, puerh far West". It made quite an impression in the puerh world, especially here, and my stash sold out quite rather quickly. A few days ago, I got a call from my source who remembered I hoped to buy more. He had found a couple of jians in his inventory! Like a long lost treasure, the cakes had been brought to his remote warehouse and forgotten.

And the good news doesn't stop here! 3 years have passed since I first had this cake and the storage in this remote location has been rather dry. The smell of the cake is cleaner and fresher!

In addition, by purchasing a full jian, I also have more information about this private company puerh. It turns out that these cakes are made in the style of Menghai Factory 8582! (A genuine 8582 from the 1990s would cost over 10,000 USD in China right now.) It is therefore no wonder that this small factory cake feels thick and has rather large leaves, like a 8582.

But enough talking. Now comes the time for the brew. It is silence in a hot summer afternoon. All you can hear is a fan blowing a breeze of humid air while the tetsubin slowly comes to a boil. Like Clint Eastwood facing Lee Van Cleef in 'The good, the bad and the ugly', I try to keep my cool while emptying that boiling hot water from the gaiwan in the cups. Ayayayay!

And look! Here's the gold! It's shining dark orange in the cups! The scent of aged puerh is definitely there! The good old times when we were kids and real men were cowboys chasing after desperados! The smell of wooden furniture in a saloon and the earth under the hooves of the mighty horses...

 Drinking aged puerh has a lot to do with nostalgia, I feel. So many memories hide in the scents of such leaves. And when they come out, there's the sweet pleasure of the dependable and old friend. 

In memoriam of Ennio Morricone who passed away today at the age of 93. Grazie!