Processing/Aging: W2T Tuhao AF vs 1701-7542
Checking in on some cakes in heated storage from around 10 years ago. First we have the W2T Tuhao AF, which has continued along the trajectory I described here (2018), here (2020) and here (2021).
Heated (32C) on the left, unheated (22-3C) on the right. The unheated tea has a strong green tea aroma and taste. Quite thick liquor, acrid, an initial hint of sweetness, starts with low astringency, somewhat stale green tea taste continues.
The heated tea has a yeasty aroma which is definitely a storage note, has a green vegetal taste, also quite thick, but with some acridity. Rounder, sweeter, but with a much greater astringency, very strong astringency, chalky on sides of mouth, not pleasant. Not drying per se, but definitely chewy.
In the later steeps, the unheated tea starts to open up with much greater astringency. The teas have a medium bitterness. Neither is particularly pleasant.
Overall, a worrying trend for this kind of processing.
Next, we take a look at the 2017 first batch of 7542 from Dayi, which I’ve been storing in the same conditions as the W2T tea above. This one has been significantly more successful, following this (2017), this (2018), this (2021), and this (2022) tasting.
The unheated tea is brassy, somewhat astringent, and somewhat sour and aggressive in the initial steeps. This calms down and it begins to show some sweetness in the later steeps, and a much reduced astringency. Nowhere near as astringent and not as bitter as the above teas.
The heated tea is round, sweet, with a correct mid-aged puerh smell, quite good level of astringency. complex bittersweet taste, and no notes of green or oolong tea. Good oily liquor, satisfying. Not too jittery even though it’s young.
It seems that we have a processing difference, a pressing difference (more compressed), and a blend difference… At this point the 7542 is far outperforming the Tuhao AF.
July 14, 2025 @ 7:30 am
Interesting, perhaps wise to steer clear of fashionable hip vendors and stick with experience and tradition.
July 14, 2025 @ 10:44 am
Perhaps, but Dayi productions are also not reliable, it is a case by case selection process.