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2009 Chen Yuanhao Yiwu Zhengshan (2009 陈远号 易武正山)
This cake is loosely pressed, therefore thicker on the sides. It's made of many long slender leaves that reminds me of 2014 CYH Yiwu Zhengshan Yesheng Gushu Chawang Zhai (易武正山野生古树 茶王寨) http://on.fb.me/1CJyuXb
Though still young, the soup is orangey colour. It's medium thickness with very good sweet after taste. It still has some astringency but possible because I packed the pot.
The warm chahai smells of sundried leaves while the cold chahai smells of plum seed (梅籽香); a good testament of pure Yiwu leaves.
This tea will require further ageing to realise its full potential. But for now, it's on the right track.
2007 Chen Yuanhao Cang Shou Mushroom (2007 陈远号 藏寿 蘑菇)
Great example of good Yiwu tea, thoroughly enjoyable!
2007 Cang Shou comes in mushroom (300g) and beeng (357g) shapes. The mushroom format is much higher in compression compared to beeng. Therefore one has to be careful when loosening it to avoid tea fanning. It's also important to note that this is labelled Yiwu Chawang; the same categorization of the more well known Chen Yi Zihao (陈易字号) series.
The 7+ year old tea soup is already orangey and smells of sweet sugar cane. It is medium in thickness with no bitterness. Due to my snobbish picking, the tea fanning caused slight astringency. It is however compensated by wild honey sweetness huigan. The tea leaves some dryness in the mouth and that promotes salivation.
2014 Chen Yuanhao 20th Anniversary (2014 陈远号 二十周年)
Saw a post from a Chen Yuan Hao fan few days ago on his frustration for couldn’t grab any 20th Anniversary Commemoration Cake as all the cakes have been bought by Malaysia just few hours before he arrived at Mr. Chen's house. This made me couldn't resist myself from taking the 20th Anniversary Commemoration cake I bought during the last tea expo off my tea rack.
When I first tried the tea at last tea expo, the only impression for the tea was very smoky and that’s why most of us liked the 25th Anniversary Commemoration cake at that time. However, for the sake of “stamp collection” as a Chen Yuan Hao hardcore fan and experience on the Guo You Lin Ye Sheng Gu Shu 国有林野生古树, I decided to stock in some of the 20th Anniversary Commemoration Cake.
About 3 months after the tea expo, the smoke only remains about 10-20% and the fragrance is special. For a new tea, the tea soup looks slightly darker in colour as compared to other new tea, it could be because of using older material. Other than the typical Chen Yuan Hao big tree sweetness and flavour, the overall after taste is stronger than both the 25th Anniversary Commemoration cake and Yun Tian Hao 云天号.
Besides the good tea quality and potential to age well, for the fact that it’s a tea in commemoration of Mr. Chen’s efforts and contribution in reviving the traditional way of Pu-erh tea (Yuan Bao tea) making, has already made this tea something all pu-erh tea drinker shouldn’t miss on their tea rack. No wonder the Chen Yuan Hao fan is so upset for couldn’t get any of the 20th Anniversary Commemoration cake. Feel bad for the tea fan, but at the same time feel proud for Malaysia tea fans. Good job guys!!!!
