The reason I decided on this topic is because I feel like it
adds to the sampling post I made previously. I’ve ran into the problem of getting mixed experiences when comparing the samples from a blended
cake to the actual cake bought later. Hopefully, this will make you aware of
what you are getting when you consider buying a blended cake.
The objective or goal behind the practice of blending is to
‘harvest’ the traits/characteristics and even aging potential from the desired mountains, regions and plantations to enhance
less renown, sought after and even young plantation material. This isn’t a bad
thing, the problem lays in the practice, not the theory. So many
competitors want to shine in the tea market that they buy raw material from renowned places
to enhance to their cheaper (not necessarily lesser) material and make what
most people would consider a descent cake or just more marketable cake.
Repeating what I said before, the reasoning behind blending
is to ‘harvest’ those traits from the desired mountain, including longer term
storage potential; although some, if not all are meant for immediate consumption(not aging).
Most blended tea use a very low ratio of the prime material to enhance their
Puerh… take into consideration that most cakes are usually 357-400gm, using 10-20% of prime material
(very common ratio, about 35.7-71.4gm), the premise that this is enough to change an entire
cake is almost absurd, at least in my experience. This doesn’t mean that a
blend is not enjoyable, you just have to be aware of what you are getting when
you buy them, so you it will meet your expectations.
If you are looking for a Cake that is to drink now (blended
to show the favorable traits from each region used and/or just provide an
enhanced experience), then you need a cake that has enough of the prime
material make a noticeable difference, here that 10-20% is ‘O.K.’ since usually
the prime material chosen is usually known for apparent/active traits that are
enough to ‘enhance’ your experience (examples: pleasant bitterness, fast
huigan, thickness, cha qi, etc.; usually blended to reach a balanced experience with little or no harshness).
If you are interested in aging, mostly want a distribution that has a higher prime material distribution usually around 40-50% (above this percentage the price is high enough to encourage just sampling a pure prime material composition). This doesn’t mean the distribution I mentioned for the ‘for now’ cakes won’t age, but rather that it will be least likely to hold the traits desired. Aging cakes that are not blends is already somewhat of a gamble (you can’t foresee the final result), this is in my opinion far more true for blends.
Sampling is STILL key, but it has a flaw; when sampling
blends or even recipes with several grades of material, you won’t truly know
what the cake is like until you’ve tried the front, back and middle of the
cake. And believe me, sometimes it feels like you are drinking completely
different cakes.
2009 "Bu Lang" - Nice blend, only minor changes around the cake |
When looking at blended cakes:
- Use the descriptions – reputable vendors will disclose if the cake is blend, it will include a rough estimate of the ratios of the material used and even if the grade of the material might be inconsistent throughout the cake (usually lower quality in the back and/or middle). Tip: a cake labelled with a famous name on the wrapper, but lacking information about the material/source is a sign to inquire for more information (prime material is usually a bragging right when describing the cakes, if they avoid it, maybe there isn't much to brag about).
- Research! – Sometimes gathering information will help you determine if it is even worth trying to obtain Puerh made of a specific material. Some areas are highly sought after, this combined with a limited supply opens the doors for 'close enough the location' material and even fake material.
- Contact your vendor – Vendors carry several types of Puerh to satisfy different types of consumers, as such they usually can recommend based on your current goals.
- Trial and error – Even undesired results from purchases bring something positive; a learning experience. As you continue your journey you’ll define and redefine what you prefer and even your goals. Don’t dwell on bad experiences; use them as tool for better judgment in the future.