2003 Purple Dayi (Menghai Tea Factory)

The 2003 Purple Dayi is one of a series of reproductions from 2001 to 2004 by Menghai Tea Factory to replicate the iconic 1996 Purple Dayi. The tea is old style Menghai production consisting of plantation raw material that is brutal in character. The tea is made for long term aging. The estimated time for storage is perhaps revealed by a story that tells of a tea farmer who produces puerh tea for his grandchildren to enjoy.

2001 Simplified Character Cloud (Menghai Tea Factory)

The 2001 Simplified Character Cloud is a special production from the Menghai Tea Factory. It is a tea that appeals to both collectors and investors due to its quality and popularity (from being referenced in tea publications and discussed in tea forums). Personally I find the quality of the tea to be good and superior to Menghai’s regular productions. That said it is not a tea to be enjoyed now as its maturity is likely to be decades away.

The Tea Market Series (In China) – Article 2

The Reality of China’s Tea Market – A Big Business Perspective

What does the Chinese Tea Market and all these businesses have in common? It is maximizing profits. The process and behind the scenes operation isn't always pretty but in summary it is buy low and sell high.

The Chinese shopkeepers, especially the middle age aunties and uncles with pleasant and friendly smiles are some of the most able business people I have come across when it comes to their ability to buy low and sell high or to simply pass on a dud to an unsuspecting customer. These people have Wall Street and Big Corporation genes that would make the top executives in those industries proud. Forget the market price, if you forget, they will also gladly forget. The asking price changes often and more so as the customer change. It is business but also a bit of a game.

A Note on Menghai Tea Factory

In the following weeks I will be posting a number of teas from the Menghai Tea Factory. Before I begin with the teas I feel it is important that I provide a brief introduction on this famous tea factory.

The Tea Market Series (In China) – Article 1

The Dream – My First Trip to China’s Tea Market

A list of some well known and colossal Chinese tea markets from left to right 1) Annual Guangzhou Tea Expo 2) Fangcun Wholesale Tea Market in Guangzhou 3) Maliandao Tea City in Beijing 

Tea enthusiasts are a different breed when we hit the tea markets, especially the "Big One". We hit them running and we don’t stop until the day is over. We are a tough, stubborn and unrelenting lot. Our never say die attitude literally translates to, “we will drink till we die”. For those who don’t know, you’ll find out what that means here.

The Tea Market Series (In China)

The Tea Market Series consists of 4 articles detailing my experience and impressions of the colossal Chinese Tea Market. It is a firsthand account by one dreamy tea enthusiast who during the early years of his pursuit of puerh tea started his run at one such market and experienced the high emotions of bliss and overindulgence followed by the crash and a dose of reality. The series chronicles my initial impressions, gained understanding, growing insights on the tea trade and how this opened my eyes to the world of business. In conclusion I share the lessons learned and provide advice for those who may one day also decide to make a run at one such wonderful and challenging a market.

2005 Gan En Nannuo (Gushu)

The region of Nannuo is famous for its old tea trees which range from being hundreds to well over a thousand years old. Many of the finest old and rare vintages of puerh tea today is believed to comprise of raw materials collected from Nannuo. The Menghai Tea Factory built in the 1940s was strategically located to ensure that the factory could have access to good raw materials from its surrounding tea regions. As a result the tea leaves from Nannuo became a part of the factory’s many blends and formulations. It is believed that even the old teacakes from the Masterpiece Era under Menghai Tea Factory such as the 1950s Red Label, Blue and Green Mark were comprised of tea leaves harvested from the Nannuo region.