2008 Dayi V93 Ripe 100g tuo

This V93 tea caused a stir when it was introduced by Dayi in 2006.  It had won a tea competition and this tea piqued the interest of ripe tea drinkers.   Today V93 is a part of the stable of Dayi tea, produced yearly and is now found for sale at most Chinese tea shops.  Dayi  uses the term 'teardrop' to describe a tuo shaped tea.

Dayi, in their latest tea catalog (in English) describes the V93 as "This tea is a revival of the 1993 high grade bowl tea blend.  It is moderately fermented, yielding a rich flavor, reddish brown broth and aged aroma.  A high quality ripe teardrop tea, it is the main ripe teardrop tea for Menghai Tea Factory.  This product won the gold medal in the 2006 Shanghai International Tea Culture Festival."

You must remember to break up this tuo (compression is quite light), put it in your tea caddy and allow the tea to 'breathe' for a week before you start brewing.  Somehow, airing the tea enhances the aroma of the tea.  The aroma and taste seem subdued if you had broke the tuo and have a tea session with it immediately.  This V93 brews fast and strong....so a quick pour out and a little less tea leaves would be ideal, in my opinion.  

This ripe tea has a strong taste and is ideal for the hardcore ripe pu erh tea drinker.  I had opened a 2008 Haiwan 9988 ripe brick (link) last month and I had to opportunity to compare these 2 teas from the same production year. Personally, the Haiwan brick appealed to me more in terms of taste and finish.  Somehow, I sensed the V93 would require another year or two of storage to be better appreciated. It is possible that the teardrop shape of the tea may take a little more time to age before it is good to drink.

Haiwan and Dayi are presently the major ripe pu erh producers in the pu erh tea industry and the ripe pu produced by them are highly regarded by tea drinkers worldwide.  You may have a different opinion.....please let me know.  Nevertheless, the V93 teardrop tea is an inexpensive tea and is worth a look if you come across it in your Chinese tea shop.