2001 Yiwu 1000 Years Wild Round

On Sunday I leisurely picked out a sample from Ira's box.   The chosen tea was labeled as "2001 Yiwu 1000 Years Wild Round- Jing Pin -  Fu Yuan Chang".  I wonder which claim is true:

• 2001 - probably true based on taste
• Yiwu - can't tell
• 1000 Years -  possibly or probably an exaggeration
• Wild - can't tell as it didn't provide above average qi

The "round" part is definitely true.  This tea appears to be found nowhere on the internet though you can readily get Fu Yuan Chang's aged 90's sheng from grandtea and generation tea for a reasonable $200.  A "reasonable" price for aged teas often means there's a reason for such a price and I won't bet my $200 lightly.  Fu Yuan Chang/Factory(福元昌) appears to be still making pu-erh in looking at taobao.

I rinsed the leaves three times but the tea really pricked my throat.  Beyond the wet storage taste, the tea is okay- not terrible, not wonderful, just there.  I tried to push ahead to the 10th brew but still I just can't focus.  Even worse, my mind wandered enough that before I knew it, I had cut a piece of aged cheese to snack on with a buttery pastry and some fig chutney. Once I decide to eat cheese- serious tea tasting is over for the day.

While munching on my impromptu dessert plate, I do a quick post-mortem to figure out why the session fell flat. Maybe the tea needed airing out.   I am still a shallow drinker- I can't enjoy myself if the taste and mouthfeel does not please me.  In fact, if my brain perceives the taste to be too moldy or musty,  I have to constantly fight my natural impulse not to swallow the tea. I retreat back to drinking a simple green tea to clear my palate. I think I'll steer clear of all wet stored puerh's for awhile.