Sasha,

"Alex Chaihorsky" > wrote in message
.. .
> Guys,
>
> I bought several puerhs from Silk Road. One of them was Gold Bud. But then
I
> read the wrapper and there were no mentioning of anything even remotely
> resemblin "gold" or "bud".
"Gold Bud" indicates the young flush that were used for the pressing of this
cake. There's usually no indication on the wrapper, especially for
Menghai's products. You'll have to check the cake to see if you can see the
gold buds. I'm not 100% certain, but I doubt if the tea factories of
Kunming and Xiaguan print that either, because in my dealings with the
cakes, it's usually by visually checking the cake can one determine what it
is called.

So I asked Dave. Dave told me that sometime the
> wrappers have no connection with puerhs because a small factory buys
> wrappers from somebody else, etc. I asked him is there any connection
> between the tea and the name and his answer was not very categorical. So,
I
> guess we have to understand that buying the puerh with the name "X" in one
> catalog may not be teh one with teh same name "X" that we liked from
another
> catalog.
What Dave said is true, but only in cases: a) where a small factory buys
over a defunct old reputable factory and uses its wrappers and printing
machine to print wrappers for new cakes to be pass off as old valuable
cakes; b) where someone collects leftover wrappers from closed old reputable
factory and sell them to small factories needing the wrappers, or trying to
cash in on the old cakes' fame. I'm not sure how old is your cake, or if it
is the gold bud you meant, but I don't think the 2 examples cited may be the
case.
If you are getting cakes that are post 1973, it is quite safe to assume that
what you see on the wrapper is what you get. If you are getting cakes
before 1973, then it is only right for you to check the cake thoroughly
first before making that investment.

> I also looked an the wrapper of " Mini Menhai Beengcha 1999" that was
> discussed many time here. Surprise, surprise - I did not find the
"Menghai"
> on the wrapper (Menghai actually is a county in Yunnan). What it does have
> is "Yunnan 7-stack beencha" and words like "Old trees, famous name, large
> leaf, arbor tree" I have not identified the manifacturer but there is a
> name of Yunnan tealeaf export-import company. But no mention of Menghai.
> I am a bit lost here. Shouldn't a tea called "Menghai" in a catalog have
at
> least the word "Menghai" on its wrapper? Why dave named it Menghai? Thius
> is an excellent tea, I love it, no complaints, but should't there be a
> system in naming teas?
>
I checked this out with some friends. Surprise, surprise, it ain't no
surprise at all. Of the 3 main factories in Yunnan, Menghai's primary
export is compressed disc teas in the names of Beengchas (Bingchas) /
Yuanchas / Tie Bingchas / Qi Zi Bingchas (7-sons), etc. Does your Beengcha
(Bingcha) have English label such as "Yunnan Chi Tse Beeng Cha, China
National Native produce & Animal By-products Import & Export Cooperation,
Yunnan Tea Branch" etc? That's the most obvious sign that it is produced in
Menghai. Both Kunming & Xiaguan rarely print their bilingual labels. The
other tell-tale signs would be the prints on the wrappers, however I'm no
expert in this field, so I'll leave it to others who are to contribute.

Samar.