Reviewing Thai and Laos sheng "pu'er"
South East Asian sheng "pu'er" has long since been a favorite, and this post reviews Thai and Laos versions from Rishi, an old standard vendor source. They were pretty good. One question I don't really resolve here is how their age relates to an optimum range; they are from 2021 and 2022. For some people younger would be better; brightness, freshness, and floral range have transitioned. So has astringency and bitterness; in addition to picking up warmer tones and flavors varying they're surely more approachable now.
The Thai version is more familiar, beyond floral notes not really showing through. Some fruit, along with spice and vegetal range, was pleasant, with a bit of toffee picking up in later rounds. The Laos version started out a little rough, tasting like dried mushroom and cured wood, but that transitioned nicely, to well-balanced spice (tulsi basil, celery seed, and incense spice), and even a bit of dried fruit, maybe longan. I'm not sure about their aging potential; I would just drink through them now, but drinking some and saving some could work.
Value is good, and quality level and pleasantness are good, just not great. I would recommend them.
https://teaintheancientworld.blogspot.com/2026/04/rishi-wawee-thai-sheng-2022-and-phousan.html
