"Jia Ji" (1st Grade) is XiaGuan's 2007 sheng (raw) puerh, sold here as a 100g cake.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2007 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 100g cake · XiaGuan Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: This tea is sold as a 100g cake. In the dry leaf you can see visible buds, large, robust leaves and some stems.
- Liquor: In the cup it is typically amber to orange-amber for sheng of this age.
- Taste: The early infusions show some bitterness, balanced by a natural sweetness. Once the leaf opens up, expect a smoky character in a sweet and balanced cup. Each round shows a slightly different side of it.
- Mouthfeel & body: The texture is thick.
- Aftertaste: After each sip there is a strong hui gan and plenty of salivation.
- Best for: everyday drinking, and easy for beginners to brew.
Brewing Guide
Water: rolling boil, 100°C (212°F).
- Rinse teaware with hot water; use roughly 5g of tea for each 100ml of vessel.
- Give the leaves one quick rinse, then cover and rest about 10 minutes to wake them up.
- Begin with 10–15 second steeps, lengthening each by about 5 seconds.
- Decant fully into a sharing pitcher each time.
- Enjoy — good sheng keeps giving for many infusions.
Use this as a starting point, not a fixed formula. Play with pour height and speed, and notice how the tea answers in different weather and seasons. Learning to brew one tea well anywhere, anytime is the real craft.
Storage
Store in a cool, dry place with gentle airflow, out of direct light and away from strong smells such as cooking spices or smoke. If you plan to age it for years, breathable paper or clay storage suits puerh better than airtight plastic.
A Note on Appearance
Not every cake shows these, but they can occur, especially in teas with more years of storage.
- Small dark specks: tiny dark specks may appear on the wrapper or tea edges of naturally stored puerh. They are harmless and can be brushed off before brewing.
- Tea oil spots: yellowish spots may appear and can come from natural tea oils. They are not a flaw.
- Torn wrapper: small tears or holes in the cotton paper may happen during storage and handling. The tea inside is unaffected.
