2018 DaYi "7262" Cake 357g Puerh Shou Cha Ripe Tea, 1st Batch

Video: unwrapping and breaking down the cake

DaYi's 2018 "7262" comes as a 357g cake of ripe (shou) puerh.

Tea Profile

At a glance: 2018 · Ripe (shou/shu) puerh · 357g cake · grade 6 leaf · Menghai Tea Factory · 1st batch

• Compression & dry leaf: The tea comes as a 357g cake. Look for grade 6 leaf and an even, dark fermentation in the dry leaf.
• Liquor: In the cup it shows a deep red color, with a thick look.
• Taste: From the first steep the taste is mellow. The middle steeps bring out hints of honey, with a sweet taste. New details keep appearing in the later steeps.
• Mouthfeel & body: On the palate it is thick and mellow.
• Aftertaste: A gentle sweetness usually stays after each cup.
• Best for: everyday drinking. It is forgiving to brew, so beginners can start here.

Brewing Guide

• Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
• Steps:
  1. Add tea (about 5g per 100ml).
  2. Rinse twice: cover the leaves with boiling water for about 5 seconds, then discard. Put the lid on and let the leaves rest for about 10 minutes to open up.
  3. Steep for 10–15 seconds for the first rounds, adding about 5 seconds each round.
  4. Pour into a sharing pitcher.
  5. Serve. Ripe puerh resteeps well for many rounds.
• Treat these as starting points rather than fixed rules. Try high or low pours, fast or slow, and brew in different seasons to find the method that suits you. Brewing the same tea well in any year, season, weather or place takes practice, and that skill is the real goal.

Storage

Keep the cake ventilated, cool and dry, away from sunlight and strong odors (kitchen spices, smoke). For long-term aging, paper or clay containers breathe better than sealed 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 cake 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.