The leaf is wild-growing, which gives it a character of its own, less uniform than plantation tea. With age, the tea may develop a rounder, more mellow character, depending on storage. Here is "Chang Tai Hao - Ye Sheng Ji Pin - Jin Zhu Shan" (Wild Premium - Jinzhu Mountain) from ChangTai, a 2004 sheng (raw) puerh in a 400g cake.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2004 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 400g cake · ChangTai Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: The leaf is tightly compressed into a 400g cake. Look for neat, tight threads in the dry leaf.
- Liquor: In the cup it is typically amber to orange-amber for sheng of this age.
- Taste: On entry there is some bitterness and some astringency. As it opens up, the taste turns balanced.
- Mouthfeel & body: The body comes across as thick.
- Aftertaste: After each sip there is a returning sweetness (hui gan) and plenty of salivation.
- Best for: everyday drinking without fuss. Suitable for those new to puerh as well as regular sheng drinkers.
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.
