Watch Video: Unwrapping and breaking down.
This is the 2002 LiuDaChaShan (Six Famous Tea Mountains) “You Le - Ye Sheng Cha” (Youle Mountain - Wild Tea) cake: a 357g sheng (raw) puerh pressed from wild tea from You Le Mountain — today known as Jinuo Mountain — in Jinghong, Xishuangbanna. You Le is one of the historic Six Famous Tea Mountains; its tea shares some of the Yi Wu region’s softness, yet keeps a wilder, more assertive character of its own.
Appearance: The wrapper may show wear. The cake is a hard-pressed disc with a dense center and looser edges, so some leaf threads may detach at the rim. The dry strands are tight and robust, with the strong look of wild material.
Liu Da Cha Shan (Six Famous Tea Mountains) is a Yunnan puerh company founded in 2002 by Ruan Dian Rong, a former manager of Menghai Tea Factory. It takes its name from the historic Six Famous Tea Mountains of southern Yunnan, and produces raw (sheng) and ripe (shou) puerh from regions such as Jinggu, Youle, and Banzhang.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2002 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · LiuDaChaShan
- Liquor: Clear and bright.
- Aroma & Flavor: Light bitterness, with astringency more pronounced than in classical Yi Wu teas — the resilient, expressive strength typical of wild tea material, in a style related to Yi Wu but distinctly its own.
- Aftertaste: Good hui gan (returning sweetness) with active saliva production.
- Best for: Drinkers who want a historic-six-mountains wild sheng with more bite and wild strength than the Yi Wu style.
Brewing Guide
Water: 100°C (212°F), fully boiling.
- Preheat the vessel; add around 5g per 100ml.
- One rinse to open the leaves, then a covered rest of about 10 minutes.
- Steep 10–15 seconds at first, adding ~5 seconds per round.
- Always pour out completely into a fairness cup before drinking.
- Keep steeping — sheng rewards patience with many rounds.
These are starting guidelines, not fixed rules. Adjust pour and timing to taste.
Storage
Store with air, coolness, and dryness; keep out of sun and away from strong odors. For long aging, paper or unglazed clay breathes better than sealed plastic.
This cake has been naturally aged in Guangzhou for about two decades.
A Note on Appearance
Not every cake shows these, but they can occur after many years of storage.
- Bamboo powder (zhu fen): a natural sign of traditional bamboo-husk packing. In Guangdong's warm, humid climate, tiny bamboo insects may nibble the husk and cotton paper while leaving the tea untouched, leaving a fine powder. Harmless; brush off before brewing.
- Tea oil spots: yellowish spots from natural tea oils; not a flaw.
- Torn wrapper: small tears or holes in the cotton paper can happen in storage and handling; the tea inside is unaffected. A lower-priced option with a nearly fully torn wrapper may also be listed.
