From 2015, XiaGuan "Zhao Cai Jin Bao" (Fortune & Wealth): ripe (shou) puerh pressed into a 357g cake.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2015 · Ripe (shou/shu) puerh · 357g cake · XiaGuan Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: This tea is sold as a 357g cake. Breaking it open reveals visible buds and an even, dark fermentation.
- Liquor: The infusion pours deep red.
- Taste: The first steeps are mellow, with only a light bitterness. As the session goes on, it shows woody, earthy and nutty notes with a touch of cocoa and a sweet and rich profile.
- Mouthfeel & body: The texture is thick, full-bodied and smooth.
- Aftertaste: It ends smoothly, with a mellow sweetness left behind.
- Best for: improving your tea experience; it rewards slower brewing and is a good next step after your first few ripe puerh teas.
Brewing Guide
Water: 100°C (212°F), fully boiling.
- Preheat the vessel; add around 5g per 100ml.
- Two quick rinses to wake the leaf, 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 — ripe puerh rewards patience with many rounds.
These are guidelines to start from, not rules to obey. Experiment with your pour, your pace, and the season; the same leaf tastes different on a rainy day. The goal is the skill to brew it well whenever, wherever.
Storage
Give it air, coolness and dryness; keep it out of the sun and clear of potent odors (spices, smoke). For multi-year aging, paper or unglazed clay lets the tea breathe in a way sealed plastic never will.
A Note on Appearance
Not every cake shows these, but they can occur, especially in teas with more years of storage.
- Bamboo powder (zhu fen): a natural sign of traditional bamboo-husk packing. In Guangdong's warm, humid climate, tiny bamboo insects can make their home in the husk, nibbling the husk and cotton paper wrapper while leaving the tea itself untouched. What they leave behind is a fine powder, seen only on certain teas and more often on aged ones. It is harmless to hygiene; a few strokes with a clean toothbrush or soft brush before brewing is all it takes.
- 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.
