JinSe DaYi KaiYuan JiNianBing — “Golden TAE New Era Commemorative Cake” — is DaYi’s 2008 commemorative boxed set: a 1000g raw cake and a 1000g ripe cake side by side, both from DaYi’s own Bu Lang mountain plantation. A study in how the same leaf travels two roads.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2008 · Sheng (raw) + Shou (ripe) puerh · 1000g cake × 2 · Bu Lang plantation leaf · Menghai Tea Factory · 1st batch
- Compression & dry leaf: Evenly pressed in the traditional form; dark, uniform ripe leaf with a clean woody aroma.
- Liquor: A deep, clear ruby-red that holds well across steeps.
- Taste: The raw cake shows a clear smoky note with floral and fruity hints and a thick, strong cup, its Bu Lang bitterness softened by storage. The ripe cake drinks smooth and mellow.
- Mouthfeel & body: Thick and smooth, with a broth-like body.
- Aftertaste: Soft lingering sweetness; a moist, comfortable throat.
- Best for: improving your tea experience — layered and expressive, it rewards slow, attentive brewing. A good next step for regular drinkers.
Brewing Guide
- Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F). Brew the two cakes separately.
- Steps:
- Add tea (about 5g per 100ml).
- Rinse once for the raw cake, twice for the ripe cake: cover with boiling water for about 5 seconds, then discard. Put the lid on and let the leaves rest for about 10 minutes.
- Steep for 10–15 seconds for the first rounds, adding about 5 seconds each round.
- Pour into a sharing pitcher.
- Serve. Both cakes resteep 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.
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
You won't find these on every cake — they tend to turn up more often in teas that have been stored longer.
- 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 sometimes appear; they come from the tea's natural oils and are not a defect.
- Torn wrapper: the cotton paper may pick up small tears or holes during storage and handling. The tea inside is fine.
