2015 DaYi "7572" Cake 1st Batch 357g Puerh Shou Cha Ripe Tea

The 7572 recipe was first created by DaYi (Menghai Tea Factory) in 1975. Built around grade 7 leaf blended with other grades and fermented steadily, it gradually became the benchmark that everyday shou drinkers use to judge other ripe cakes. This is the 2015 first batch.

Tea Profile

At a glance: 2015 · Ripe (shou/shu) puerh · 357g cake · mainly grade 7 leaf, blended with other grades · Menghai Tea Factory · 1st batch

• Compression & dry leaf: The leaf is compressed into a 357g cake. Look for mainly grade 7 leaf, visible buds and large, robust leaves in the dry leaf.
• Liquor: The liquor is red.
• Taste: From the first steep the taste is mellow. Through the middle infusions it shows a floral and fruity character over a balanced base. Each round shows a slightly different side of it.
• Mouthfeel & body: Expect a thick, smooth, silky mouthfeel.
• Aftertaste: Expect a soft, clean finish after each cup.
• Best for: everyday drinking, and a comfortable place to start for first-time puerh drinkers.

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.