This tea is crafted from early spring leaves harvested from ancient tea plantations in the Yi Wu tea region.
The disc cake, pressed by a stone mill, has a relative looseness throughout to allow for rapid natural aging.
The tea threads are long and exhibit a degree of tightness.
It strikes a balance between resilience and softness.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2009 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 400g cake · Lao Man E
The tea liquor is bright with a dark yellow hue.
There’s a slight, easily noticeable bitterness that adds to its character.
The hui gan (returning sweetness) of this tea is quite impressive, lingering long in the aftertaste and contributing to its appeal.
Best for: Highly recommended for those looking to enhance their tea experience.
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 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.
Naturally stored in Guangzhou, this tea has been aged under optimal conditions to enrich its unique qualities.
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.
