Video: unwrapping and breaking down the cake
Here is "Wei Zui Yan" (the Strongest Flavor) from DaYi, a 2008 sheng (raw) puerh in a 357g cake.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2008 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · robust leaf · Menghai Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: This tea is sold as a 357g cake.
- Liquor: In the cup it is typically amber to orange-amber for sheng of this age.
- Taste: It opens mellow and full-flavored, with some bitterness and some astringency, balanced by a natural sweetness. The middle infusions are sweet and balanced. The flavor shifts a little from steep to steep.
- Mouthfeel & body: Expect a thick and mellow mouthfeel.
- Aftertaste: The aftertaste brings a returning sweetness (hui gan) and a long finish.
- Best for: improving your tea experience — worth reaching for once you have moved past being a beginner.
Brewing Guide
- Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
- How to brew:
- Add around 5g of tea for every 100ml.
- Give the leaves one quick rinse — cover with boiling water for about 5 seconds and discard. Then put the lid on and leave the leaves to open up for about 10 minutes.
- Start with 10–15 second steeps, lengthening by about 5 seconds each round.
- Pour the liquor into a sharing pitcher.
- Serve and resteep — sheng puerh goes many rounds.
- Think of this as a starting point rather than a rigid method. Try pouring high or low, fast or slow, and adapt to the season until it suits you. Brewing one tea at its best in any year, season, weather or place is a skill built over time — and that is the real goal.
Storage
Keep it in a ventilated, cool, dry spot, shielded from sunlight and strong odors (cooking spices, cigarette smoke). If you plan to age it long-term, paper or clay containers breathe better than airtight plastic.
A Note on Appearance
Not all cakes develop these — the chances simply rise with longer storage.
- Small dark specks: naturally stored puerh can develop tiny dark specks on its wrapper or edges. They are harmless and brush off easily before brewing.
- Tea oil spots: yellowish spotting can occur from natural tea oils. This is not a flaw.
- Torn wrapper: minor tears or holes in the cotton wrapper sometimes happen in storage and transit. The tea itself is unaffected.
