This tea is a hard-pressed small cake, featuring a high ratio of young tea buds and tiny leaves.
It is crafted according to the blend recipe of the well-known “92 Fang Zhuan” (92’s Square Brick by Meng Hai Tea Factory).
Ms. Wang Xia (王霞) worked at the Meng Hai Tea Factory from 1978 to 1999, progressing from a tea worker to various roles including technician, assistant engineer, tea reviewer, deputy chief of the QC department, and finally Chief Inspector of QC. She is highly skilled in tea material selection and production. In 1999, she co-founded the Si Mao Puerh Tea Factory and served as CEO until 2004, when she established her own tea factory.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2003 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 100g brick · WangXia
The tea exhibits minor bitterness and astringency, yet remains mellow and smooth.
It offers a spring water-like returning sweetness, with flavors well infused into the water.
The lingering aftertaste is refreshing, accompanied by a quite slight smoky flavor.
Best for: Highly recommended for enhancing the tea experience.
Brewing Guide
Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
- Warm the pot and cups, then add about 5g of leaf per 100ml.
- Rinse the leaves once with boiling water and let them rest, covered, for about 10 minutes.
- Steep the first rounds for 10–15 seconds, adding about 5 seconds with each round.
- Pour every steep into a fairness pitcher before serving.
- Serve. Sheng 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 tea 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.
Naturally stored in Guangzhou, this tea has been carefully aged to enrich its distinctive qualities.
A Note on Appearance
Not every brick 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.
