Made from leaf grown in Feng Qing in Lin Cang, an area known for a rounder, softer character than Meng Ku, with good sweetness and a Lin Cang backbone. After its years of storage, it now drinks thick. From Feng Qing — a 2004 sheng (raw) puerh cake in the Da Shu Qing Bing line.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2004 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 400g cake · Feng Qing
- Compression & dry leaf: The tea comes as a 400g cake, tightly pressed. Look for neat, tight threads in the dry leaf.
- Liquor: In the cup it is typically amber to orange-amber for sheng of this age.
- Taste: As the session goes on, it shows notes of honey and a sweet profile.
- Mouthfeel & body: In the mouth it feels thick.
- Aftertaste: After each sip there is a quick, clear hui gan.
- Best for: everyday drinking. It is easygoing to brew, and a welcoming choice for novices.
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. This tea was kept in traditional wet storage, which gives it a darker, mellower character than dry-stored tea of the same age.
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 tea 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.
