Made from old-tree (gu shu) leaf grown in Jing Mai, an area known for an elegant orchid aroma and a sweet, soft cup that stays low in bitterness. Old-tree (gu shu) leaf is what sets the "Jing Mai Gu Shu" apart: it typically brews thicker and lasts longer than plantation leaf. After years of natural storage in Guangzhou, Jing Mai sheng like this may show a deeper, more mellow side, though results depend on how it was kept. This 357g cake is LiMing's "Jing Mai Gu Shu" (Jing Mai - Ancient / Old Tree), a sheng (raw) puerh from 2004.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2004 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · LiMing Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: Tightly pressed, it comes as a 357g cake. Look for neat, tight threads in the dry leaf.
- Liquor: Expect a clear, bright liquor, typically amber to orange-amber for sheng of this age.
- Taste: It opens mellow, with only a light bitterness and slight astringency, balanced by a natural sweetness. The middle steeps bring out a floral and medicinal character, with a sweet and balanced taste. The leaf keeps giving through a long session.
- Mouthfeel & body: On the palate it is rounded and mellow.
- Aftertaste: Look for a returning sweetness (hui gan) after each cup.
- Best for: improving your tea experience; it rewards slower brewing and is a good next step after your first few sheng teas.
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.
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.
