Product Details:
- Name: FT8653-9 Cake
- Year: 2009
- Type: Puerh Raw Tea (Sheng Cha)
- Weight: 357g
- Storage: Guangzhou natural storage
Tea Characteristics:
- Tea Material: The tea uses a blend of materials, focusing on younger and tinier leaves to create a balanced profile.
- Appearance: The cake is tightly compressed with neat tea threads, presenting a visually appealing structure.
- Tea Liquor: The tea liquor is clear and bright, indicating good quality and proper aging.
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Flavor Profile:
- Aroma: It features a slight smoky flavor combined with the original fragrance of the tea leaves.
- Taste: The tea offers a sweetness that is balanced with medium levels of bitterness and astringency. The flavor is refreshing and has a delayed but strong onset.
- Mouthfeel: It provides a thick, mellow taste with a well-rounded mouthfeel. The FT version specifically is noted for its softer flavor compared to the general version, which is more robust.
Unique Features:
- Aging: The "T" version of the cake is known for its hard compression, which slows the aging process but preserves the unique fragrance of the fresh tea. This characteristic allows the tea to retain its original qualities longer.
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Variants: The "8653" series includes several variations:
- General "8653": The standard version.
- "T 8653": The hard iron cake version, denoted by "T" from the Chinese pin yin "Tie Bing," meaning iron cake.
- "FT 8653": Ordered by the "Fei Tai" (Fly to Taiwan) tea company, using younger and tinier leaves to create a softer flavor profile.
- "FTT 8653": The iron cake version ordered by the FT tea company.
History:
- Origin: The "8653" series originated from an order by a Japanese buyer in 1985. The order was canceled, and the tea was later sold domestically. In 1988, it was officially named "8653," indicating its blend recipe initiation year (1986), the use of 5th-grade tea materials, and production by XiaGuan, the No.3 factory in the CNNP group.
Recommendation:
The 2009 XiaGuan "FT8653-9" Cake is highly recommended for those interested in learning about and experiencing Puerh tea. Its balance of sweetness, bitterness, and astringency, along with its delayed but strong flavor onset, makes it a versatile choice for daily tea consumption. The variety within the "8653" series allows for exploration of different aging processes and flavor profiles, making it a comprehensive introduction to Puerh tea.
Storage:
- The tea has been stored under natural conditions in Guangzhou, ensuring that it has aged well and developed its flavors appropriately over time.
This tea's combination of historical significance, meticulous processing, and rich flavor profile makes it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced Puerh tea drinkers.