This tea uses leaf from Ba Da on the western edge of Meng Hai. The area has a reputation for a wild, grassy character that is firm and bitter when young and grows deeper with age. A few years of natural storage in Guangzhou may have taken off some of its early sharpness. From KingTeaMall — a 2016 sheng (raw) puerh cake in the Fu Gui - Ba Da line.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2016 · Sheng (raw) puerh · cake · KingTeaMall
- Compression & dry leaf: The leaf is tightly compressed into a cake. The dry leaf shows neat, tight threads.
- Liquor: Expect a clear, bright liquor, typically golden to amber at this stage.
- Taste: It opens fresh from the first steep. Further into the session the cup stays sweet.
- Mouthfeel & body: The texture is smooth.
- Aftertaste: The aftertaste brings a returning sweetness (hui gan), plenty of salivation and a long finish.
- Best for: everyday drinking, and a comfortable place to start for those new to puerh.
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.
