First created in 1975 by DaYi (Menghai Tea Factory), the 7572 recipe centers on grade 7 leaf blended with other grades, steadily fermented. Over time it became the reference point everyday shou drinkers use to judge other ripe cakes. This is the 2004 pressing.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2004 · Ripe (shou/shu) puerh · 357g cake · mainly grade 7 leaf, blended with other grades · Menghai Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: This tea is sold as a 357g cake. The dry leaf shows mainly grade 7 leaf and visible buds.
- Liquor: The infusion pours red.
- Taste: From the first steep the taste is mellow. Through the middle infusions it shows a floral and fruity character over a balanced base.
- Mouthfeel & body: The body comes across as thick, smooth and silky.
- Aftertaste: After each sip there is a long finish.
- Best for: improving your tea experience. Take your time with it — a good choice once you are no longer a novice.
Brewing Guide
- Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
- How to brew:
- Add around 5g of tea for every 100ml.
- Give the leaves two quick rinses — cover with boiling water for about 5 seconds and discard. Then put the lid on and leave the leaves to open up for about 10 minutes.
- Start with 10–15 second steeps, lengthening by about 5 seconds each round.
- Pour the liquor into a sharing pitcher.
- Serve and resteep — ripe puerh goes many rounds.
- Think of this as a starting point rather than a rigid method. Try pouring high or low, fast or slow, and adapt to the season until it suits you. Brewing one tea at its best in any year, season, weather or place is a skill built over time — and that is the real goal.
Storage
Keep it in a ventilated, cool, dry spot, shielded from sunlight and strong odors (cooking spices, cigarette smoke). If you plan to age it long-term, paper or clay containers breathe better than airtight plastic.
A Note on Appearance
Not all cakes develop these — the chances simply rise with longer 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 spotting can occur from natural tea oils. This is not a flaw.
- Torn wrapper: minor tears or holes in the cotton wrapper sometimes happen in storage and transit. The tea itself is unaffected.
