Video: Unwrapping and breaking down
Crafted from premium old arbor tree (Qiao Mu Gu Shu) tea leaves sourced from Ma Hei Village in the renowned Yi Wu tea region, this 400-gram raw Puerh cake exemplifies tradition and quality.
Pressed using traditional stone mills, the cake retains a relatively loose structure, allowing for optimal airflow and continued evolution during aging. The tea presents long, dark threads with a tight, visually appealing form, showcasing its meticulous craftsmanship.
Its gentle yet profound strength unfolds gradually, providing a lasting, immersive experience that resonates throughout the body.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2004 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 400g cake · KingTeaMall
The brewed tea yields a clear, bright liquor with a refined profile. It offers a smooth, rounded taste with minimal bitterness and only a subtle hint of astringency, hallmarks of authentic Yi Wu terroir. Over two decades of aging have imparted exceptional mellowness, enhancing its resilient tea flavor and velvety softness.
This Puerh excels in delivering hui gan (returning sweetness) and promotes abundant salivation, leaving a lingering aftertaste that envelops the palate, calming the mind while invigorating the senses.
Best for: Highly recommended for its depth, balance, and soothing complexity.
Brewing Guide
Water: 100°C (212°F), fully boiling.
- Preheat the vessel; add around 5g per 100ml.
- One rinse to open the leaves, then a covered rest of about 10 minutes.
- Steep 10–15 seconds at first, adding ~5 seconds per round.
- Always pour out completely into a fairness cup before drinking.
- Keep steeping — sheng rewards patience with many rounds.
These are guidelines to start from, not rules to obey. Experiment with your pour, your pace, and the season; the same leaf tastes different on a rainy day. The goal is the skill to brew it well whenever, wherever.
Storage
Give it air, coolness and dryness; keep it out of the sun and clear of potent odors (spices, smoke). For multi-year aging, paper or unglazed clay lets the tea breathe in a way sealed plastic never will.
Stored naturally in Guangzhou, this tea has matured gracefully, making it an excellent choice for tea enthusiasts seeking to elevate their tasting journey.
A Note on Appearance
Not every cake shows these, but they can occur, especially in teas with more years of 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 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.
