Made from old-tree (gu shu) leaf grown in Bing Dao on the western slope of Meng Ku, Lin Cang, an area known for crystal-clean sweetness, softness and a cool, lasting throat feel. Old-tree (gu shu) leaf typically gives a thicker body, a slower release over many steeps and a longer hui gan than plantation leaf. Aged sheng can turn smoother and woodier over time, but storage makes a big difference. From Meng Ku — a 2009 sheng (raw) puerh cake in the Bing Dao - Gu Shu - Jin Zhang line.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2009 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 400g cake · MengKu Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: It is a tightly pressed 400g cake.
- Liquor: In the cup it is clear and bright, typically amber to orange-amber for sheng of this age.
- Taste: The first steeps are mellow, with only a light bitterness and slight astringency. Through the middle infusions, notes of sugarcane come forward over a sweet and rich base. New details keep appearing in the later steeps.
- Mouthfeel & body: In the mouth it feels thick, smooth and mellow.
- Aftertaste: It leaves a returning sweetness (hui gan) and a long finish.
- Best for: improving your tea experience — worth reaching for once you have moved past being a novice.
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.
