Crafted from a select blend of 5th to 7th grade tea leaves, sourced from both ancient and large trees, this tea underwent a meticulous fermentation process in the year 2004. It stands as a bespoke creation for the Putian Tea Room.
Presentation:
The tea is skillfully pressed into round cakes, showcasing clear and defined tea threads, a testament to its quality.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2006 · Ripe (shou/shu) puerh · 400g cake · ChangTai Tea Factory
Visual and Aromatic Profile:
Upon brewing, it yields a red tea soup that is remarkable for its clarity and brightness. The infusion exudes an aged flavor, characterized by its remarkable thickness and mellowness.
Taste and Aftertaste:
The tea is noted for its excellent ‘hui gan’ (returning sweetness) and its ability to stimulate saliva production, enhancing the overall sensory experience.
Best for: everyday drinking without fuss. Suitable for novices as well as regular ripe puerh drinkers.
Brewing Guide
Water: rolling boil, 100°C (212°F).
- Rinse teaware with hot water; use roughly 5g of tea for each 100ml of vessel.
- Rinse the leaves twice, then cover and rest about 10 minutes to let them open.
- Begin with 10–15 second steeps, lengthening each by about 5 seconds.
- Decant fully into a sharing pitcher each time.
- Enjoy — ripe puerh keeps giving for many infusions.
Use this as a starting point, not a fixed formula. Play with pour height and speed, and notice how the tea answers in different weather and seasons. Learning to brew one tea well anywhere, anytime is the real craft.
Storage
Store in a cool, dry place with gentle airflow, out of direct light and away from strong smells such as cooking spices or smoke. If you plan to age it for years, breathable paper or clay storage suits puerh better than airtight plastic.
Guangzhou Natural Storage.
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.
