This tea uses old-tree (gu shu) leaf, which usually brings more body, more steeps and a longer-lasting hui gan than plantation leaf. Its middle years have begun to round it out and add depth. A 2015 sheng (raw) puerh from XiaGuan: "Da Bai Cai - Gu Shu" (Big Cabbage - Old Tree), offered as a 357g cake.
About the name: "Da Bai Cai" (Big Cabbage) is borrowed from the famous Big Cabbage puerh of the early 2000s. Those original cakes were made from Ban Zhang area leaf, commissioned by the He brothers (later the founders of Fu Jin Tea) at Menghai Tea Factory from about 2000 to 2004. They got the nickname from the green organic certification logo printed on the wrapper, which looks like a head of cabbage. The name is a tribute to that series; it does not describe how this tea's leaf looks.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2015 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · XiaGuan Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: Tightly compressed with neat, well-formed threads and plenty of tea hairs.
- Liquor: Clear and bright, golden to light amber.
- Taste: A light smokiness typical of XiaGuan over a delicate sweetness. Bitterness and astringency are balanced and mellow out over multiple infusions.
- Mouthfeel & body: Smooth and thick.
- Aftertaste: Long-lasting, with a lingering sweetness.
- Best for: improving your tea experience — there is more here to notice from steep to steep. A good next step after your first few puerh cakes.
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.
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.
