This tea uses leaf from Da Xue Shan in Meng Ku, Lin Cang. The area has a reputation for wild-forest depth: mineral, floral and firm. With some years of natural storage in Guangzhou, it may have begun to round out, depending on conditions. Here is "ShangPin JinSi Da Xue Shan" (Golden Ribbon Big Snow Mountain) from XiaGuan, a 2017 sheng (raw) puerh in a 100g brick.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2017 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 100g brick · XiaGuan Tea Factory
- Compression & dry leaf: The leaf is tightly compressed into a 100g brick.
- Liquor: The liquor is typically golden to amber at this stage.
- Taste: The first steeps are fresh, with only a light bitterness and slight astringency. Through the middle infusions it shows a smoky character over a sweet and balanced base.
- Mouthfeel & body: Expect a smooth mouthfeel.
- Aftertaste: Sheng like this usually leaves some returning sweetness (hui gan).
- Best for: everyday drinking, and easy for newcomers to brew.
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 brick 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.
