2022 DaYi "Nan Guo Qiu Yun" (Southern Autumn Charm) Cake 357g Puerh Sheng Cha Raw Tea, 1st Batch

Video: unwrapping and breaking down the cake

A 2022 sheng (raw) puerh from DaYi: "Nan Guo Qiu Yun" (Southern Autumn Charm), offered as a 357g cake.

Tea Profile

At a glance: 2022 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · Menghai Tea Factory · 1st batch

• Compression & dry leaf: The tea comes as a 357g cake. The leaf itself shows well-formed threads and visible buds.
• Liquor: The infusion pours clear, bright and transparent and golden yellow.
• Taste: It opens mellow and soft, with some bitterness and some astringency, balanced by a natural sweetness. As the session goes on, it shows floral notes with a touch of honey and a sweet and balanced profile.
• Mouthfeel & body: In the mouth it feels full-bodied, smooth and soft.
• Aftertaste: After each sip there is a quick, clear hui gan, salivation (sheng jin) and a long finish.
• Best for: everyday drinking in relaxed daily sessions, and a good pick for beginners.

Tasting Notes

• 1st-2nd Infusions:
  • Tea Liquor: Bright yellow.
  • Aroma: Prominent floral and honey fragrance.
  • Taste: Sweet and refreshing, with a rapid Hui Gan and Sheng Jin.
• 3rd-5th Infusions:
  • Tea Liquor: Bright, deep yellow.
  • Aroma: Rich honey fragrance with lingering floral notes.
  • Taste: Full-bodied and smooth, with a balanced bitterness and astringency, and a quick and satisfying Hui Gan and Sheng Jin.
• 6th-8th Infusions:
  • Tea Liquor: Bright yellow.
  • Aroma: Rich honey and clear floral sweetness.
  • Taste: Smooth, sweet, and vibrant, with a lasting Hui Gan and Sheng Jin.
• 9th-10th Infusions:
  • Tea Liquor: Clear, bright yellow.
  • Aroma: Persistent sweet floral and fresh scent.
  • Taste: Sweet, smooth, and refreshing, with a long-lasting aftertaste.

Brewing Guide

• Water: fully boiling, 100°C (212°F).
• How to brew:
  1. Add around 5g of tea for every 100ml.
  2. Give the leaves one quick rinse — cover with boiling water for about 5 seconds and discard. Then put the lid on and leave the leaves to open up for about 10 minutes.
  3. Start with 10–15 second steeps, lengthening by about 5 seconds each round.
  4. Pour the liquor into a sharing pitcher.
  5. Serve and resteep — sheng puerh goes many rounds.
• Think of this as a starting point rather than a rigid method. Try pouring high or low, fast or slow, and adapt to the season until it suits you. Brewing one tea at its best in any year, season, weather or place is a skill built over time — and that is the real goal.

Storage

Keep it in a ventilated, cool, dry spot, shielded from sunlight and strong odors (cooking spices, cigarette smoke). If you plan to age it long-term, paper or clay containers breathe better than airtight plastic.

A Note on Appearance

Not all cakes develop these — the chances simply rise with longer 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 spotting can occur from natural tea oils. This is not a flaw.
• Torn wrapper: minor tears or holes in the cotton wrapper sometimes happen in storage and transit. The tea itself is unaffected.