Video: Unwrapping and breaking down
This is the 2002 LiuDaChaShan (Six Famous Tea Mountains) "Yi Bang - Ye Sheng Cha" (Yibang Mountain - Wild Tea) cake: a 357g sheng (raw) puerh pressed from wild tea from Yi Bang Mountain. Yi Bang is one of the historic Six Famous Tea Mountains in the Yi Wu tea region of Yunnan.
Appearance: The wrapper may show wear. The cake is a hard-pressed disc with a dense center and looser edges, so some leaf threads may detach at the rim. The leaves are small and rounded, typical of Yi Bang wild tea.
Liu Da Cha Shan is a Yunnan Puerh company founded in 2002 by Ruan Dian Rong, a former manager of Meng Hai Tea Factory. It takes its name from the Six Famous Tea Mountains of southern Yunnan and produces raw (sheng) and ripe (shou) Puerh from regions such as Jing Gu, You Le, and Ban Zhang.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2002 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · LiuDaChaShan
Liquor: Clear, bright infusion.
Aroma & Flavor: Soft, resilient taste in the Yi Wu style—light astringency with a fresh edge, a wax-like undertone, creamy depth, and a pronounced hui gan (returning sweetness) with a saliva-inducing finish.
Aftertaste: Long and lingering.
Best for: Drinkers who want an aged Yi Bang wild sheng cake, or a sample of LiuDaChaShan's early-year production.
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 starting guidelines, not fixed rules. Adjust pour and timing to taste.
Storage
Store with air, coolness, and dryness; keep out of sun and away from strong odors. For long aging, paper or unglazed clay breathes better than sealed plastic.
This cake has been naturally aged in Guangzhou for about two decades.
A Note on Appearance
Not every cake shows these, but they can occur after many years of storage.
- Bamboo powder (zhu fen): a natural sign of traditional bamboo-husk packing. In Guangdong's warm, humid climate, tiny bamboo insects may nibble the husk and cotton paper while leaving the tea untouched, leaving a fine powder. Harmless; brush off before brewing.
- Tea oil spots: yellowish spots from natural tea oils; not a flaw.
- Torn wrapper: small tears or holes in the cotton paper can happen in storage and handling; the tea inside is unaffected. A lower-priced option with a nearly fully torn wrapper may also be listed.
