This exceptional tea is crafted from early spring arbor tree materials sourced from the Ban Zhang, Meng Song, and Ba Da tea regions. The cake features strong and fat tea threads, indicative of its high quality.
Note: The tea room "San Tai Lao Hao," printed on the wrapper, is a historic tea room established in the early 20th century in Yunnan Province. After disappearing post-WW2, the brand was revived 60 years later to produce high-quality tea.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2008 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · NanQiao
The tea liquor is clear and bright, revealing a well-aged flavor that lingers in the mouth. It delivers a rich and satisfying experience with excellent hui gan (returning sweetness) and saliva production.
Best for: improving your tea experience. Take your time with it — a good choice once you are no longer a newcomer.
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.
Stored naturally in Guangzhou, this tea has been preserved to maintain its rich profile and complex flavors.
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.
