Watch Video: Unwrapping and breaking down.
This is the 2002 LiuDaChaShan (Six Famous Tea Mountains) “Yi Wu - Ye Sheng Cha” (Yiwu Mountain - Wild Tea) cake: a 357g sheng (raw) puerh pressed from wild tea from Yi Wu Mountain in Mengla County, Xishuangbanna. Yiwu is the best known of the historic Six Famous Tea Mountains and the old center of the tribute-tea trade; its teas are prized for softness and sweetness rather than force.
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 strands are long and thick, typical of Yiwu large-leaf tea.
Liu Da Cha Shan (Six Famous Tea Mountains) is a Yunnan puerh company founded in 2002 by Ruan Dian Rong, a former manager of Menghai Tea Factory. It takes its name from the historic Six Famous Tea Mountains of southern Yunnan, and produces raw (sheng) and ripe (shou) puerh from regions such as Jinggu, Youle, and Banzhang.
Tea Profile
At a glance: 2002 · Sheng (raw) puerh · 357g cake · LiuDaChaShan
- Liquor: Clear and bright.
- Aroma & Flavor: The classic Yiwu manner — soft and smooth from the first sip, with a floral aroma and a honey-like sweetness, little bitterness or astringency, and a gentle depth that builds over many steeps. More than two decades of aging have rounded it further toward mellow sweetness.
- Aftertaste: Long, sweet and lingering, with steady saliva production.
- Best for: Drinkers who like the soft, sweet Yiwu style and want it in an aged, early-production LiuDaChaShan cake.
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.
