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Net Weight: 357g
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Type: Puerh Shou Cha (Ripe Puerh)
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Formula Origin: 1986 Classic Recipe (8663 Designation)
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Production Facility: XiaGuan Tea Factory (Designated by suffix "3")
The "8663" recipe is a legendary, time-tested pillar within XiaGuan's ripe Puerh portfolio, continuously adhering to the golden blending proportions established in 1986. The third digit "6" denotes the core grade of the raw material (Cha Jing). Utilizing Grade-6 tea leaves as the structural backbone achieves an optimal material balance: the leaves are thick, robust, and rich in soluble polysaccharides, yielding a highly coordinated aromatic profile and deep texture, free from the thinness often found in younger bud grades. This classic formulation represents an industry benchmark for exceptional cost-to-performance utility.
The dry compression exhibits a perfectly rounded, uniform cake geometry pressed to moderate tightness, allowing for excellent airflow stability during aging. The individual leaves are thick, well-proportioned, and display a healthy, reddish-brown hue. Decades of recipe refinement deliver a bold, concentrated ripe aroma with pronounced aged transformation markers (Chen Yun). The brewed liquor is heavy, dense, and visibly viscous, coating the palate with a silky, rich thickness. The flavor profile is structurally defined by a soft, glutinous sweetness (Ruan Nuo), a smooth and velvety mouthfeel, and a clean, refreshing returning sweetness (Gan Chun).
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Liquor Profile: A deep, concentrated, vibrant red-brown (Hong Nong) with absolute structural clarity and visual gloss.
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Texture: Creamy, thick, and viscous with a distinct fine-grained smoothness (Rou Ni Xi Hua).
Gongfu Brewing Protocol
To effectively break down the dense compression of this XiaGuan compression and properly release the heavy, sweet, and glutinous variables without producing bitterness, a high-heat, steady-pour Gongfu method is recommended.
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Vessel Selection: A thick-walled Yixing Zisha (purple clay) teapot—specifically styles crafted from Zi Ni (purple clay) or Duan Ni—is highly recommended. The high heat retention of thick clay helps sustain the elevated water temperature required to fully penetrate the Grade-6 material, while its porous nature rounds off any residual post-fermentation storage notes, enhancing the pure aged sweetness.
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Tea-to-Water Ratio: 7–8 grams of tea to 100–120 ml of water.
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Water Parameters: 98°C to 100°C (208°F to 212°F) rolling boil. Harder or boiling-hot water is mandatory to drive out the deep soluble elements within the compressed leaves.
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The Awake/Rinse Phase (Critical Variable): Execute 2 rapid flash rinses (3–5 seconds each). Because it is a factory-produced ripe Puerh with thick leaves, a dual rinse is necessary to completely wash away micro-dust and fully awaken the compressed leaf cells. Discard all rinse water. Allow the damp leaves to sit in the covered, hot teapot for 30 seconds before the first official infusion to let the steam expand the leaf matrix evenly.
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Infusion Sequence:
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Infusions 1–3: Steep for 5 to 8 seconds. Pour completely. These early extractions showcase a striking, deep red-brown liquor with an immediate wave of pure ripe woodiness and a thick, comforting mouthfeel.
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Infusions 4–7: Maintain a steady pour, steeping for 10 to 15 seconds. At this phase, the Grade-6 leaves unfurl completely, driving peak viscosity, soft glutinous sweetness (Ruan Nuo), and a deeply soothing, smooth texture.
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Subsequent Infusions (8+): Systematically extend each pour by adding 10 to 20 seconds (e.g., 30s, 50s, 70s) to continuously extract the underlying sweet, clean finish. This material is highly resilient and will sustain its sweet output across numerous infusions.
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