Skip to content
2018 Xiaguan "Tai An" Aged Mao Cha Raw Pu-erh Tea Iron Cake | Yunnan Sourcing Tea Shop

2018 Xiaguan "Tai An" Aged Mao Cha Raw Pu-erh Tea Iron Cake

by Xiaguan Tea Factory
$59.50 - $398.25
$59.50
$59.50 - $398.25
$59.50

This is a new Xiaguan pressing for 2018, but a blend of of mao cha between 5 and 8 years of age.  It's pressed as a very tight iron cake, which will allow it age in even the most humid conditions.  If you plan to dry age it, or drink it now, you've already got a lightly aged tea to start out with!

Very enjoyable tobacco, fruit and mushroom broth tastes in this tea.  Typically Xiaguan, but older than the 2018 in the title suggests! 

357 grams per cake (7 cakes per paper tong).

***Box may be damaged in transit. No refunds or credits will be issued and no returns will be accepted for a damaged box. If you want a perfect box, please do not order the boxed item since we cannot guarantee a box in perfect condition.***

Overall rating: 4.3333335 / 5 from 3 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Summary topics

Review topics: ["blend","smokiness","sheng","steeps","cake"].

Review highlights

Reviews

Great value sheng

"This is a nice interesting sheng. The cake is pretty well compressed and green. The dry leaves have an intense tobacco aroma with a little barn yard quality. Early steeps are young and green tasting with a good bit of aromatic woodiness, like old furniture. On the palate it is pretty and balanced, with very little bitterness. It’s also got a racy minerality about it, almost flinty or spicy. Later steeps get increasingly lean and minerally. Hard to oversteer. Not as rich and aged tasting as many others but interesting and fresh"

— Adam T. (4/5)

Touchy and Funky

"If you're looking for older sheng that is a far cry from fruity, look no further. This is an affordable sheng with a very present smokiness and savory flavor. Be careful not to over brew!"

— Dylan C. (4/5)

Wow! Top Xia Guan stuff

"The blend is very (very!) aromatic: you can really smell the leaves, with a hint of bark, and darker ("blonde tobacco" comes to mind) notes already. The quality of the blend is apparent: different grades and types of leaves can be seen, with a touch of silver. Plus I have to say the design of the wrapper, although plain, together with the aspect of the cake has "quality" written all over it. This will make a nice gift for a tea lover who is after taste and not looks. The first impression is that this is a typical Xia Guan cake, among the best I've tasted. Despite its age, astringency is not overpowering. It is already verging on mellowness while still retaining the floral (jasmin mostly) and green notes. Smokiness is present but not overwhelming. The aftertaste is powerful, and very pleasant. The soup is light green/golden, not yet orangy. This blend is very subtle. The only thing I can relate it to is the red dou ji shan dou small (and very tight) bricks, which I love. I'm very happy to have found a successor to what was my favorite raw pu-erh so far. This cake is (very) tightly pressed, which means it will provide quite a few sessions, on a 7g. / 70 ml basis. Will definitely order more."

— Antonio (5/5)

Q&A

How many cakes to get a cardboard case box?
7 cakes
Free Gifts

and BOGO Offers!

Brewing Guide

Helpful Suggestions!

Terms

Shipping, Refunds and More.

EU MRL

Yunnan Sourcing Brand Pu-erh