2005 Fuhai "Special Order 7576" Ripe Pu-erh of Menghai

This is a special order version of Fuhai's 7576 recipe that was made for a Guangzhou tea seller.  He wanted something special, so the blend is tippier than their usual 7576.

Fuhai tea factory along with Xinghai and Menghai are the earliest tea factories producing ripe pu-erh in Xishuangbanna. Fuhai ripe pu-erhs are typically light fermentation. Light fermentation means shorter "wo dui" (wet piling) and increased furrowing of the pile to keep temperature lower and slow fermentation. This preserves the "raw" character of the tea. The result is a strong tasting tea but needing longer aging to allow for the dissipation of "wo dui" taste that is standard with younger ripe pu-erh teas.

This 2005 cake has been dry-aged in Guangdong for 12 years. The storage condition for this tea was hot but not overly humid. The result is a clean tasting ripe pu-erh devoid of fermentation "wo dui" taste and aroma but still retaining alot of character. The brewed tea is sweet, with notes of dried fruit and camphor.  Compression is tight so make sure to break into smaller pieces.  Use a teapot and the hottest water possible to get this tea going.  It's very stable and nearly impossible to over-brew.  Early steeps have a little bit of wet storage taste, but it's not overpowering and soon passes.

This is a really food example of Fuhai Tea Factory ripe, not only is it their flagship ripe recipe, but it's a special order version with some added sweetness from the added tips.

2005 Pressing

357 Grams per cake

** Some wrappers may be bug-bitten with little holes in the paper. There may also be some dust between the wrapper and the cake. Rinse tea once or twice briefly before drinking! If you are squeamish please don't order this tea!