金花 Yin Yang Iron Cake 1993 Sheng Puerh (Special Golden Flower Edition)
While we were breaking up one of our cakes to package into sample sizes, we found yellow spores (Eurotium Cristatum) in the center and realized that we were blessed with a natural Jin Hua cake! The taste of this special edition is distinctly different than the original cake. It is less earthy; the brew is lighter and not as dark, with a deep floral taste that is more pronounced! Only one cake was bestowed with this special treasure, and we are finally releasing it for you to experience.
Yin Yang symbol impression pressed into a half-dry/wet storage iron cake. Iron cake, sometimes referred to as discus cakes, was first produced in the 1950s and was a new method of pressing tea that was more efficient since laborious cloth rolling was not needed. The appropriate amount of steamed tea was placed into the container and pressed with thick iron plates, giving each cake sharp round edges and a flat shape. There are holes in the container for the steam to escape and nails to facilitate the removal of the cake. These cakes tend to be very hard and allow for long aging. Such an old cake requires several hours to enjoy since you can brew it many times to unlock each layer. The flavors change as the steepings progress, and it is a delight to discover!
Origin:
Menghai, China
Cultivar:
Da Ye Zhong
Flavor Profile:
Extremely earthy for the first few brews, then lends way to caramel, floral, camphor
Servings:
Sampler: 4 x 5g
Cake: 70 x 5g
Net weight:
20g sampler / 340g cake
