Yin Yang Iron Cake 1993 Sheng Puerh (Special Golden Flower Edition)
While we were breaking up one of our cakes, 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 less earthy, the brew is clearer and not as dark, and the floral taste is much more pronounced!
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 that was more efficient since cloth rolling was not needed. The appropriate amount of steamed tea was put into the container and an iron disc was used to press it down, giving it sharp round edges and a flat shape. There were holes in the container for the steam to escape and the disc had nails in it that allowed the cake to be pulled out and removed from the disk. These cakes tend to be very hard and allow for long aging. A cake of this age requires several hours to fully enjoy since you can brew it many times. 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
