2018 Classic Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake

This 2018 Classic Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake (Shou) draws inspiration from the classic recipe of the first batch of Ripe Pu-erh produced by Menghai Tea Factory in 1975, widely regarded as the benchmark for Ripe Pu-erh tea.

The original recipe used grade-7 leaves (with grade 10 being the lowest and coarsest grade). For this tea, the leaf grade has been upgraded to Grade 2—one of the highest grades under China's national tea grading standards, featuring a high proportion of tender buds.

The essence of this recipe lies in its blending approach. Fresh leaves were selected from ecological tea gardens across different elevations and micro-regions within Menghai County, then carefully blended to complement one another in flavor, aroma, and texture. The result is a modern interpretation of a classic Ripe Pu-erh, produced to a higher quality standard.

Professional Background of the Tea Taster

As a National First-Class Tea Taster with more than 17 years of professional experience—including my time at Chinese Tea Group—I have found that Ripe Pu-erh is the only tea category that leads me to think in terms of “two destinations and two challenges.”

The Two Destinations

1. The Final Stop for Experienced Tea Drinkers

Over the years, we have seen countless tea enthusiasts begin with a passion for highly aromatic and energetic young teas. Yet as time passes, many eventually find themselves returning to the flavors of aged tea. Ripe Pu-erh was originally created to recreate the character of aged tea in a much shorter period of time.

2. The Ultimate Test of a Tea Taster’s Skill

Raw Pu-erh already presents an extraordinary range of flavors. Ripe Pu-erh goes a step further, challenging us to evaluate how a tea's character can evolve and develop over decades.

The Two Challenges

1. Production Challenge

Although the wo dui fermentation process is now highly refined, tea makers still resemble master chefs—skill alone is not always enough. Sometimes, a little luck is required as well.

Natural variables beyond control include:

• Temperature
• Humidity
• Turning schedules
• Changes within the microbial environment

2. Selection Challenge

As the people who select teas for fellow tea drinkers, we often need to evaluate several times more samples of Ripe Pu-erh than of other tea categories in the same price range before we finally find one that truly stands out.

• The Ripe Pu-erh market is far from small, yet genuinely exceptional teas remain difficult to find. 
• Even when you do find one, there is no guarantee the next batch will be the same. 

Our Philosophy

For this reason, our philosophy is the same advice we often share with tea enthusiasts:

• We recommend starting with a small portion. For any age-worthy tea that you truly enjoy, it is wise to secure more while it is still available.
• Whenever storage capacity and financial conditions allow, we try to purchase entire batches. 

In the world of tea, there is never another batch exactly like the one before it.

Storage History

This tea was produced and pressed into cakes in 2018, then stored in Kunming, Yunnan, a region widely regarded within the tea industry as a dry-storage environment due to its relatively dry climate.

• Packaged in 2020
• Transferred in 2025 to our professional warehouse in Dongguan, Guangdong, featuring advanced temperature- and humidity-controlled storage
• Passed flavor evaluation in December 2025 and officially released for sale

From the photographs taken in our tea house, you can clearly see the quality of the material—tender leaves covered with golden tips.

Tasting Notes

• Once brewed, the liquor displays a rich, wine-like body while remaining clear and bright in the cup. 
• Fine tea hairs, often associated with higher-grade material, can be seen suspended in the liquor, with no visible impurities. 
• During tasting, floral notes and aged aromas emerge alongside a lingering sweetness and a pleasant salivating effect. 
• The texture is smooth, soft, and persistent. 
• What many experienced tea drinkers appreciate most, however, is its depth and richness, along with the sense of ease and comfort it leaves in both the throat and body after drinking. 

We recommend this 2018 Classic Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake (Shou) as an advanced choice for Ripe Pu-erh enthusiasts seeking to move beyond flavor alone and explore the broader experience that a mature Ripe Pu-erh can offer.

A Small Historical Note

A few years after the creation of Ripe Pu-erh, research conducted during the 1980s by Saint-Antoine Medical School in Paris examined the lipid-lowering effects of Yunnan Ripe Pu-erh tea.

Following this research:

• Ripe Pu-erh attracted attention in the French market
• Was at one time sold in pharmacies as a supportive beverage for maintaining healthy blood lipid levels
• Became a notable chapter in the international history of Pu-erh tea
  

Not sure if this tea suits your taste? Try a sample and follow our brewing guide.

Try Sample & View Guide