2018 Xiaguan 8663 Jin Bang Ripe Pu Erh Tea Cake 357g

A fine tea cake made from shou pu erh from Yunnan's city of Dali. The cake weights 357 grams (12.6 oz) and is compressed in 2018.

8663 Recipe Explained

Pu erh tea recipes are often classified in 4 digits. The first two digits '86' represents the year, meaning that this recipe was first introduced in 1986. The third digit '6' represents the size/maturity of the leaves and the last digit '3' stands for the Xiaguan Tea Factory.

Jin Bang: Gold List/Label

Though the 8663 cake has been produced since many years, the 'Jin Bang' series of Xiaguan Tea Factory was first introduced in 2014. In Chinese, Jinbang literally means ‘the gold list’. With more carefully selected materials and a more exquisite packaging, this cake is the upgrade version of the classic 8663 cake.

The cake is neatly compressed with visible golden tips. The color of the liquor is red-brown. The taste is mellow and smooth with a long-lasting aroma. And the brewed leaves are tender and even in size.

8663 versus T8663

Besides this 8663 cake there's also a T8663 cake on the market. Our cake is without the 'T' meaning that it's not an 'iron cake'. T8663 cakes are compressed tighter into a coin like shape. Though they're great for storage, it's very challenging to pry of a piece to steep tea.