{"product_id":"xiaguan-jia-ji-raw-pu-erh-tuocha-2004","title":"Xiaguan Jia Ji Raw Pu-erh Tuocha, 2004 (100g)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe young monk lifted the lid of the giawan and smiled. “Master, even after all these years, this tea still smells like Xiaguan – smoky, but now much softer”.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLao Cha nodded. – “Twenty plus some years will do that. The smoke now reveals what's been hidden – plums, apricots, and sweetness. And have you noticed its bird’s nest shape? – Tightly pressed, good airflow, slow transformation. This tuocha knows how to age gracefully”.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen the Yong Chang Xiang trading house, which later became Xiaguan Tea Factory, pressed the very first bowl-shaped tuocha (沱茶) in Dali in 1902, under the mark Zheng Ji (正记 – \"the genuine mark\"), Jia Ji Tuocha (甲级沱茶) was the recipe that emerged.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eMore than a century later, Jia Ji is still Xiaguan's flagship: a landmark of Chinese tuocha, a three-time winner of the China National Quality Silver Medal, and one of the few Pu-erh productions whose pressing technique is registered as part of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The deep-bowl shape of the tea is no accident – it promotes airflow and gives the aroma room to develop as the tea ages. To pu-erh drinkers, the name \"Xiaguan Jia Ji\" carries a specific signature – a tightly compressed bowl, and the taste that no other tea producer has managed to replicate: the unmistakable Xiaguan smoke (烟香).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 30px; float: none;\" alt=\"Mr. Zhang Zhen Xing from Xiaguan Tea Factory\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2669\/5944\/files\/Xiaguan_Tea_Factory_IMG_8046_600x600.heic?v=1779415300\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHow that smoke is achieved is a closely-guarded company secret. Pu-erh fans have speculated for decades. Some point to the pine used in the Sha Qing (杀青 – “Kill-Green”); others to the wood-fired drying rooms where freshly pressed tuocha rests before packaging; while some attribute it to the unique water and mountain air of Dali itself. Xiaguan has never revealed the secret. What is certain is that the smoke has been consistent across more than a hundred years of production, and is woven into the very identity of every Jia Ji Tuocha that leaves the factory.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis tea is from 2004 – sun-dried Mao Cha (毛茶) is from Lincang and Xishuangbanna – the core Pu-erh tea regions, pressed at Xiaguan Tea Factory using their signature high-density iron-mold compression, then left to rest in Dali's highland dry storage for the past 20+ years. Time has been kind to it. The bright, smoky edge of young Xiaguan has softened and woven itself into something rounder, sweeter, more layered, and without losing its identity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the cup, the liquor pours a brilliant golden yellow, bright and clean. The aroma rises high — Xiaguan's signature smoky aroma is still very much present, but now wrapped in the plum and apricot fragrance that good Xiaguan develops over the years. The taste is warm and mellow, with a sweetness that builds over successive infusions. The empty cup gives off a soft honeyed fragrance – the cup-bottom aroma (杯底香), a quality that well-aged Xiaguan Jia Tuo is particularly known for.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is a serious tuocha for serious drinkers, and a piece of living Pu-erh history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ePlace of Origin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lincang \u0026amp; Xishuangbanna (Mao Cha sourcing); pressed at Xiaguan, Dali, Yunnan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eProducer:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003eXiaguan Tea Factory (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e下关茶厂) – Gan Pu-erh Label (甘普洱)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eHarvest Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring 2003\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e•\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePressed:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2004 (\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eiron-mold compression\u003c\/span\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePicking Standard: \u003c\/strong\u003eone bud and two leaves\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAroma:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eXiaguan smoke (烟韵) – smoked plums and apricots\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"s1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003cspan class=\"Apple-tab-span\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Taste\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e roasted plums, apricots, apples, quince\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e• Tea Tree:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eYunnan Da Ye Zhong (云南大叶种)\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e   \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrewing guidelines:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 18px; margin-bottom: 00px; margin-left: 18px; float: none;\" alt=\"Water temperature\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2669\/5944\/files\/thermometer_32x32.png?v=1613590565\"\u003e212℉ \/ 100℃\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2669\/5944\/files\/Western-Teapot_45649ad9-ec24-45d3-907f-2a0efe273c28_50x50.png?v=1616729997\" alt=\"Tea-to-Water Ratio for Western Brewing\" style=\"margin-bottom: 00px; float: none;\"\u003e1 g per 70-100 ml\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 00px; margin-left: 7px; float: none;\" alt=\"Brewing Time\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2669\/5944\/files\/clock_32x32.png?v=1613590565\"\u003e3-5 min\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cimg style=\"margin: 10px 7px 00px 11px; float: none;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2669\/5944\/files\/Gaiwan_Yixing_0f85d4d2-7572-4ccc-8863-e496a3933739_32x32.png?v=1616730143\" alt=\"Tea-to-Water Ratio. Gong Fu Cha\"\u003e1 g per \u003cspan\u003e20 ml\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg style=\"margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 00px; margin-left: 7px; float: none;\" alt=\"Brewing Time\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2669\/5944\/files\/clock_32x32.png?v=1613590565\"\u003e5 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003esec + 5 sec \u003c\/span\u003efor each subsequent infusion\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Xiaguan","offers":[{"title":"Whole Tuocha (100g; $0.38 per gram)","offer_id":42243664511031,"sku":"XIGUAN JIA JI RAW PU-ERH","price":38.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2669\/5944\/files\/XiaguanJiaJiRawPu-erhTuocha2004_GUL_1497_lowres.jpg?v=1779413389","url":"https:\/\/pathofcha.com\/products\/xiaguan-jia-ji-raw-pu-erh-tuocha-2004","provider":"Path of Cha","version":"1.0","type":"link"}