2003 Tian Di Ren “7572” Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake

Clean, well-stored early-2000s Menghai ripe modeled on the classic 7572 profile: smooth wood and dark-honey sweetness with a gentle cocoa note and cooling camphor. Easy to drink now and built to integrate and round out with age. Why it’s special Early-2000s Tian Di Ren ripes are admired for tidy fermentation and approachable sweetness at sensible pricing. “7572-style” blend (grade-7 base with some tippy leaf) tracks the famous Dayi recipe’s intent while being a separate, non-Dayi production. Clear, settled cup when well stored: no pondy wet-pile note, steady texture, and good late-steep sweetness. Versatile, comforting daily shou that still rewards longer sessions. Tasting notes Aroma: sweet, clean earth; sandalwood with a touch of camphor; hints of red date and dark honey Liquor: clear chestnut-to-mahogany Flavor: rounded sweetness over smooth wood and jujube/longan; light cocoa lifts the finish with a soft herbal coolness Mouthfeel: medium-thick, silky; very low astringency Finish: lingering sweetness and gentle huigan with a mild cooling sensation Origin & processing Factory/mark: Menghai Tiandiren Tea Co., Ltd. (天地人 / Tiandiren) Region: Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Type/recipe: Ripe (shu) Pu-erh, 7572-style blend (grade-7 base with some tips) Vintage: 2003 production; machine-pressed 357 g cake (七子饼) Process: Yunnan large-leaf sun-dried maocha → traditional wet-piling (wo dui) → pressing Brewing guide Gongfu (recommended) 7–8 g per 100–120 ml 100 °C (boiling) One quick rinse, then 10 s • 10 s • 12 s • 15 s, adding 5–10 s thereafter (10–12 steeps typical) Western / mug 3–4 g per 300 ml (10 oz) 100 °C for 3–4 minutes 2–3 infusions; extend time on later rounds Grandpa style 1–1.2 g per 100 ml 95–100 °C, top up as you sip for a smooth, cocoa-sweet cup In Summary Not a Dayi/Menghai Tea Factory 7572; this is a Tian Di Ren cake produced in the 7572 style. Storage drives the experience. Fill in the specific storage history for your lot (e.g., Kunming dry storage since 2006; previously Xishuangbanna natural storage). Aging: expect further polish, rounder sweetness, silkier texture, more integrated wood/camphor over the coming years. Caffeine: medium Factory/mark: Menghai Tiandiren (天地人) Region: Menghai, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Type: Ripe Pu-erh Tea Recipe style: 7572-style (grade-7 base with some tippy material) Weight: 357 g cake Vintage: 2003 Storage: Menghai (2003 to 2017) then Kunming (2017-now) NOTE: Wrapper may be torn or ripped. If you want a perfect looking cake this is not for you.