Pu-erh cake vs loose pu-erh
Compression is a decision about the future rather than about the cup, and it is the main thing separating tea meant to be kept from tea meant to be drunk.
tea
What is being compared
Why these get confused
Small compressed formats like dragon balls look like miniature cakes and age like loose leaf, which is the opposite of what buyers assume.
Point by point
| Aspect | Sheng pu-erh (raw) | Sheng maocha |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Pressed into a cake, brick or tuocha. | Loose sun-dried leaf, as it comes off the process. |
| Surface exposed to air | Low, so ageing is slow and even. | High, so it changes faster and less predictably. |
| Young character | More muted; compression suppresses the top notes at first. | Brighter and more immediate. |
| Practicality | Needs a pick to break apart, and broken leaf brews unevenly. | Ready to weigh and brew. |
| Which to buy for keeping | This. | Not this — drink it. |
The short answer
If you intend to age it, buy a cake. If you intend to drink it this year, loose maocha of the same material is usually cheaper and tastes brighter.
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