Since there is a 999 cake[1], I always thought it had to do with the
grading, but [2] says that the 888 is used for being 'lucky'. Comparing
with [3], it seems that there are different cakes (but from the same
region) with the same number.

Anybody knows the truth behind these 888, 999 and perhaps 666 cakes?

--k

[1]
http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Aged-999-Pu-...QQcmdZViewItem
[2] http://www.tuochatea.com/tea_cake/888_pu-erh.htm
[3]
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dragon-888-Ripe-...QQcmdZViewItem

Did you also see the "0648" and "0678" cakes on eBay?

I can see the 888 being seen as lucky by the Chinese. But it seems
like the numbers are merely product IDs. Maybe a blend number.

Since it's printed on the package rather than stamped or handwritten
I'm stretching far enough to assume that it's been associated with that
collection of bricks from the moment they were first pressed together.

--Blair

Hi Blair,

> Did you also see the "0648" and "0678" cakes on eBay?

Well, AFAIK, a four-digit identifier tells us [1:2] the year in which
the blend was created, [3] the leaf quality [4] the factory number.

So a '0648' cake would have its blend created on 2006, with
fourth-grade leaves by the factory identified by the number 8 (Haiwan,
I guess).

> I can see the 888 being seen as lucky by the Chinese. But it seems
> like the numbers are merely product IDs. Maybe a blend number.

I guess you are right. Perhaps the 888 was a particularly good blend
that other producers started to copy, and the 999 was another try.
Besides, tea grading in a region called "lawless and wild" seems
unprobable

> Since it's printed on the package rather than stamped or handwritten
> I'm stretching far enough to assume that it's been associated with that
> collection of bricks from the moment they were first pressed together.

Perhaps they started packaging like this not long ago.

--k

Another grading system also seen on eBay: 642 cake, which is composed
of leaf grades 6 in middle, 4 on back, and 2 on the face or some such
combination. I think that's carried by dragon tea house.

other factories seem to copy recipe numbers to hope they're own version
will sell better, like changtai, which releases a 7542 cake.

Chunming factory also does 702 and 902...and i'm not sure how these are
numbered.

of course, the obligatory caveat: recipe numbers don't really point to
much of a recipe, even within a factory, as the leaf source, leaf
quality, and production methods seem to change often. . .will 2006 7542
age as well as the legendary cakes from years prior? And that's not a
rhetorical question, necessarily, btw, and I think has been asked
before


Konrad Scorciapino wrote:
> Hi Blair,
>
> > Did you also see the "0648" and "0678" cakes on eBay?
>
> Well, AFAIK, a four-digit identifier tells us [1:2] the year in which
> the blend was created, [3] the leaf quality [4] the factory number.
>
> So a '0648' cake would have its blend created on 2006, with
> fourth-grade leaves by the factory identified by the number 8 (Haiwan,
> I guess).
>
> > I can see the 888 being seen as lucky by the Chinese. But it seems
> > like the numbers are merely product IDs. Maybe a blend number.
>
> I guess you are right. Perhaps the 888 was a particularly good blend
> that other producers started to copy, and the 999 was another try.
> Besides, tea grading in a region called "lawless and wild" seems
> unprobable
>
> > Since it's printed on the package rather than stamped or handwritten
> > I'm stretching far enough to assume that it's been associated with that
> > collection of bricks from the moment they were first pressed together.
>
> Perhaps they started packaging like this not long ago.
>
> --k

The 888,999 are made by the DeHong WuLiang tea factory. That seems to
be the only cakes they make. The 999 is embossed on one side with the
tea character on the other. The 999 is the hardest cake I have. I use
a piece of it to widdle away at other black cakes. If the wrapper ever
gets lost you know who made it. One of these days I'll get the 888.
There is a 66 made by the 6FTM. I haven't seen a 666.

Jim

PS Google was acting up this morning so if you've seen this before
curse Google

Konrad Scorciapino wrote:
> Since there is a 999 cake[1], I always thought it had to do with the
> grading, but [2] says that the 888 is used for being 'lucky'. Comparing
> with [3], it seems that there are different cakes (but from the same
> region) with the same number.
>
> Anybody knows the truth behind these 888, 999 and perhaps 666 cakes?
>
> --k
>
> [1]
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Aged-999-Pu-...QQcmdZViewItem
> [2] http://www.tuochatea.com/tea_cake/888_pu-erh.htm
> [3]
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Dragon-888-Ripe-...QQcmdZViewItem

> will 2006 7542
> age as well as the legendary cakes from years prior? And that's not a
> rhetorical question, necessarily, btw, and I think has been asked
> before


No, the leaf quality this year is not as good as years past, plus the
quality standards are lower, just about any maocha on the market gets
readily snatched up nowadays.

You are dead on the money about the recipe numbers meaning very little,
they really haven't meant much since the privatization of the Tea
Factories. It is more marketing now than anything else.

To the best of my knowledge 888 is not a code. It simply represents
good luck. I have tried the 888 cakes and I like them, as far as shu pu
goes. Never tried the 999 but I have read that it is an iron cake
which accounts for the hard compression.

_________
Mike
http://www.pu-erh.net

> No, the leaf quality this year is not as good as years past, plus the
> quality standards are lower, just about any maocha on the market gets
> readily snatched up nowadays.

Interesting. Is the leaf quality declining, or just this year crop was
bad?

--k

> Well, AFAIK, a four-digit identifier tells us [1:2] the year in which
> the blend was created, [3] the leaf quality [4] the factory number.

See, I was once told that too by a vendor. Since then, I've been told
it's used only for cataloguing to be able to identify a certain batch
of tea that was made by a factory. Some of the numbers are supposed to
correspond to certain factories, but I am not sure.