Xiaguan Classic 8653 and T-8653 | 2010, 2013, 2014 Aged Raw Pu Er

One recipe. Five aged Xiaguan cakes.

8653 is one of Xiaguan’s best-known raw Pu Er recipes. It is strong, smoky and built to age. These cakes are a great introduction to aged Pu Er from one of China's most important (and very large) producers. They are also affordable enough to compare different years and pressing styles.

These are Xiaguan 8653 raw Pu Er cakes from 2010, 2013 and 2014. All five cakes weigh 357 g. They have been dry-aged in Vancouver since 2016.

Choose from:

• 2010 FTT8653-10 Iron Cake
• 2013 P8653 Cake
• 2013 T8653 Iron Cake
• 2014 P8653 Cake
• 2014 T8653 Iron Cake

 

Producer: Xiaguan Tuocha
Tea type: Raw Pu Er (Sheng)
Origin: Dali, Yunnan, China
Material: Yunnan large-leaf, sun-dried tea
Cake weight: 357 g
Production years: 2010, 2013 and 2014
O5 storage: Dry-aged in Vancouver since 2016

What does it taste like?

8653 has a classic Xiaguan profile.

Expect smoke, dry wood, herbs and a firm structure. There can be some bitterness and astringency, followed by a lasting sweetness. The smoke usually becomes softer and better integrated as the tea ages.

Each cake is different. The year, compression and storage all affect the cup.

The P8653 cakes are less tightly pressed. They open more quickly in the teapot and are generally easier to drink now.

The T8653 iron cakes are much tighter. They develop more slowly and retain more of their original strength. They are a good choice for long-term storage.

Which cake should I choose?

2010 FTT8653-10 Iron Cake

The oldest cake in this group.

This was commissioned by Feitai, a respected Taiwanese tea company with a long history of ordering special Xiaguan productions. It is tightly compressed and has had the longest time to age.

Choose this cake for the Feitai commission, the extra age and its value as a collector’s tea.

2013 P8653 Cake

A conventionally pressed cake with more space between the leaves.

It is easier to break apart than an iron cake and begins to open more quickly during brewing.

Choose this cake for drinking now or as a first introduction to the 8653 recipe.

2013 T8653 Iron Cake

The same production year as the 2013 P8653, but pressed much more tightly.

This is an excellent way to compare the effect of compression. The iron cake is firmer, slower to open and likely to develop more gradually.

Choose both 2013 cakes for a useful side-by-side tasting.

2014 P8653 Cake

A younger example in the more open, conventional pressing.

Choose this cake for easier brewing and a slightly younger expression of the recipe.

2014 T8653 Iron Cake

A younger, tightly compressed iron cake.

Choose this one if you want to store a classic Xiaguan iron cake for the future while also following how it changes over time.

What do 8653, T8653 and FTT8653 mean?

8653

The standard reading is 86–5–3:

86 means the recipe or production process was established in 1986.

5 refers to the approximate composite grade of the tea material. It does not mean that every leaf is grade five. Factory recipes combine different leaf grades to create structure, flavour and aging potential.

3 is the historical factory number associated with Xiaguan Tea Factory.

Xiaguan’s own product archive describes 8653 as a raw cake made according to its 1986 process.

T8653

The T refers to tie bing: an iron cake.

An iron cake is compressed under very high pressure. It is flatter and harder than a conventionally pressed cake. It can take more work to break apart, but the tight compression protects the interior and slows its development.

P8653

On this page, we use P8653 for the conventionally pressed pao bing.

It is not as tight as an iron cake. Air and humidity can move through the cake more easily, so it generally develops faster and opens more readily when brewed.

FTT8653

FT identifies a production commissioned by Feitai.

The final T identifies it as an iron cake. The 2010 FTT8653-10 offered here is therefore a Feitai-commissioned 8653 iron cake from 2010.

The story of Xiaguan 8653

The original 8653 was produced in 1986 for a Japanese customer.

According to Chinese accounts of the production, the order was cancelled before export. A large quantity of tea remained in a warehouse in Shenzhen. At the time, there was little demand for it.

The cakes stayed in storage for years. They later entered the Hong Kong and southern Chinese tea markets, where collectors began to pay attention to their strength and aging potential.

That first production helped establish 8653 as one of Xiaguan’s reference recipes.

Xiaguan has produced later versions under the same recipe number. This does not mean that every 8653 is identical. Raw material, blending, pressing and storage vary between batches.

The number connects them to the same basic recipe and production tradition.

Why compression matters

Compression has a major effect on the way Pu Er ages.

A conventionally pressed cake has small spaces between the leaves. This allows it to respond more quickly to its storage environment.

An iron cake has very little space between the leaves. The centre of the cake changes slowly. Smoke, bitterness and structure can remain for many years.

Neither style is automatically better.

Choose a P8653 if you want a cake that is easier to break and more open now.

Choose a T8653 if you enjoy firm, tightly pressed tea or want to follow its development over a longer period.

ancouver dry storage

These O5 cakes have been stored in Vancouver since 2016.

Vancouver storage is relatively cool and dry compared with traditional Pu Er storage in Hong Kong, Guangzhou or Taiwan. The tea develops more slowly and retains more of its original structure.

The result is aged tea that still has energy, smoke and room to develop.

Aging potential

8653 has a strong record as a tea for long-term storage.

For perspective, the good folks at Yunnan Sourcing offer a 2001 T8653 iron cake that was listed above C$650 when we last checked. It is a useful example of what can happen to the market value of a respected recipe after decades of aging.

Price is never guaranteed. Storage condition, authenticity, vintage and demand all matter. Still, the older cake shows why collectors continue to put away younger 8653 iron cakes.

How to brew Xiaguan 8653

Tea: 7 g
Water: 100 ml
Temperature: Full boil
Rinse: One rinse
First infusion: About 10 seconds

Use a Pu Er pick to separate a broad piece of the cake. Try not to turn the leaves into dust.

Iron cakes can be slow to open. After rinsing, let the wet leaves rest for 30 to 60 seconds before the first infusion.

Keep the first infusions short. Add time as the leaves open.

Do not judge a tightly compressed cake from its first cup. T8653 often needs several infusions before it shows its full character.

How to store it

Keep the cake away from:

• Strong smells
• Direct sunlight
• Excessive heat
• Very damp conditions
• Large changes in temperature or humidity

Do not refrigerate it.

Keep it in its paper wrapper, inside a clean Pu Er storage box or other odour-free space.

About Xiaguan Tuocha

Xiaguan began in 1902 and is based in Dali, Yunnan.

The company is especially known for compressed Pu Er: tuocha, bricks, traditional cakes and iron cakes. Its teas often have a clear house style—strong compression, smoke, firm structure and good aging potential.

8653 is one of the clearest examples of that style.

Further reading

Read the article from Xiaguan’s Beijing flagship store about the history of 8653.

See Yunnan Sourcing’s 2001 Xiaguan 8653 Iron Cake.

Explore more from O5:

Xiaguan Tuo Cha

Pu Er Tea

Aged & Collected Tea

Read the article from Xiaguan’s Beijing flagship store about the history of 8653.

See Yunnan Sourcing’s 2001 Xiaguan 8653 Iron Cake.