Need help dating this Pu-Erh from Menghai

[DailyTX]

Hi All,

I recently came across this cake, has a nice dried fruit smell, brewed a dark tone yellowish orange color tea, and the material used for this cake seems to have tippy leaves. After some time digging, I started to notice the "云" is in simplified Chinese. Most of the online sources pointed to 2001 when "云" is in simplified Chinese; however, 2001 simplified "云" is a green mark rather than this one a yellow mark. I took some photos when I was comparing the wrapper texture from a 2005 CNNP. Any collectors or knowledgeable Zhongcha drinker have further info, please let me know.

Thanks,

DailyTX

[mbanu]

As you said, the simplified character suggests that it is post-90s. The embedded ticket has a 出 character with a broad lower base, which was popular in the 70s and 80s, but in the late 90s this was sometimes used for nostalgic repros (and counterfeits, of course).

It doesn't have a QS code on the wrapper, which was expected on legit productions after 2007 into the 2010s (not sure on the end date here).

That description ticket is really weird- "red-yel-lowish"? "INDPUSTRY"? My guess would be that this is not really Menghai.

[DailyTX]

As you said, the simplified character suggests that it is post-90s. The embedded ticket has a 出 character with a broad lower base, which was popular in the 70s and 80s, but in the late 90s this was sometimes used for nostalgic repros (and counterfeits, of course).

It doesn't have a QS code on the wrapper, which was expected on legit productions after 2007 into the 2010s (not sure on the end date here).

That description ticket is really weird- "red-yel-lowish"? "INDPUSTRY"? My guess would be that this is not really Menghai.

Thank you for the info mbanu. The description on the ticket indicates it's from Menghai Tea Company which it was later changed to what we known now as DaYi, so the ticket description was not too difficult to find online. The color red-yel-lowish also matches Menghai Tea Company's 2001 version of 7542; however, the 7542 production has a green mark instead of this yellow mark, and the word "Cloud" was in simplified. So far I have only found two Chinese sites that marketed a cake with the same wrapper when I search "Simplified Cloud Menghai Tea Company" in Chinese, one said 2001 and one said 2003. This tea cake search is quite a learning experience

[Teasenz]

The 'Yellow' mark doesn't help much. Yellow mark wrappers are released regularly by CNNP. Even last year, CNNP released a cake with the yellow mark wrapper.