Tea cakes are loose tea leaves pressed into a compact form. PRANIT’s 2026 First Edition brings this format to four teas from Northern Thailand: Jungle Ruby, Black Assam, Red Oolong No. 12 and Oriental Beauty. Each cake is handmade and individually numbered, with its own Akha bag.
What is a tea cake?
A tea cake is a way of shaping loose tea into a compact disc. The form makes tea easier to store and portion, and gives drinkers a different way to handle the leaf: break off a piece, weigh it, and brew. Pressed tea is a format, not a tea type. A pressed cake can be black tea or oolong, among other styles.
PRANIT’s cakes are not pu-erh. Pu-erh refers to a specific tea origin and production tradition. These are Northern Thai teas, pressed after their own tea-making process and sold with their tea style, harvest and cultivar identified.
How PRANIT tea cakes are made
The finished tea is lightly steamed to make the leaves pliable, wrapped in cloth, pressed into a cake, then air-dried. The process includes careful hands-on preparation around the press. Each cake is handled and packed individually, and comes in its own Akha bag.
Pressing changes the shape and density of the leaf. It does not make every tea taste the same, and the character of each cake comes from the tea itself: its cultivar, origin, harvest and processing.
Meet the 2026 First Edition
Jungle Ruby · The Artisan’s Expression
An artisan-made Northern Thai black tea with notes of malted honey, dark fruit and floral sweetness, followed by a clean mineral finish. The 100g and 200g cakes are made from Ruan Zhi tea.
Black Assam · The Comforting Classic
From PRANIT’s Akha farm partner, this 2026 Assamica black tea brings toasted oats, jasmine cream, honey and sugar cane to an everyday cup. Assamica leaf presses differently in this format, so Black Assam is offered as 50g and 200g cakes. It can be enjoyed now or rested to let its character evolve; ageing does not guarantee that every tea will improve.
Red Oolong No. 12 · The Sophisticate
Made from TTES No. 12 Jin Xuan, this deeply oxidised oolong has a rounded body, mellow depth and natural sweetness. It is available in 100g and 200g cakes.
Explore Red Oolong No. 12 tea cake.
Oriental Beauty · The Dessert Lover’s Tea
This Spring 2026 tea is made from Ruan Zhi and has a naturally honeyed character, with muscat grape and ripe peach notes. Choose a 100g or 200g cake.
Explore Oriental Beauty tea cake.
How to brew pressed tea
Start with about 5g of tea per 100ml of water. Use hot water suited to the tea, loosen the leaves gently, and begin with a short infusion. Taste and adjust the leaf amount, water temperature and steeping time to suit your cup. The pressed shape may need a little time to open.
How to store a tea cake
Keep the cake in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, strong smells and moisture. Store it in clean packaging, and avoid trapping damp air with the tea. If you choose to rest a cake, check it periodically and keep the storage conditions steady.
Explore Northern Thailand tea
The PRANIT 2026 First Edition is a chance to compare four Northern Thai teas in pressed form: artisan black tea, everyday Assamica, deeply oxidised Jin Xuan and honeyed Oriental Beauty. Browse the Tea Cakes journal category or visit each product page for current sizes, prices and availability.