Chinese tea purchase

Searching for "Puer tea" on e-commerce platforms, you'll find prices ranging from a few dozen yuan to tens of thousands of yuan per pound. Despite being the same type of Puer tea, the price differences are vast. What accounts for these disparities? Origin - Just as wine is distinguished by vineyard, Puer tea is characterized by its mountain origin. There are three major tea regions for Puer tea: Xishuangbanna, Pu'er, and Lincang. The most well-known mountains include twelve ancient tea mountains. Divided by the Lancang River, the six tea mountains north of the river are Youle, Yibang, Gedeng, Manzhuang, Mangzhi, and Yiwu, known as the "six tea mountains within the river." South of the river, the six tea mountains are Nannuo Mountain, Mengsong, Bada, Bulang Mountain, Jinghong Mengsong, and Menghai, referred to as the "six tea mountains outside the river." In addition to these twelve ancient tea mountains, in recent years, popular origins have emerged such as Ban Zhang, Mansong, and Bingdao. The hydrological conditions, soil, temperature, altitude, and sunlight intensity vary significantly across different regions, often possessing uniqueness. This uniqueness gives rise to Puer tea's "distinct flavor of each mountain." The powerful character of Old Ban Zhang and the…...

When you think you've bought a great value-for-money spring tea online, be very careful. You should open and immediately try the tea to see if it's really worth the purchase. What are the steps to inspect spring tea? Let me explain them below. 1. Observe the appearance The leaves of spring tea are generally tightly wrapped, appearing plump and substantial, with some having a significant amount of downy hair. They have a fresh and vibrant color and a rich, fresh aroma. Summer and autumn teas, on the other hand, have loose leaves with a dull color and a mild aroma, which is quite different from spring tea. 2. Examine the liquor color During storage, substances that contribute to the color of the tea undergo slow decomposition or oxidation, causing green tea to lose its luster and appear dull. The increase in tea brown pigments in old tea makes the green tea liquor yellowish and unclear, losing its original freshness. When brewing spring tea, the leaves sink quickly, the aroma is strong and lasting, and the taste is full-bodied. In contrast, summer and autumn teas sink more slowly when brewed and have a less pronounced aroma. 3. Taste the aroma During…...

The selection of Puer tea raw materials, when observing the appearance of the leaves, a uniform consistency in color, size, and length is indicative of good quality. If the lengths vary and shapes differ, it may indicate careless processing or adulteration with inferior tea leaves. Especially if there are impurities in the tea, such as tea fruits (as small as green beans), twigs, sand, stone chips, etc., this suggests that the tea is not clean. A good Puer tea possesses a refreshing and pleasant aroma, which can be delicate or intense, and smelling it brings a sense of relaxation and tranquility. Tea enthusiasts believe that the fragrance of tea surpasses that of flowers and plants. A good tea’s aroma should have rich variations, an elegant and refined character, deep and substantive content, and harmonious layers. If these requirements are met, then regardless of the type of aroma, it has value for appreciation and savoring. To purchase Puer tea raw materials, one should look, smell, and taste. Look at the color of the tea leaves; good tea has a lustrous sheen. If the processing and storage are improper, the color will inevitably be dull. Smell to ensure the aroma is pure;…...

Ripened tea is gentle on the stomach, helps reduce lipids and cuts through greasiness, with a stable taste that many tea enthusiasts love. So let's take a look at the aspects from which we can identify the quality of ripened tea. From the appearance, high-quality Pu'er tea generally displays prominent golden tips, tightly bound and heavy leaves, with a lustrous brown-red color. If the color is black or uneven, with green patches or withered and dull appearances, it indicates poor processing or improper storage, and is generally not good ripened tea. In compressed ripened teas, using cake tea as an example, the focus should be on whether the leaves are clearly visible and uniformly arranged, without missing edges or corners, consistently thick, neither too tight nor too loose, and neatly and tightly bound; normal colors include dark brown, chestnut brown, and brownish red. If there are mold flowers or spots on the surface of the ripened Pu'er tea, it is considered inferior. From the liquor color, Pu'er ripened tea requires a bright, deep red color. A deep red is normal. Yellow, orange-yellow, or dark and murky liquor colors are all indicative of inferior quality teas. An orange-yellow or dark liquor…...

Many people are perplexed by the age of Pu'er tea and can only rely on the seller's introduction, making a gut judgment: true or false! Some even say that there is no such thing as aged tea, just commercial fraud! In light of this, I believe it is necessary to introduce several quick methods for identifying the age of Pu'er tea: How to Determine the Age of Pu'er Tea? 1. Observe the Appearance Take proper storage in Kunming dry warehouse as an example. New Tea: New raw tea has a fresh color, typically dark green, with prominent white tea down; New ripe tea has a dull color, usually blackish red, with some varieties showing golden tea buds. Aged Tea: Raw tea aged 5-10 years: the color turns from green to yellowish green, the white tea down turns golden, the tea product is lustrous and glossy. Raw tea aged 20 years and over: the color turns reddish yellow, lustrous and glossy, the tea down is golden. Ripe tea aged 5-10 years: the color turns reddish brown, lustrous and glossy, golden tea down is prominent. Ripe tea aged 20 years and over: the tea product color turns reddish brown, lustrous and glossy,…...

With the arrival of spring, many tea regions have already started harvesting their spring teas, which will soon be available on the market. After a whole winter of rest and rejuvenation, tea plants have accumulated rich internal substances. During this period, the tea has a full flavor, is strong in taste, and is relatively more durable when steeped, making spring tea the best of the year in the minds of many tea enthusiasts. The first spring tea is the first batch of tea leaves picked in spring. As long as it is the first harvest of the year, it is called the first flush spring tea. This is also the first batch of tea to sprout each year. These leaves are smaller with larger, more abundant buds, good aroma, and a full-bodied, rich taste. What is the first flush spring tea? The spring tea, as the name suggests, is tea harvested and processed during the spring season, that is, tea picked and processed between the beginning of spring and the beginning of summer. Puer spring tea can be divided into “first flush,” “second flush,” and “end-of-spring” teas. “First flush” tea is made from the first tender shoots and leaves harvested…...

Believe it or not, both West Lake Longjing tea and Dahongpao are historic teas in China. Both are part of the top ten famous teas in China, with exceptional quality and unique flavors. Drinking them offers numerous benefits. But which is better: West Lake Longjing or Dahongpao? What are the differences between them? Let's explore further. Which is better, West Lake Longjing or Dahongpao? 1. West Lake Longjing Longjing tea is produced in the beautiful region of West Lake, Zhejiang Province. It is renowned for its green color, elegant shape, rich aroma, and mellow taste. Its unique qualities of being light yet far-reaching and fragrant yet clear distinguish it from other famous teas, making it the top among the top ten teas. The picking of West Lake Longjing has three characteristics: early picking, tender picking, and frequent picking. The tenderness of the tea leaves is the foundation for high-quality Longjing tea. Frequent picking means leaving larger leaves while picking smaller ones, with about 30 pickings per year. West Lake Longjing tea is traditionally crafted using a variety of techniques such as tossing, shaking, spreading, fanning, pressing, throwing, grabbing, pushing, snapping, and grinding. Different qualities require different handling methods. Due to…...

There's a popular saying about white tea: "One-year tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure." White tea can be divided into new and aged white tea based on the duration of storage: New white tea is that year's freshly picked and processed tea, while aged white tea has been stored for several years, acquiring distinct characteristics of an older tea. However, distinguishing between new and aged white teas can be challenging. Today, we will compare the appearance and quality of one-year new tea, three-year aged tea, and seven-year aged tea to help you discern and appreciate them. Appearance of One-Year New Tea Naturally spread out, with plump and upright buds; mostly intact leaves with slight breakage; clear and complete bud and leaf structure. The leaves display natural hues of gray-green and light green, with a fresh luster. The beautiful contrast of light blue on the top and white on the bottom of the leaves is visible. Abundant, soft silver-white downy hairs; fragrant with a fresh floral and downy aroma. Quality The liquor of new tea is bright and pale almond yellow in color, with a particularly fresh, sweet taste. Appearance of Three-Year Aged Tea The integrity of three-year aged tea is slightly…...

Xinyang Maojian, also known as Yu Mao Feng, belongs to the green tea category. It is one of China's top ten famous teas and a renowned specialty of Henan Province. Created by Han Chinese tea farmers in the early years of the Republic of China, it is mainly produced in Xinyang City, Xin County, Shangcheng County, and other areas around Dabie Mountain. Xinyang Maojian has unique characteristics in terms of color, aroma, taste, and appearance. Its color is fresh and lustrous without impurities; its aroma is elegant and fresh; its taste is fresh, mellow, and has a sweet aftertaste; and, from an appearance standpoint, it is uniform, bright green with a luster, and has prominent white down. The shape is fine, round, smooth, straight, with many white hairs; the color is emerald green; when brewed, it has a long-lasting high aroma, a rich and mellow taste, a sweet aftertaste that produces saliva, and a clear, bright soup color. High-quality Xinyang Maojian has a tender green, yellowish green, or bright soup color, with a fragrant aroma. In contrast, low-quality Xinyang Maojian has a dark green or yellowish, murky soup color, is not durable when brewed, and lacks tea fragrance. To distinguish…...

The prices of tea sold in tea shops usually have some room for negotiation; you can discuss the price after tasting. First, tell the owner how much you need, then haggle for a 10-20% discount on their quoted price. Owners of physical husband-and-wife tea shops won't overcharge blindly, as the market sets the standards. Tactics for Haggling Over Tea Prices Understand the market price: Before purchasing tea, familiarize yourself with its market price so you have an idea of what to expect. Inquire about discounts: After selecting your tea, ask if there are any discount promotions, such as reductions for bulk purchases or special deals. Avoid making hasty decisions: When buying tea, don't rush into a decision. Compare the prices and quality across multiple shops to find the best option for you. Consider quality: Besides price, quality is also crucial when buying tea. Choose high-quality tea. In summary, when buying tea, be observant, compare, select carefully, and negotiate. Avoid rushing into a decision and consider both quality and price. Professional Questions to Ask When Buying Tea When purchasing tea, you can ask the following questions to demonstrate professionalism: Tea production area: Inquire about the production area to understand the growing…...

Pu'er tea is a popular variety nowadays and is deeply loved by the public. The quality of Pu'er tea on the market varies greatly, making it difficult for those who do not know much about tea to pick out good Pu'er tea. Below, I will discuss several methods and principles for selecting Pu'er tea. Inspect the Shape and ColorSelecting Pu'er tea starts with distinguishing the quality of its shape. Observing the shape primarily involves looking at the color and the formation of the dry tea. Good Pu'er tea should have a robust formation, neat and clean appearance, and should not have any mold spots. If mold spots appear on the surface of the tea, this indicates improper storage and signifies an inferior product. Raw (unfermented) Pu'er tea has a fresh and light color, with prominent white down, appearing in deep green or dark green. After fermentation, ripe tea has a deeper color than raw tea, presenting as reddish-brown.Examine the Tea Liquor and Leaf ResidueThe color of the tea liquor and the leaf residue reflect the quality of the Pu'er tea's production process, aging period, and storage method. Good Pu'er tea has a clear and bright liquor color, which can range…...

Experiencing Pu'er tea requires calmness and a gradual process, involving many sensory perceptions to appreciate the evolving flavors. How can one appreciate Pu'er tea, particularly raw Pu'er? Here’s how to discern the quality of raw Pu'er tea when purchasing: Selecting Raw Pu'er Tea Look at the tea: shape, processing, color. Feel the tea: compactness, check inside and outside. Scent: dry tea, tea infusion. Observe the infusion: color, clarity, turbidity. Taste: fullness and smoothness, aftertaste and salivation. Looking at the Tea Shape: High-quality raw Pu'er tea has complete and uniform strands, with moderate buds, typically picked as one bud with two to three leaves. The leaves should be clean without impurities, yellow leaves, or too many stalks. Mature production process: The shape of the cake is uniformly balanced, neatly compacted with consistent thickness and edges. Color by age: Short-aged: dark green; Long-aged: brownish red. Feeling the Tea Compactness: A loose body means faster aging under equal storage conditions, while a compact body ages more slowly. Check inside and outside: Some teas have higher-grade leaves on the surface for better appearance, but a consistent blend means the entire compressed tea is of uniform quality, not just attractive on the outside. Scenting the…...