Talking about a cup of Puer Tea that has “traveled the world”
The Yunnan Xiaguan Tea Factory Foreign Trade Co., Ltd. is located on the 25th floor of the South Asia Style First City in Kunming. From here, one can faintly see the Cao Hai Lake and the surrounding mountains through the floor-to-ceiling windows. On the other side of the window is Tang Yiping's office, a room filled with tea and sunshine. As a veteran who held leadership positions at China Native Produce and Animal By-Products Yunnan Tea Import and Export Corporation and Yunnan Tea Garden Group for many years, Tang Yiping has seen many old and mid-aged teas and can still vaguely recall their original appearances.
“The classic old teas that are still around today were all made under strict standards at every step from raw material collection to production. At that time, there was no concept of ‘aging brings better aroma.' The old teas we have now are miracles that occurred during long periods of storage and have stood the test of history and time,” says Tang Yiping.
During our interview with Tang Yiping, he brought out several old teas to share with everyone. Talking about the wonders and charm of aging, Tang Yiping presented a box of ripe Puer tea tuocha produced by the Yunnan Xiaguan Tea Factory in the 1990s, with the code 7663. It is known that this tea was originally exported to Hong Kong and then resold to Australia. In 2006, a Puer tea enthusiast from Yunnan bought it back while traveling in Australia. The humid heat of Hong Kong, the scorching heat of Australia, and the dryness of Kunming all left traces of memory and imagination in the taste of this tea.
After nearly three decades of aging in different climates, this “expatriate tea” underwent a miraculous transformation in quality and internal substances. Its liquor presents a gem-like red color, crystal clear and bright. When sipped, the water flows smoothly, rich in dissolved aromas. A unique blend of medicinal, cream, and other flavors fills the mouth, and a light scent of fungus fills the nostrils. Savoring this cup of “traveled the world” Puer tea opened Tang Yiping's discussion on Puer tea storage.
“When stored in different environments, the microbial population in Puer tea changes according to different climatic conditions, becoming rich and unique, resulting in an ever-changing taste experience.” The storage conditions for Puer tea, as marked on almost every product, include: dry, ventilated, avoiding direct sunlight, and clean.
However, Tang Yiping adds some clarification regarding the first two points. “How should we understand ventilation? ‘Ventilation' should be understood as normal air circulation but should avoid direct exposure to strong or cold winds. Otherwise, the tea's aroma may easily dissipate, and the microorganisms need a sheltered and warm environment for growth.
The other point is ‘dryness.' If the air humidity is consistently below 70%, the microorganisms will be dormant or semi-dormant in low moisture conditions, leading to very slow natural maturation. However, if the air humidity is consistently above 90%, it will cause secondary Fermentation in Puer tea, which can easily lead to over-fermentation and carbonization of the leaves. The outstanding flavor of this ‘expatriate Yunnan tuocha' proves that it received meticulous care from its tea-loving owners and the favor of nature during storage.”
On the other hand, Zhao Wanli sent over the 2010 “Ice Island Prince” from Lincang Bingdao. Stored in its place of origin, it developed a unique rose honey fragrance due to the local oxygen-rich, clean environment and unique microbial flora, with a long-lasting sweetness in the aftertaste.
In addition to storage conditions, the raw materials and processing methods also affect the potential for aging in young Puer teas. “The raw materials for 7542 include those from regions like Ban Zhang and Yi Wu, known for their potent tea qi, as well as the uniform and solid Nan Nuo raw materials used on the surface. When consumed in its early years, it had a very strong bitterness and stimulating taste, but the flavor after aging is now quite classic,” Tang Yiping believes. Processing methods are also important for aging, “For example, proper and thorough rolling breaks down the cell walls, producing good aromas; direct sun drying preserves the activity of tea enzymes and retains the taste of nature. If dried in a shed without flowing air and ultraviolet rays, the aromatic substances in the tea cannot fully convert. Think about the dry-stored '88 Qing,' which still retains the taste of the forest today.”
The tasting of young Puer teas is a special phenomenon in the process of drinking Puer tea. As mentioned by Tang Yiping, freshly made Puer teas in the past usually had a strong bitterness and stimulating taste, so almost no one drank new teas. The vast geographical distances and long periods of time gave rise to the essence of Puer tea storage. By the time the tea arrived in Tibet, Beijing, or Southeast Asia, it was no longer fresh and had undergone varying degrees of aging. Zheng Jixiong also mentioned that during the “state-owned factory era,” tea masters drank new teas for appraisal of the characteristics and flavors of teas from different regions, not for everyday consumption.
Looking at Puer tea from a new perspective
You may savor your mountain teas and village teas, while I Drink my daily tea. Taste perceptions do not always connect, and different people will experience different tastes in tea, reflecting different moods. Borrowing the context from Life Weekly: When you calm down and taste, Chinese people can discern the qualities of each type of tea. For a nation that drinks tea, we should have this confidence.
Good Puer teas differ from each other in various ways, while inferior Puer teas share striking similarities: unpleasant sensations, hopeless and uncomfortable taste experiences, and poor taste transformations… Zheng Jixiong frankly admits that if he were to offer consumers practical advice rather than general guidance, it would actually be his current dilemma. “The national standard has already set the ‘minimum' for Puer tea, but in an environment where physical standards are lacking and supervision is insufficient, we cannot expect every consumer to reach the level of a ‘master.'”
After a brief moment of contemplation, Zheng Jixiong added, “A good tea should not have any bad tastes like mold or sourness, and it should be complete in color, aroma, and flavor. Drinking it should provide a comfortable physical experience. Although this description is vague, it is currently the best way to express it. The body's reaction and acceptance of tea should be distinguished from the sensory experience.” The body's response and acceptance of tea, especially for young Puer teas, are particularly relevant. Accompanied by the rich internal substances characteristic of large-leaf varieties and the relatively mild sun-drying process compared to high-temperature processing methods like baking and stir-frying, young Puer teas have a coldness and stimulation that not all constitutions can withstand, akin to being in a chilly forest at night or the rugged wilderness at dawn. Some people may experience discomfort in their stomachs after just a few cups of young Puer tea.
Li Wei, founder of Zedao Company, shares similar views, “Consumers don't need to be very professional when Drinking Tea because they are tea enthusiasts. The complex processes and efforts should be undertaken by us, the tea companies, so that consumers' hands do not tremble when holding their Teacups.” Zedao focuses on building a full industrial chain, from traditional sparse planting, fully transparent and visible fine processing factories, to the maximum restoration of Mansong tribute tea, and professional storage in the “Zedao Sky Cellar.” They have also implemented NFC traceability and anti-counterfeiting technology in Puer tea, achieving the internet of things in tea gardens, allowing real-time monitoring of the actual situation in the tea gardens. Li Wei explains that consumers only need to turn on the NFC function on their phones and approach the tea cake to query traceability information, seeing Zedao's attitude in every step.
In addition to raw materials, processing methods, and storage, the direction and development of Puer tea entering a larger market are also prerequisites for enjoying a good cup of Puer tea. During interviews, almost everyone