Good ripened Pu'er Tea has a brownish-red color, resembling the hue of pig liver, with stout and tightly bound leaves. Its aroma is subtly reminiscent of Osmanthus, Rose, camphor, jujube, and is accompanied by a unique aged fragrance. People favor ripened Pu'er for its rich yet mellow taste and affordable price. Ripened Pu'er is also well-liked for its ability to cut through grease and help balance the digestive system.
Identification by Appearance
Four aspects: do not focus on age, look at the tea leaves, observe the liquor color, and inspect the infused leaves.
Taste Identification
Four aspects: pure aroma, clear liquor, liquor texture, thickness and smoothness of the liquor.
Identification by Appearance
Do not focus on age: The quality of ripened Pu'er mainly depends on the raw materials and the wet-piling Fermentation technique. Good raw materials, when properly fermented, can be consumed after half a year to eliminate the new leaf flavor from fermentation.
Look at the tea leaves: Are the leaves distinct and lustrous? Is the Cake a chestnut red color? Good ripened Pu'er has distinct and lustrous leaves, indicating cleanliness during pressing. This also reveals the quality of the raw materials used. If the cake appears dull and dark brown, and the leaves are indistinct, it suggests inferior quality.
Observe the liquor color: High-quality ripened Pu'er should have a bright red liquor that is lustrous, indicating a high content of water-soluble tea pectin, which contributes to its richness. If the liquor is dark and murky, resembling soy sauce, it indicates inferior quality.
Inspect the infused leaves: The infused leaves of good ripened Pu'er should be relatively intact and show signs of vitality. If the leaves turn black like charcoal and are broken into pieces, it indicates over-fermentation due to problems in the fermentation process.
Taste Identification
Pure aroma: Whether it's aged, jujube, camphor, or any other type of aroma, there should be no mixed heap or off-flavors.
Clear liquor: After drinking a cup of ripened Pu'er, your mouth should feel comfortable and natural, with a refreshing and moisturizing sensation on the tongue and throat. If you experience unpleasant sensations such as sourness, numbness, dryness, or an itchy throat, these are signs of poor quality ripened Pu'er.
Liquor texture: A high-quality ripened Pu'er should make your stomach and intestines feel comfortable, and your body should feel at ease. You should be able to feel the smoothness, viscosity, and sweetness of the liquor without any dryness in the throat, providing a very pleasant experience.
Thickness and smoothness of the liquor: Good ripened Pu'er should be smooth, viscous, and full-bodied, much like drinking rice soup but with a rich flavor. Smoothness can develop over time, but viscosity and fullness require high-quality raw materials. Even after years of aging, poor-quality raw materials will only result in a smooth but bland taste.