Ripened Pu'er tea, having undergone a process of pile-Fermentation, typically presents itself with a tight and uniform appearance, a reddish-brown color, and golden buds visible. Over time, as it ages, ripened Pu'er tea develops a richer and smoother taste that is both delicate and full-bodied. It also exhibits characteristics such as sweetness, aged aroma, smoothness, among others. The tea liquor is not only thick and viscous but also has a rich and layered taste that lingers long after consumption, with an entry that is gentle and smooth. In terms of aroma, it offers woody and floral fruity scents.
How to Describe the Taste of Pu'er Ripened Tea
1. Aroma
The aged aroma is the most basic scent in ripened tea. If stored properly, ripened tea that has aged for more than five years will develop into a richer and more complex bouquet, including aromas like camphor, ginseng, medicinal, jujube, aged, woody, and others.
The pile-fermentation process may result in a “pile-fermentation smell” in new ripened teas. However, skilled processing and strict production procedures can reduce this odor to some extent, and after two or three years of aging, the pile-fermentation smell will fade, revealing a fuller and rounder taste.
2. Sweetness
Sweetness is one of the most direct aspects of assessing ripened tea. Good-quality ripened tea exudes a sweet fragrance even before tasting. Moreover, since ripened tea has almost no bitterness or astringency, this sweetness is particularly noticeable!
Once the tea liquor enters the mouth and touches the tongue, the sweetness can be quickly felt, spreading throughout the mouth and lingering for a long time.
3. Smoothness
Smoothness refers to the “oily feel” of ripened tea, similar to drinking chicken soup or rice soup. Usually, very smooth teas leave a feeling of having left a layer of oil behind, which is different from the sensation of being easy to swallow.
In fact, smoothness is also related to the thickness of the tea liquor. The thicker the tea liquor, the more obvious its smoothness tends to be. When tea liquor enters the mouth and pauses briefly before flowing down the throat to the stomach, there is a very smooth, friendly, and natural feeling, giving the drinker a strong impression. In contrast, poor-quality tea liquor may have a “throat-locking” sensation.
4. Moisture
Good-quality ripened Pu'er tea immediately moisturizes the throat upon tasting, alleviating any dryness. This moisture is essential for ripened tea, and high-quality ripened tea should give a feeling of being as smooth as jade and refreshing like a spring breeze.
After brewing three or four infusions of ripened tea, the throat feels refreshed and moistened, the mouth remains neither dry nor parched, and after swallowing, the entire abdomen feels warm and comfortable—this is the embodiment of the moisture level in ripened tea.
5. Thickness
Thickness is not the same as the concentration of the tea liquor. Thickness is related to the texture of Pu'er tea. When the tea liquor contains a significant amount of dissolved substances, it will feel thick and dense on the palate.
The thickness of ripened tea provides a very pleasant sensation. When the tea liquor slides into the mouth and stimulates the taste buds, swishing it around with the tip of the tongue allows you to fully experience its richness and complexity, which can also be understood as a kind of viscosity.
Different Stages of Ripened Tea Characteristics
First Stage
In the “aromatic, sweet, mellow, thick, smooth” five indicators, “mellow” should be ranked first. Most people who come into contact with Pu'er tea start with ripened tea, and those who accept Pu'er tea do so mostly because of its “mellow” taste. Therefore, whether a ripened tea is “mellow” (i.e., pure, with few or no off-flavors) is very critical. The “mellow” taste in Pu'er tea also depends on the storage and dispersal after pile-fermentation.
“Sweetness” is related to the raw material, while “aromatic,” “thick,” and “smooth” seem to be interrelated. The term “thick” is often understood as a thin porridge-like (or Lotus root starch) viscosity, which can also be attributed to the abundance of soluble substances in the tea. “Thickness” is usually the foundation of “smoothness” and is also the cause of the “aromatic” quality.
From practical experience, ripened tea that has been dispersed for 1-2 years after pile-fermentation seems to achieve the taste effects of 3-5 years. During this stage, the largest market share of ripened tea is held by Menghai-style ripened tea, which is processed through pile-fermentation workshops located within Menghai County, utilizing the unique climate conditions and suitable microorganisms present there, along with the craftsmanship and production experience.
Second Stage
From about 8-10 years after production and pressing, the “caramel aroma” of Menghai-style ripened tea gradually fades, replaced by a subtle “cooked rice aroma,” which some call “sticky rice aroma.”
By the 8-10 year mark, the “cooked rice aroma” takes the dominant position, and the thickness and smoothness of the ripened tea, as well as the sense of age, become more evident. The traces of rapid high-temperature Drying during the initial processing are largely gone, and it no longer feels dry in the mouth when consumed.
Third Stage
From 15-20 years after production and pressing, for ripened tea stored for over 10 years, it is generally divided into two scenarios: Southern storage (Guangdong, Hong Kong, Taiwan) and Yunnan storage. For ripened tea stored in Yunnan, the “cooked rice aroma” becomes increasingly stronger, with a mellow taste that is quite appealing. For ripened tea stored in the South during the same period, ginseng and a faint medicinal aroma usually appear.
Fourth Stage
For ripened tea that has been pressed and stored for over 20 years, all five indicators and their overall balance are excellent. A medicinal aroma is prominent, with a great deal of transformation and a very enjoyable taste, referred to as “antique tea,” which is not commonly encountered.