For Pu'er Tea, many friends find it complex, especially those who are just starting to explore the world of Pu'er tea. The diverse flavors from different regions and the concept that Pu'er tea improves with age can be confusing. Additionally, seeing a wide range of prices in the market makes it even harder to know where to start, often leaving buyers guessing. In this article, we will discuss how a high-quality Pu'er tea should look, smell, taste, and appear, providing useful information for tea enthusiasts when selecting their teas.
Five Quality Standards for Premium Pu'er Tea
1. Dry Leaf Appearance:
The Compressed tea leaves should have an appropriate level of tightness and uniformity; they should have a smooth and lustrous color. For ripe Pu'er tea, the color should be dark brown with a glossy sheen and visible golden tips. For raw Pu'er tea, the color should be dark and lustrous.
2. Aroma: Assess the purity and longevity of the tea's fragrance
A standard-quality Pu'er tea should have a pure aroma, free from any off-flavors, impurities, or unpleasant moldy odors. Pu'er tea is known for its ability to improve with age, and its fragrance develops through microbial and enzymatic activities during Fermentation. This results in a harmonious blend of fragrances, such as fresh or fruity aromas, which continue to increase over time.
3. Liquor Color: The tea liquor should be bright
A quality-assured Pu'er tea should produce a bright or translucent liquor. Generally, older Pu'er teas tend to have better clarity. For example, raw Pu'er tea has a yellowish-bright liquor, while aged raw Pu'er teas exhibit a crystal-clear reddish liquor. Ripe Pu'er teas have a dark red and bright liquor. Newer ripe teas may appear somewhat murky due to the breakdown of proteins and fibers during fermentation, creating particles that do not fully dissolve in Water.
If one of two teas appears murky with more sediment when brewed side by side, it indicates issues with the raw materials, processing, or storage.
4. Taste: Smooth, refreshing, and sweet aftertaste
When tasting the tea, sip slowly and let the tea linger in your mouth to appreciate its flavor. Focus on the smoothness, thickness, refreshment, and sweet aftertaste. Smoothness refers to a clean and slightly sweet taste with minimal stimulation. Refreshment and slipperiness refer to a pleasant sensation in the mouth and throat. A top-quality Pu'er tea should have a smooth and refreshing mouthfeel. Sweet aftertaste means that there should be a noticeable sweetness after swallowing the tea, rather than lingering bitterness.
5. Infused Leaves: Color, uniformity, and texture
The infused leaves should have a good sheen, uniform shape, and a soft, pliable texture indicating high activity. Ripe Pu'er tea leaves should be dark brown with a glossy appearance, while raw Pu'er tea leaves should be yellow-green and resilient. If the leaves appear blackened, carbonized, unevenly colored, or feel prickly or mushy when touched, it suggests poor quality.