Nowadays, when “Yunnan Tea” is mentioned, people almost immediately think of Pu'er tea, demonstrating its high profile. This also encourages many visitors to Yunnan and those curious about the taste of Pu'er tea to want to take some home with them. However, faced with a vast array of products, they might not know where to start. Here are some handy tips—let's take a look!
Before making a purchase, it's important to understand that you get what you pay for. If you're hoping to buy authentic Laobanzhang for just $9.90, that's simply unrealistic. However, if you want to spend relatively less money to buy high-quality Pu'er tea, here are some points to consider.
Not a Tea Connoisseur? How to Buy Suitable Pu'er Tea
1. Choose a Reliable Brand
Typically, Pu'er tea packaging includes product information and brand details. When selecting a brand, choose one you trust. A reputable brand will provide assurances in terms of production safety, tea quality, and after-sales service. It is not recommended to buy cheap, unbranded products without guarantees.
2. Examine and Smell the Dry Tea Leaves
Pu'er tea, whether raw or ripe, compressed or loose, should have clean and uniform dry leaves. Check if the tea leaves are intact.
In addition, judge the quality of the Pu'er tea by smelling the dry leaves and examining their color and cleanliness. High-quality Pu'er tea has a pure aroma, and aged teas reveal their maturity. There should be no off-flavors or impurities. Raw teas are often dark green, while ripe teas are primarily brown, with changes in appearance as they age, becoming more lustrous over time. In contrast, poor-quality Pu'er tea appears dull and may have off-flavors.
3. Taste Test the Pu'er Tea
The quality and flavor profile of the tea can be directly assessed by tasting the Infusion. By thoroughly tasting a single serving, you can gain comprehensive insights into the quality of the ingredients, the appropriateness of the processing methods, and the storage conditions, which helps determine if it suits your palate.
High-quality Pu'er tea, regardless of whether it's raw, ripe, new, or aged, will have a color, brightness, and clarity consistent with its processing method and age. The aroma on the surface and within the tea should be rich and pure, free from any off-odors. The mouthfeel should be full-bodied, well-balanced, and with a long-lasting aftertaste. Drinking it should provide a high level of comfort and enjoyment. The overall taste characteristics align with the tea's processing method, age, and storage conditions.
4. Examine the Infused Leaves
Finally, you can also assess the quality of the tea by examining the infused leaves: Good Pu'er tea will have uniformly colored leaves that are soft, bright, and vibrant, reflecting the appropriate processing and age. From a storage perspective, dry-stored leaves will have a luster, be supple and elastic, and have a lively feel; wet-stored leaves will appear dull or lack luster, be harder, less supple, and lack vitality.
When you receive a Cake of Pu'er tea and are unsure if it's a good one, try evaluating it based on these criteria. Have you learned how?