First article: Representative Varieties and Three Aromatic Zones in the Yiwu Tea Area (click to read);
Second article: Dongguan Warehouse, Kunming Warehouse, Hong Kong Warehouse, Flavors, White Frost, “Warehouse Manipulation” Issues (click to read);
Third article: Storage Cycle Issues for Yiwu Green Bud Tea (click to read); Fourth article: Storing Puer, Pursue Famous Mountain Origins or Quality? Fifth article: Differences in Small Heap Fermentation, Large Heap Fermentation, and Tea Evolution Ripe Tea Techniques? The following is Part Four, focusing on storing Puer, pursuing famous mountain origins or quality?
Shi Yun: I would like to express great appreciation for Teacher Li Yang's sharing. A young lady just now wanted to ask President Zheng and Teacher Li Yang about a conversion issue.
Zhou Xin: Teacher, regarding storage, for example, Tianmen Mountain, does it mean that as long as its glycoside content is high, and the catechin and Caffeine content is low, it suggests that it requires higher Humidity? And Menghai tea, with higher catechin and caffeine content, has lower humidity requirements, only forming white frost when humidity exceeds 14%. This is the first time I've heard this, so I want to confirm if my understanding is correct.
Zheng Shaohong: Indeed. For instance, if a tea has high catechin content, as Teacher Li Yang mentioned, it suppresses microorganisms, causing them to grow more slowly. However, microorganisms still require warmth and moisture. For example, Yiwu tea, at a water content of 12%, due to its low catechin content and high glycoside content, will form white frost. If we consider Menghai tea, it might require 14% humidity. Why? Under the same humidity, microorganisms are less active and do not reach the same level. The example I gave, Tianmen Mountain, actually includes some numerical data on the internal substances of the Wild Aroma Zone. Both Tongqing River and Tianmen Mountain belong to the Wild Aroma Zone, but Tianmen Mountain has higher catechin and alkaloid content compared to Tongqing River, making their tea characteristics more similar. If we consider a more specific product, two teas with very similar characteristics, there are still differences when examined closely. Therefore, Tianmen Mountain requires over 12% humidity to form white frost, while Mazhei forms white frost at 12%. Tianmen Mountain may require slightly higher humidity than Tongqing River. It's the relationship between energy and material dynamics. Teacher Li Yang has a systematic theory on this topic. You can compare his theory with the test results from different areas to deduce any differences.
Zhou Xin: Hello President Zheng, my question is about exploring the idea that we emphasize mountain origin flavors in Yiwu tea. One flavor per mountain. Yiwu tea is enjoyed fresh, and we emphasize the type of tree. If the trees are the same, how will the flavor change after conversion? I feel that after tasting two aged Yiwu teas, their flavors were quite similar. For such similar flavors, it might be difficult for beginners or those who don't drink tea often to discern the charm without accumulated tasting experience. As an actual operator, do you have any experience to share on this matter?
Zheng Shaohong: This is a good question. I believe it's a problem many people face when dealing with small micro-regions. Teacher Li Yang and I discussed this recently. We think that even if two teas are of the same variety and from Yiwu, they will initially have some differences in aromatic substances. Additionally, the fertility of the land, and the ratio of phosphorus, potassium, Magnesium, and nitrogen, will also vary. However, the most important factor is organic matter. After a certain period, say 10 to 12 years, the similarity between them can be at least 70%. Yesterday, Teacher Li Yang and I tasted a non-Mint Pond green bud tea and a Mint Pond tea, and we could tell they were two different teas, but their similarity was very high.
Therefore, this isn't a question of friendliness towards tea enthusiasts but poses a challenge for operators. For fresh teas, the one flavor per mountain concept is an objective reality, and the market is willing to pay for it. As operators, we should provide the best service possible. Secondly, if you're a long-termist and want to store some expensive micro-region mountain teas, I suggest storing only a small amount and not a large quantity. If you store these high-demand, expensive mountain teas now, the outcome after a certain period will not differ significantly from moderately priced, high-quality teas. My belief is that after 20 years, the similarity will be even higher, and what matters ultimately is the quality of the tea itself.
If you're a long-termist, you need to combine short-term and long-term operations. When storing later products, you must be able to predict what the tea will become in 10 or 20 years. You need to develop your judgment and predictive abilities. This approach benefits both short-term profitability and long-term customer relationships. If you can make accurate predictions, you can offer customers aged teas with similar flavors. To your customers, you should provide high-quality, cost-effective teas from non-top mountain origins, which are relatively easier to control. My thinking is somewhat the opposite of yours.
Zhou Xin: I just wanted to present another perspective on this issue. (Zheng Shaohong: Yes, this perspective is excellent. Many people would like to know this angle.) We are tea drinkers, and you, President Zheng, are an operator, so you naturally view this issue from an operational standpoint, and your company likely considers it during product development.
Zheng Shaohong: Yes, as tea drinkers, this can guide us in storing tea. From the beginning, we should clearly understand what kind of tea we want to store.
Shi Yun: At the beginning, Teacher Li Yang shared the Tea Evolution tasting method with everyone, and we've already tasted four teas. There are Tea Evolution students here, so I'd like to invite one of them to share her tasting experience.
Wan'er: First of all, I would like to thank President Zheng and Teacher Li Yang for bringing us such a wonderful tasting session today. Yiwu is a production area I personally enjoy because the teas there, particularly the small-leaf varieties, are very fragrant and sweet, though the aftertaste may be slightly lacking. Some teas, similar to Menghai tea, might be too bitter or astringent for some people upon first sip, but Yiwu tea, in my opinion, is the perfect tea – gentle yet powerful.
As Shi Yun mentioned, since I've taken Teacher Li Yang's classes, I'll share my thoughts based on my understanding as a student. Let's start with the 2019 green bud tea. Its distinctive features are a strong sweet aftertaste, salivation, and a refreshing sensation. Upon first sip, there's a slight bitterness that quickly dissipates, followed by Sweetness, especially the lingering taste in the throat, which I personally enjoy very much. Many teachers here are more professional and experienced in tasting Yiwu tea, but there's one unique aspect I noticed, perhaps influenced by President Zheng's suggestion. Let's use osmanthus fragrance as an example. Personally, I enjoy cooking, and osmanthus is an ingredient I often use. Starting with the 2019 Yiwu green bud tea, the osmanthus fragrance I tasted was primarily in the tea soup and was detected through smelling. It had a scent reminiscent of osmanthus in the air. In the 2011 Yiwu green bud tea, the osmanthus fragrance felt like it was within the throat, with a cooked, processed osmanthus flavor, not the fresh, crisp scent of osmanthus. It was quite unique. As for the third tea, the 2008 green bud tea, the osmanthus fragrance reminded me of osmanthus jam after fermentation. Perhaps it was psychological suggestion or my personal preference for osmanthus, but