Friends who drink Pu'er Tea usually store some, be it a few bundles, a few boxes, or even an entire warehouse. Some do so with a specific purpose in mind, while others simply buy good tea to slowly consume, which over time becomes mid-aged tea and then eventually old tea.

Storing Pu'er tea can be a delightful endeavor. After decades, if the tea transforms beautifully into a smooth, delicate Brew with honey-like aroma, it's certainly one of life's great joys. However, many enthusiasts open their cherished, long-stored Pu'er tea only to find it tasteless, with hints of decayed wood in the water. At this point, they may not stomp and curse, blaming the unscrupulous merchants of years past for the rotten old tea. So, how should we judge the quality of Pu'er tea storage?

Judging the Quality of Pu'er Tea Storage

Look: Check if there is any whitish discoloration or white spots on the tea cake. If present, it indicates that the tea has been stored in a humid environment. Generally, tea stored in a dry environment will have a glossy appearance.

Smell: After brewing, smell the aroma lingering in the Cup. Different storage conditions and ages produce different scents. For example, if the aroma of ripe tea resembles “the scent of old plaster,” it suggests the tea was stored in a humid environment for between ten to twenty years. If raw tea has a camphor aroma but lacks fruity notes, it indicates humid storage. A camphor aroma in the first few infusions followed by a gradual emergence of fruity notes suggests slightly damp conditions in a southern location, varying from tea to tea.

Examine: Check the vitality and fermentation level of the leaves. Generally, inspect the leaves after the final infusion; the Leaf condition can reveal the storage situation. Green leaves indicate insufficient transformation, light brown or brown suggest moderate transformation, while carbonized leaves indicate excessive transformation.

There are several methods for identification: visual inspection, tasting, leaf examination, and flavor appreciation. Among these, flavor appreciation is the most important. The assessment of Pu'er tea primarily relies on sensory judgment. First, observe its appearance and smell, then brew it. After brewing, observe the color of the tea, which can vary from gemstone red, carnelian red, to tiger's eye red, with gemstone red being the rarest and most exquisite. Next, examine the leaves (tea residue), focusing on their softness, color, and uniformity. Finally, savor the flavor. Flavor appreciation involves tasting the tea, smelling its aroma, and evaluating its taste, requiring it to be sweet, smooth, rich, and carry aged fragrance.