Sheng (raw) Pu'er Tea is made from Yunnan large-leaf sun-dried Green Tea and has not undergone artificial heap fermentation; it is directly compressed into cakes, bricks, or tuos, or stored as loose tea, which is in line with the traditional definition of Pu'er tea. How do you distinguish good quality sheng Pu'er? Let's first understand the characteristics of sheng Pu'er tea.

Characteristics of Sheng Pu'er Tea

Appearance: Sheng Pu'er tea has distinct, thick, and tightly bound leaves with visible downy hair and a high degree of dryness.

Color: The color of sheng Pu'er tea is dark green, blackish and lustrous, evenly distributed.

Aroma: Sheng Pu'er has a clear aroma with prominent floral, fruity, and honey-like scents.

Infusion Color: The infusion color of sheng Pu'er is orange-yellow, golden yellow, and bright and clear.

Taste: Sheng Pu'er tea has a refreshing taste, smooth mouthfeel, and a sweet aftertaste with significant mountain character.

To determine the quality of sheng Pu'er, consider three aspects:

1. Smell the Aroma

After Steeping, the aroma of sheng Pu'er becomes easier to discern, allowing for further judgment of whether there are any unusual odors and how pronounced the aroma is.

2. Observe the Color

The infusion color is an important indicator of tea quality. If the infusion is cloudy, this indicates lower quality! High-quality sheng Pu'er has a bright golden-yellow infusion color that changes with the internal substance variations and brewing techniques.

3. Taste

Steeped sheng Pu'er allows the taste of the infusion to be easily perceived, including any off-flavors or impurities, separation of flavors, strength and duration of the aftertaste, and intensity. A strong flavor without bitterness is considered rich, while a bitter, lingering taste is generally deemed substandard!

Good tea is not afraid of being steeped. “Steeping” is the simplest and most direct way to assess the quality of tea. After steeping, inferior teas will reveal their true nature.

Pu'er tea is primarily divided into ripe Pu'er and raw (sheng) Pu'er based on processing method. Ripe tea is highly fermented and warm in nature. Raw tea is less fermented, and new raw tea is cool in nature. As storage time increases, raw tea naturally ferments, becoming increasingly mellow. Everyone's taste preferences differ, and Pu'er tea can vary widely based on brand, type, and age.

The above methods for assessing raw tea cannot rely solely on one criterion. For example, many plantation teas or blended teas may have excellent appearance and clear infusions before brewing, but their taste is often lacking—either slow in layering and prolonged bitterness, or insufficient in fragrance and lacking the expected sweetness. When selecting Pu'er tea, the main consideration should be your own taste preferences.