Pu'er Tea is a food product, and like other foods, its selection should consider its color, aroma, taste, and appearance. High-quality raw Pu'er tea has a dark green color, and the infusion of good raw Pu'er tea is golden and clear. Good Pu'er tea should have thick, uniform leaves, a clean appearance, and no signs of mold. Good Pu'er tea has a rich, full-bodied flavor, a strong tea aroma, and a long-lasting aftertaste.

How to Choose a Good Pu'er Tea Cake

To begin with, look at the packaging: high-quality Pu'er tea comes in sturdy packaging with neat edges and clear patterns.

Next, observe the infusion color: high-quality Pu'er tea has a bright, reddish-brown infusion that is evenly colored, while poor quality Pu'er tea will have a murky infusion with impurities.

Then, smell the aroma: high-quality Pu'er tea has a pure, lasting fragrance, while poor quality Pu'er tea may lack aroma or have off-odors.

Also, examine the infused leaves: high-quality Pu'er tea has uniform, fresh-looking infused leaves, while poor quality Pu'er tea will have disorganized leaves.

Furthermore, taste the tea: high-quality Pu'er tea has a rich, lingering flavor, while poor quality Pu'er tea will have a bland or off-flavor.

Lastly, understand the characteristics of different varieties: different types of Pu'er tea have distinct features, so it's important to choose according to your preferences.

Selecting a good Pu'er tea cake requires considering all these factors, as well as personal taste and preference.

What Are the Characteristics of Good Pu'er Tea?

The tea leaves are tightly rolled, robust, and show visible buds, with clear leaf formation and colors ranging from dark green to yellow-green.

The infusion is a golden hue, bright and slightly tinged with green, with almost no visible impurities, and the infused leaves are plump, even, and elastic.

The taste, initially somewhat bitter and astringent but quickly transforming into a honey-like sweetness.

The aroma is pure and true, featuring the natural fragrance of the tea leaves or aged notes, without any off-odors.

The infused leaves are fresh and soft.

The aroma is persistent and conveys a sense of depth and tranquility.

How Should You Choose Pu'er Tea?

Select a reputable brand. Typically, Pu'er tea packaging includes information about the tea and the brand. When choosing, start by selecting a brand you trust.

Examine and smell the dry tea cakes. Regardless of whether it's raw or ripe tea, or compressed or loose form, the dry tea should appear clean and consistent in color, and the tea leaves should be intact. Additionally, you can assess the quality of the tea by smelling the dry leaves and observing their color and cleanliness.

Taste the Pu'er tea. By thoroughly tasting a serving of the tea, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the quality of the ingredients, the appropriateness of the processing methods, and the storage conditions, helping you determine if it meets your taste preferences.

Inspect the infused leaves. Finally, you can also use the infused leaves after brewing to assist in assessing the quality of the tea: high-quality Pu'er tea will have uniformly colored, soft, bright, and active infused leaves that match the expected characteristics for its processing method and age.