It is incorrect to consider “aged Tea” as simply tea that has been stored for a long time. Firstly, age is not the sole criterion for evaluating the value of aged tea, and not all teas can become aged teas. The value of aged tea lies in the perfect transformation of its rich inner qualities over time, providing a transcendent experience for body and mind.
Aged tea should be high-quality tea that has undergone proper processing and has been aged in a suitable environment for many years, with its craft characteristics, variety characteristics, and regional features gradually fading away, achieving a state of formlessness. After tasting, it brings joy to both body and mind. Whether it's aged Pu'er, aged White Tea, or aged Oolong, the inner qualities must be abundant, which is the foundation for the transformation of aged tea. Secondly, aged tea must be stored cleanly; if it becomes moldy, absorbs off-flavors, or deteriorates, it loses its value as aged tea. Lastly, even with abundant inner qualities, good storage, and age, it cannot be called “aged tea” until it has undergone a transformation, with its craft characteristics, variety characteristics, and regional features gradually becoming formless, reaching a state of harmony. This is true “aged tea.”
How to Distinguish the Quality of Aged Tea
One: Appearance – Genuine aged tea will turn brown, dark brown, or even black, with a natural color. It should have an aged aroma, sometimes resembling the scent of Pu'er tea. For tea older than 30 years, hand-picked leaves are more common than those cut with scissors; for tea over 50 years old, all leaves were hand-picked, and they appear in a strip form because the tea was not rolled at the time of production.
Two: Liquor – With aged tea, the leaves do not fully unfurl after brewing, and some may exhibit wood-like characteristics. If the liquor is black and glossy, it is usually charcoal-roasted “new-aged tea” rather than genuine aged tea. For example, aged oolong stored for around 30 years will produce a pale amber liquor, while tea aged for over 40 years will yield a darker color.
Three: Taste – Aged tea should be rich, mellow, and slightly sweet with a hint of mild acidity. True aged tea is not charcoal-roasted since drinking charcoal-roasted tea can cause heatiness. Therefore, aged tea should not have a smoky flavor. Charcoal roasting is a recent development, whereas aged tea undergoes long-term natural fermentation. It should feel smooth in the mouth, taste sweet without being stimulating, and be warm and durable when brewed.
Four: Storage – Shortly after opening aged tea, if the liquor turns sour, this is due to the active transformation of the tea upon contact with air. After a few weeks, it will return to its original aromatic and mellow taste, indicating that it is truly aged “living aged tea.”
Some people go to Yunnan looking for aged Pu'er, to Anxi for aged Tieguanyin, or to Wuyi Mountain for aged rock tea, only to return disappointed. It is difficult to find aged tea in its place of origin. Most of the surviving aged teas today were not intentionally preserved but were instead forgotten in corners. After all, in those times, rice was more valuable than tea.