Pu'er ripened Tea may not have the varied flavors of raw Pu'er, but it still has its unique charm. How can one appreciate the “aroma, sweetness, richness, smoothness” of ripened Pu'er and truly understand it?

The six main aspects to consider when evaluating Pu'er ripened tea are: thickness, smoothness, moisture, sweetness, purity, and aroma.

1. Thickness

The thickness of ripened Pu'er is a very comfortable sensation. When the tea soup glides into your mouth and stimulates your taste buds, swirl it around with your tongue to feel the strength and the sensation of impact in your mouth. This will allow you to fully experience its fullness and richness, which can also be understood as a kind of viscosity.

Thickness is different from the concentration of the tea soup. Thickness is related to the quality of the Pu'er tea; when there is a certain intensity and a larger amount of dissolved substances in the water, the mouthfeel becomes thicker and denser.

2. Smoothness

Smoothness refers to the “oily smoothness” of ripened tea, similar to drinking chicken soup or rice soup. Typically, very smooth teas leave a feeling of having “left a layer of oil” after being drunk. This needs to be distinguished from the feeling of “easily swallowing because there's no bitterness.”

Smoothness is also related to the thickness of the tea soup. The more mellow the tea soup, the more pronounced the smoothness tends to be. When the tea soup enters the mouth and lingers for a moment before flowing smoothly down the throat and into the stomach, it feels round, intimate, and natural. Poor-quality teas can create a feeling of constriction in the throat.

3. Moisture

Good Pu'er ripened tea nourishes the throat upon entry, immediately relieving dryness. Experienced tea connoisseurs place great importance on this moist characteristic. Moisture is essential for ripened Pu'er; high-quality versions should give a feeling of warmth and comfort, like a gentle breeze.

After brewing three or four infusions, the throat feels refreshed and moisturized, the mouth is neither dry nor parched, and after swallowing, the whole belly feels warm and comfortable. This is the manifestation of the moisture in ripened tea.

4. Sweetness

Sweetness is the simplest and most direct aspect to evaluate in ripened tea. A good ripened tea gives off a sweet aroma even before tasting. Moreover, since ripened tea has almost no bitterness, this sweetness is more prominent! Once the tea soup touches the tongue, the sweetness can be quickly felt, spreading throughout the mouth and lingering for a long time.

5. Purity

Purity is an important indicator of the skillfulness of the fermentation process. Whether the fermentation environment was hygienic, the method correct, the fermentation degree appropriate, and whether the storage conditions were ideal can all be assessed by the purity of the tea soup. Pure tea tastes clean and comfortable. Even those who do not prefer ripened tea will not find it unpleasant. If there is an odd smell, it indicates that hygiene standards were not met during production or that the tea was contaminated during storage.

6. Aroma

Different raw materials and blending methods can produce various aromas, which is one of the charms of ripened tea. The wet-piling process may impart some “wet-piling odor” to new ripened teas, which is unavoidable. However, skilled techniques and strict production processes can reduce this odor to a certain extent, and after two to three years of transformation, the wet-piling odor will fade, revealing a fuller and rounder flavor.

Aged fragrance is the basic aroma of ripened tea. If stored properly, ripened tea that has undergone more than five years of transformation can further evolve, presenting a richer array of aromas such as camphor, ginseng, medicinal, jujube, aged, woody, etc. However, this depends on the quality of the tea, storage conditions, and the passage of time. In other words, if the raw material of a tea cake is not good to begin with, no matter how much it transforms, there won't be any pleasant surprises.

Good ripened tea speaks for itself. In the antique trade, there is a term called “open door,” meaning that the true quality of an antique can be felt at first glance, without the need for strenuous authentication. The same is true for tea; the physical and mental experience of a good tea does not require flowery language to describe. It is a realm of harmony between heaven and humanity, body and mind.