Pu'er Tea is a historic Chinese Tea, classified as a post-Fermented tea and a notable variety of dark tea. Pu'er tea is celebrated for its remarkable Health benefits and mild nature that does not harm the stomach, making it a favorite among tea enthusiasts. As a beginner, how should one appreciate Pu'er tea?
The appreciation of Pu'er tea involves experiencing five levels of its aroma: floating scent in water, scent entering the water, scent contained within the water, scent arising from the water, and scent becoming one with the water.
Floating Scent in Water
The most basic level of Pu'er tea aroma, where the scent is superficial and fleeting. It can be smelled but not fully tasted. Its characteristic is that while the scent is noticeable in the air during brewing and on the lid of the Teacup, once ingested, the aroma significantly diminishes or even disappears.
Scent Entering the Water
A more developed level of Pu'er tea aroma, where much of the scent dissipates into the air, with a small portion blending into the tea liquor. This level of aroma provides an experience where the tea smells good and also tastes good, although not as fragrant as when smelled.
Scent Contained Within the Water
A mid-level Pu'er tea aroma, where only a small portion of the scent is released into the air, while the majority is integrated into the tea liquor. The integrated aroma then descends, partly dispersing through the mouth and partly through the throat. To experience this type of aroma, hold your breath when the tea liquor enters your mouth, then after swallowing, close your mouth and slowly exhale through your nose, paying attention to the source of the scent.
Scent Arising from the Water
A high-level Pu'er tea aroma, where the scent blends perfectly with the tea liquor. When smelled, it may not appear very fragrant, but after drinking, the aroma gradually emerges from deep within the throat, lasting for a long time. Such teas typically have a smooth and oily texture.
Scent Becoming One with the Water
The pinnacle of Pu'er tea, where the scent becomes one with the water. This category of tea must be made from premium-quality aged leaves that have undergone excellent processing and maturation. The rich and complex aged scent is completely fused with the tea liquor. Wherever the tea liquor flows, the aged scent follows. As you drink, there is a wonderful sensation of “transformation” as the tea liquor evaporates along with the aroma, creating a delightful feeling where “the tea is the scent, and the scent is the tea.”
When starting out, the key to experiencing different levels of Pu'er tea aroma lies in repeated comparisons. Focus on distributing your attention. To experience the scent entering the water, compare the aroma released during brewing with the aroma when drinking. If the tea tastes relatively fragrant, shift your focus to the throat and mouth to gauge the degree to which the scent is contained within the water. If the tea is more fragrant after swallowing than when held in the mouth, concentrate your attention on the throat for an extended period to experience the scent arising from the water. Pay particular attention to the characteristics, duration, and intensity of the aroma emitted in the throat after swallowing the tea liquor.