Often, ancient Tea trees grow in dense forests at high altitudes. These trees are usually over a hundred years old, and with minimal human interference, they maintain a relatively primitive and natural growth state. Ancient tea trees are tall with deep roots, prominent trunks and branches, and are typically widely spaced, resulting in low yields and difficulty in harvesting.

There are often misconceptions when it comes to identifying ancient tree tea. For example, some believe that large and thick leaves indicate an ancient tree tea. Others think that the thicker the stem, the older the tree. In reality, leaf size and thickness have no direct correlation with whether the tea is from an ancient tree; these characteristics are primarily related to the specific cultivar of the tea tree, so they cannot be used as a basis for judgment. It's common on the market to find plantation teas with large, thick leaves that have been lightly rolled and made into loose-leaf tea, masquerading as ancient tree tea.

To accurately identify ancient tree tea, it's best to do so through taste and bodily sensation.

Savor the Aroma

This is one of the key points in identifying ancient tree tea. Different tea trees have different root depths and soil environments, which means they absorb different nutrients, leading to vastly different aromas. Ancient tree teas can access minerals from deeper layers of soil, allowing them to express the unique characteristics of their respective mountains, such as the honey-like fragrance and smoothness of Yiwu tea, or the fruity honey aroma and balanced nature of Nannuoshan tea. It is essential to choose teas with rich, long-lasting, unique aromas that are stable and grounded.

A stable and grounded aroma means that after pouring out the first infusion, you can smell the aroma in the pitcher. The more stable and grounded the aroma, the richer the internal quality of the tea.

Taste the Broth

The broth is the second critical factor in assessing the richness of the tea's internal quality. If the tea broth is viscous and substantial, with a quick and satisfying return of sweetness and saliva, a harmonious bitterness and astringency that dissipates quickly, and a lasting effect of 20-30 minutes, this indicates that the tea will age well and has a high collection value. On the other hand, if the tree is young, the broth will be thin, a sensation that can be felt through careful tasting and comparison.

Experience the Throat Resonance

Throat resonance is the third key point in identifying ancient tree tea. This refers to the cool and comfortable feeling in the throat after swallowing the tea broth, which makes breathing seem infused with the tea's aroma, providing a highly refreshing experience. It also leads to a return of sweetness and saliva in the throat, with the aroma lingering for a long time. This sensation becomes more noticeable during inhalation, which can create the illusion that “how can my throat also taste sweetness?”.

Throat resonance occurs because the tea contains abundant internal qualities, and the flavors accumulate and release gradually as the tea broth is swallowed. Plantation teas that lack sufficient age do not have enough internal qualities to accumulate and release, making it difficult to form throat resonance. After drinking ancient tree tea, this throat resonance can last for 20-30 minutes, indicating a rich internal quality. However, if you're considering collecting the tea, this is not enough; you must also consider its consistency and stability.

Duration

Simply put, this is the number of infusions a tea can withstand. For raw tea, the recommended amount is generally 8 grams, and we advise tea enthusiasts to weigh the tea as accurately as possible, using standardized brewing methods and at least porcelain lidded bowls and glass pitchers. Use mineral water or purified water when brewing. Typically, an electric stove or a dedicated kettle is used to keep the water continuously boiling, ensuring a stable temperature and making the brewing process more convenient.

When adding water, avoid directly pouring onto the leaves. Instead, slowly pour around the edge of the lidded bowl, gradually immersing the leaves, and wait about 10 seconds before pouring out the broth. Using a relatively standard brewing method helps us objectively assess the internal quality of each infusion and judge its duration.

During tasting, if you notice a significant weakening in the flavor of any infusion, it indicates the limit of the tea's duration. Compared to this, ordinary plantation teas tend to have poorer durability, with flavors significantly fading after six infusions. Ancient tree teas can typically last for eight to ten infusions, and better-quality ones can last for twelve infusions or more.

The duration determines the stability of the tea, with longer durations indicating higher stability. By assessing the duration, we can determine the stability of the tea, and the higher the stability, the richer the internal quality, making it more valuable for storage.

Talking About Bitterness and Astringency

Bitterness and astringency are factors to consider when assessing the quality of tea. They are inherent in all types of tea, including ancient, small, and plantation teas, but the degree varies. If a tea is excessively bitter and astringent and does not dissipate easily, there are usually two reasons: one is that the tree is young and absorbs fewer nutrients from the soil, making other flavors weaker and highlighting the bitterness and astringency; the other reason is fertilization, especially with urea, which rapidly promotes growth but quickly alters the soil structure. Plantation teas can only absorb nutrients from the shallow layers of soil, increasing alkalinity and causing an increase in bitterness and astringency.

Some tea enthusiasts believe that strong bitterness and astringency indicate a potent tea essence, but this is not necessarily the case; the two should not be simply equated.

Here's another practical identification method: leave a cup of tea broth from the first or second infusion until it cools down, then drink it. At this point, the bitterness and astringency may increase, but the aroma, return of sweetness, saliva production, and sweetness remain. This suggests that the tea is rich in internal qualities and has a stable essence, making it more likely to be ancient tree tea.

The above methods are based on personal experience in identifying ancient tree tea and may not be entirely accurate. We welcome discussions and sharing of experiences. As consumers, if we can master some identification skills, we can save money when buying tea. Ultimately, whether it's ancient tree tea or plantation tea, finding the right tea for ourselves is the most important thing.

Original: ZHUO Mo Ya Zhi