Good raw pu'er Tea doesn't necessarily have a strong aroma when dry, but the aroma in the fairness Cup and the leaf base must be present (a fresh plant scent). Ideally, you should also feel the aroma in your mouth. The bitterness and astringency should dissipate; that is, they don't linger, with faster dissipation being better. For aged raw pu'er tea, the storage conditions must be normal without any off-flavors, and there should be an aroma in the fairness cup. There should also be a certain degree of aged aroma (a pleasant old-world scent) in the mouth. It should have weak bitterness and astringency that dissipates quickly, with lasting salivation and a sweet aftertaste that is both enduring and appealing. Drinking it should not cause any discomfort. This is what makes good aged raw pu'er tea. There are too many ordinary raw teas on the market, most of which can only be considered everyday drinking teas.

Raw pu'er tea can generally be evaluated based on several key points: aroma, bitterness, astringency, salivation, sweet aftertaste, and body sensation.

The aroma can be divided into the scent you smell and the aroma in the mouth. The scents you smell include the dry leaf aroma, the fairness cup aroma, and the leaf base aroma.

Bitterness and astringency: Astringency specifically refers to a feeling of something coating the tongue or mouth, causing an unpleasant and unsmooth taste.

Salivation refers to the secretion of saliva, and I've already detailed the sweet aftertaste in previous posts.

Body sensation refers to the physical sensations experienced after Drinking Tea, such as dry lips, sweat on the forehead, discomfort in the throat, or an upset stomach.

Good raw pu'er teas share these characteristics:

1. Complete and Clean Threads:

High-quality raw pu'er tea has complete and clean threads. The buds are moderate, and the picking standard is between one bud and two leaves to one bud and three leaves. Leaves that are too young or too old are not ideal. The tea leaves are clean, with no impurities and minimal yellow leaves or stems.

2. High and Lasting Aroma:

Good raw pu'er tea has a high and lasting aroma. The aroma should not be fleeting, and both the tea soup and the aroma in the fairness cup should be good. The best is when the water contains the aroma, and its persistence should last for 7-8 infusions.

3. Full and Smooth Soup:

Good raw pu'er tea generally has a full and heavy flavor, with a durability of at least ten infusions without a watery taste. The texture of the tea soup should be soft and smooth, with fine water flow, high viscosity, large density, and a sensation of pressure on the tongue.

4. Adequate Salivation and Sweet Aftertaste:

Good raw pu'er tea produces quick and abundant salivation and sweet aftertaste upon entry, giving a sense of a spring under the tongue. Although there may be bitterness and astringency, they should dissipate quickly and completely. The sweet aftertaste returns quickly and intensely, with deeper Sweetness in the throat being better.

5. Pure and Lustrous Soup Color:

Although raw pu'er tea can have different colors, good raw pu'er tea always has a clear and bright soup color without any turbidity. The oiliness of the soup should be good. Inadequate processing or impurities can cause the tea soup to become cloudy.