Pu'er Tea is ultimately appreciated for its value, and good Pu'er tea can bring people a sense of beauty. A quality Pu'er tea is filled with a comprehensive beauty of color, aroma, flavor, and form. It has plump, tightly bound buds with a lustrous brown or reddish-brown color, a vibrant appearance, and an inner quality of bright, dark (or deep red) transparent broth. Its aroma is richly aged (or sweet, Osmanthus, camphor, woody, medicinal), high and lasting. The taste is full, smooth, sweet, delicate, and silky, with a soft, shiny brown or reddish-brown Leaf base. These are the basic quality characteristics of Pu'er tea. So, how do you identify poor quality Pu'er tea?

【Six Criteria】

1. Using incorrect age as a benchmark (Note: In fact, teas truly from the 1950s and 60s can only be found in museums. Imagine, would any tea factory or merchant store tea for 50 years before selling it?);

2. Not relying on fake packaging as evidence;

3. Not using the depth of the tea color as an excuse;

4. Not using added flavors as a guide (Note: The natural camphor and jujube aromas of true Pu'er teas don't become overpowering.);

5. Not using moldy or warehouse-specific characteristics as a call to action;

6. Not considering tree age or leaf variety as a factor.

【Four Criteria】

1. Clear – the flavor should be clear without a musty odor.

2. Pure – the broth should be pure, like dates or dark and bright, not black like lacquer.

3. Properly Stored – stored in the correct environment, in a dry warehouse, not a humid one.

4. Invigorating – tasting the broth should uplift the spirit.

If you master these key points of identification, everyone can select high-quality Pu'er tea.

How to Select Pu'er Tea

1. Observe the Appearance and Color

The first step in selecting Pu'er tea is to discern the quality of its appearance. This involves examining the dry tea's color and shape. Good Pu'er tea should have thick, well-formed buds that are neatly arranged and clean. Avoid mold spots, which indicate improper storage. Raw Pu'er tea, which has not undergone fermentation, has a fresh, light color with prominent white down, appearing deep green or dark green. Ripe tea, after fermentation, has a deeper color, showing a reddish-brown hue.

2. Examine the Broth and Leaf Base

The color of the broth and the condition of the leaf base reflect the quality of the Pu'er tea's production process, aging time, and storage method. Good Pu'er tea has a translucent broth. Depending on the aging period, the colors range from yellow, golden yellow, yellow-red, to chestnut red. Older teas gradually change in color. Poor-quality teas have murky broths.

Pu'er tea leaf bases do not appear soft and discolored but have a uniform color. Charred leaves or black, hard stems indicate that the withering temperature was too high or that the tea became moldy due to dampness.

Ripe Pu'er tea has a dark red or even brownish-red broth, with a bright and transparent color and a strong aroma. The aged tea's aroma is richer, and the leaf base is reddish-brown or even black.

Raw tea has a pale yellow or golden broth, which is more translucent, while ripe tea has a dark red color, slightly translucent. The raw tea's leaf base is vibrant and resilient, giving drinkers a sense of its natural charm.

3. Savor the Aroma and Taste

Pu'er tea, after long-term dry storage, develops a rich aroma that becomes more intense over time. Tea is “breathing,” and during storage, it easily absorbs other odors, potentially damaging its flavor. Regardless of how long it has been stored, even tea that is hundreds of years old should not have a musty odor. If there is a musty smell, it indicates improper storage, such as dampness or lack of ventilation.

In addition to the above methods for distinguishing the quality of tea, when selecting Pu'er tea, also consider your personal needs. Below, I will discuss some factors that are often overlooked.