Those old teas, slumbering in corners, tempered by time, continually undergo essential transformations, eventually幻化出迷人的陈韵 (evolving into an enchanting aged aroma).
「Oolong Tea, Time Roasts Out Rich Character and Solid Bone」
Full-fire roasted Oolong tea is an ideal choice for aging. Partial fermentation has already oxidized a large amount of tea polyphenols, and roasting with足火 (full/ample fire) can make the tea leaves趋向成熟稳定 (tend towards maturity and stability), making them less prone to返青 (reverting to a raw/green state) during storage. Before opening and drinking aged Oolong, it generally needs to be re-roasted to remove any miscellaneous flavors and moisture produced during the slow reactions of storage, preserving the most authentic taste.
Years of storage,浸染 by岁月 (time). When aged Oolong blooms in water, it is劲足汤厚 (potent and thick in soup), with沉香的凝韵 (condensed aroma of沉香 wood), moving one deeply.
「Pu'er Tea, Forever in the Present Progressive Tense」
Pu'er tea is divided into raw tea and ripe tea. Ripe tea, which undergoes pile fermentation, has a more stable nature and changes less during aging. Sun-dried raw Pu'er tea, however, still has living microorganisms附着 on the毛茶 (rough tea leaves). Combined with its unique ecological environment and tea plant varieties, this leads to more changes and richer layers during the aging process.
The final completion of a cake of Pu'er tea may take decades, even nearly a century. From the moment the leaves leave the tree until hot water is poured into the pot, it is in the "present progressive tense," constantly transforming. When it becomes醇和 (mellow and harmonious), the charm and taste of the tea soup are completely different from the lively and robust character of new tea, leaving a long-lasting回味 (aftertaste).
「Black Tea, the Cinnabar Mole in the Heart」
Black tea is the茶类 (tea category) with the highest degree of fermentation. New tea has a较重火气 (relatively strong fire energy). After aging, the火气褪尽 (fire energy recedes completely), the aroma and taste become趋于醇和 (tending towards mellowness), and耐泡度 (brewability) increases. Decades-old black tea helps regulate the肠胃 (stomach and intestines), aids sleep, has a红艳明亮 (bright, brilliant red) soup color, and provides companionship over the years. It is like a cinnabar mole in the heart—warm and妥帖 (perfectly comforting).
「White Tea, the Moonlight Before the Bed」
White tea is the category among the six major tea types that best preserves the原始状态 (original state) of the tea leaves. New tea has a较重青气 (relatively strong grassy/green aroma), and its茶性 (tea nature) is cool/cold. After aging, the茶性 of white tea gradually趋于温暖 (tends towards warmth). In the清甜的 (clear and sweet) tea soup, mature fruity aromas, woody fragrances, and date aromas will successively呈现 (present themselves). It can be drunk or boiled,清澈柔和 (clear and soft), just like the moonlight before the bed.
「Green Tea, Keeping the Fading Spring Light」
Non-fermented Green tea, after high-temperature杀青 (de-enzyming/fixing), undergoes minimal后期内质变化 (posterior internal quality change) and is prone to变质 (deterioration) during storage, hence the emphasis on drinking fresh, new tea for its鲜爽 (fresh briskness). However, in western Guangdong and Jieyang in Chaoshan, there is a custom of storing old green tea for one's children. With重火干燥 (heavy-fire drying) and饱满的火工 (full/ample firing skill), after decades of storage, the入口 (mouthfeel) transforms from当年的清冽 (the清冽 of that year) into今日的柔和 (the柔和 of today). The汤色 (soup color) changes from golden yellow to血珀 (blood amber), radiating a质朴的陈韵之美 (simple, unadorned beauty of aged aroma) from the inside out. It is like retained spring light—not dazzlingly bright, but温煦入骨 (warm and penetrating to the bone).
Cold comes, summer goes, time gradually ages. Sitting quietly by the stove, facing an elegant cup of old tea,慰藉平生 (consoling a lifetime).