The golden taste standard of good Pu'er: Decoding the seven major elements

YuanJia131

Entering the world of Pu'er tea is like stepping into a misty forest. Prices and quality vary greatly in the market. The "famous mountains and ancient trees" bought at high prices may not be as good as Taiwan tea. The "old tea" that has been collected for many years has a pungent musty smell after being brewed... Such scenes are played out around tea drinkers every day.
As a "drinkable antique", the charm of Pu'er tea is undoubted. But how to distinguish the quality of a cup of tea has daunted many tea novices. Today, let us break down the taste elements of high-quality Pu'er tea from a professional perspective to help you develop your dazzling eyes.

1. Aroma: A journey of tea flavor starting from the nasal cavity
The aroma of high-quality Pu'er tea is rich and pure:
Raw tea: Fresh floral and fruity aroma, lingering honey aroma, as if you are in the depths of the rain forest.
Ripe tea: The fragrance of aged, jujube and wood is intertwined, just like the fragrance of opening an ancient book.
Be wary of danger signs: pungent musty smell (improper storage), sour smell (fermentation failure), chemical flavor smell (artificially added). The real tea aroma should be natural, comfortable and refreshing.

2. Soup color: tea soup can "speak"
Raw tea: When first brewed, it turns into a clear orange-yellow color, like amber, and does not change color after being brewed for a long time.
Ripe tea: rich and translucent red, with oily "golden circles" floating on the surface, as charming as red wine.
Danger alert: turbidity, darkening, and a lot of sediment (process or raw material problems); "soy sauce soup" (typical characteristics of inferior cooked tea).

3. Taste: A trio on the tongue
Smooth: It feels like silk in the mouth, without any graininess.
Thick: The tea soup is as full as rice soup, and the tongue pressure is obvious.
Live: The taste flows and changes in the mouth, with distinct layers.
Characteristics of inferior tea: It tastes like gravel in the mouth, is as light as water, and the throat feels tight after drinking (throat locking feeling).

4. Return sweetness and produce fluids: the lingering sound of good tea lingers
Must-have experiences after drinking high-quality Pu’er:
Quick sweetness: after the bitterness melts away, sweetness appears within 5 seconds.
Strong fluid production: The bottom of the tongue is like a spring, and fluid production continues.
Deep throat rhyme: The sweetness sinks to the bottom of the throat, the deeper the taste, the better the quality.
Tips for avoiding pitfalls: If the bitterness persists (the surface of the tongue is still astringent after half an hour), or the sweetness only stays on the tip of the tongue - it may be a low-quality blended tea.

5.Tea breath: invisible body language
Drinking Pu'er tea with strong tea flavor will produce physical reactions:
Slight fever on the back/forehead; warm and distended abdomen, hiccups; refreshed as if in the spring breeze.
Important difference: This is completely different from the "frustration and hand shaking" stimulated by caffeine. It is a warm and comfortable feeling of energy.

6. Foam resistance: a touchstone for contained substances
True gold is not afraid of fire, and good tea is not afraid of brewing:
Good tea: After brewing for 12 minutes or more, it still has a full flavor.
Bad tea: The watery taste is obvious after 6-8 soaks.
Simple test method: brew with the same grams (5 grams recommended) and record the number of bubbles where the taste becomes noticeably lighter.

7. Leaf code: the overlooked truth
The secret behind brewing tea is:
High-quality tea: The bottom of the leaves is as flexible as silk and the color is uniform.
Inferior tea: The bottom of the leaves is brittle, hard and brittle, and the color is messy.
Tip: Use your fingers to gently rub the bottom of the expanded leaves. High-quality tea will not be easily crushed.