What's the difference between the aroma of processing and the aroma of varietal tea in Pu-erh tea?

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Many tea enthusiasts are confused about the difference between the aroma of processing and the natural, pure aroma of ancient trees. They mistakenly believe that the floral and fruity aromas of well-processed ancient trees are artificially added. How can you distinguish between the aroma of processing and the aroma of varietal tea in Pu-erh tea?

Variegated Aroma
Variegated aroma refers to the aroma of different varieties of large-leaf ancient tea trees, directly related to the composition of the tea leaves. As is well known, Pu-erh tea is categorized by the mountain region. Different mountains have different geographical locations, climates, water sources, soil, and other natural conditions, resulting in different aromas in the tea leaves grown there—this is the source of regional aroma. The intensity of the variegated aroma is directly proportional to the quality of the tea leaves. The better the quality of the tea leaves, the stronger the variegated aroma will be.


Processed Aroma
Processed aroma is the aroma produced during the tea-making process due to the decomposition of glycosides. The processing of Pu-erh tea includes five steps: fresh leaf spreading, fixation, rolling, loosening, and sun-drying. Ripe Pu-erh also includes an additional step of "piling fermentation." Each step in the process causes the decomposition of a certain amount of glycosides, forming aroma, which is the source of the processing aroma.

While the formation of processing aroma is a normal phenomenon, everything in excess is harmful. Excessive decomposition of glycosides leads to a significant loss of the tea's vitality, resulting in a decline in tea quality and making it less resistant to multiple infusions. Therefore, the intensity of the processing aroma is one of the indicators of tea quality.

How to distinguish between the processing aroma and varietal aroma in Pu-erh tea?
This distinction requires both professional tasting skills and a certain understanding of processing and varietal aromas.

Processing aroma generally refers to abnormal aromas in Pu-erh tea, such as aromas left by high temperatures, while varietal aroma is the unique aroma of the tea tree variety from which the tea leaves are grown. In short, processing aroma is an aroma that shouldn't be present in Pu-erh tea, while varietal aroma is desirable but also difficult to achieve due to the high requirements for the raw materials.

Variety and regional aroma are the foundation of processing aroma and aged aroma, possessing strong "integration" and "variability." The stronger the processing aroma, the less distinct the regional and varietal aromas become. Variety aroma simply refers to the fragrance of the tea variety; even large-leaf ancient tree tea has many sub-varieties, each with its own distinct aroma. Regional aroma simply refers to the aroma of the specific mountain; different tea mountains have different aromas. Furthermore, even within the same tea mountain, there are different sub-varieties, each with its own distinct aroma.

For example, even within Bulang Mountain, there are teas with aromas different from those typically associated with Bulang Mountain. One cannot determine a tea's origin solely based on the aroma of Bulang tea consumed regularly. This is because the Bulang Mountain range is vast and contains many sub-varieties, and the aromas and flavors of many ancient trees in the deep mountains are not yet widely understood by tea enthusiasts. Therefore, relying solely on aroma to determine a tea's origin is neither rigorous nor scientific.

The aromas of varietal and regional origin are easily perceived in new teas and become more pronounced with each infusion. These aromas, especially in ancient tree teas, persist throughout the brewing process, even when the tea flavor is weak. It's important to rely on your sense of taste rather than your sense of smell to perceive the aroma. Aromas like mung bean and floral notes, often influenced by processing techniques, are difficult to infuse into the tea liquor and are therefore hard to detect in the mouth; their presence is primarily perceived through the sense of smell.

However, this doesn't mean that processed aromas are bad. Processed aromas represent the manufacturer's technological advantages in tea production. A high-quality Pu-erh tea perfectly combines the aromas of the processing techniques with the inherent aroma of the tea leaves, enhancing the varietal and regional aromas. Therefore, when drinking tea, in addition to appreciating the unique varietal and regional aromas of the tea leaves themselves, it's also important to pay attention to the subtle nuances of processed aromas.

YuanJia131

The aroma of tea itself is better.