Fa Tuo Puerh Tea Aged from 1990

Description

Explore this gourmet ripe Fa Tuo Puerh Tea from the Xiaguan Tea Factory (下关茶厂) in Yunnan, China. Located just outside the city of Dali, the Xiaguan Factory is one of our favorite producers of deep-flavored Puerh. The factory is known for producing compressed Puerh tea cakes in the shape of mushrooms, known as “Fa Tuo.”

• Tea Region: Xiaguan Tea Factory in Yunnan’s Dali, China.
• Season: Spring 1990.
• Caffeine Level: Low caffeine.
• Time of Day to Drink: Any time of day.
• Hand-Picked Tea: Yes.
• Forest Tea: Yes.
• Tea Quality: Gourmet Aged Puerh Tea.
• Flavor: Ripe Puerh with malty and rich flavor notes.
• Single Origin Tea: Yes.
• Tea Steep Method: 3-5 grams steeped for 20-30 seconds.
• Qi Strength: Low Qi.
• Attributes: Organic. Single Origin Tea Trees.

Heavily-aged tea cakes such as this are sought-after, as the earthy flavors of the ripe fermentation process disappear as the tea ages. In the early years, it has strong, astringent notes common in younger teas. As it ages, those notes transform, and the tea leaves develop a deep, intense flavor profile.

After a decade or so, the harsher aromas of the ripe fermentation have all but dissipated. It’s rich, malty, and earthy, but with a touch of sweetness.