Connoisseurs worldwide have discovered the allure of Pu’er tea.  The ability to naturally age, and develop new flavors over time, makes Pu’er a fascinating and complex tea.  Taste rewards are only exceeded by the financial rewards from collecting fine Pu’er. With its rich and flavorful character combined with a promise of large profits, Pu’er teas are drawing international attention.

Not all teas are created equal.  Whether it is to taste fine Pu’er, or to secure a good investment, the journey begins by selecting tea that is worthy of our time.

Raw/Green Pu’er

The search for fine Pu’er tea begins with raw Pu’er.  Raw Pu’er, also called green or live Pu’er, contains the original essence and vibrant energy from the robust tea trees of China’s Yunnan Province.  It is the aging and transformation of this living character that makes Pu’er collecting so rewarding.

The alternative would be cooked, or semi-cooked Pu’er, which employ rapid “aging" techniques.  While bypassing years of aging, cooked and semi-cooked Pu’er offer a mellow, woody, and earthy profile, and are cheaper alternatives to naturally aged teas.  However, the techniques used to accelerate the tea’s transformation also destroy the liveliness and complexity of the tea, leaving a dull character.  Without the necessary vitality, cooked teas are unable to further develop its aroma, flavor or texture from additional aging.

China Flair stringently selects only the finest raw Pu’er to provide a true and complete experience of premium Pu’er tea.

Dry Storage

Storage conditions greatly impact the quality of Pu’er tea.  Raw Pu’er must be aged in clean, odor-free conditions, away from light, heat and moisture.  Moisture, or humidity, is a Pu’er collector’s greatest enemy.  Excessive humidity permanently impairs the lively flavor and aroma of tea.  Moisture-damaged tea frequently leaves the palate coarse and the throat parched long after its brief after-taste. The damage to tea extends to investment returns.  The greater is the damage, the lesser is the value.

China Flair maintains the most optimum storage conditions in the industry.  Years of research in Pu’er aging have allowed China Flair to set the standard in Pu’er storage.  Pu’er teas are secured in a clean, odor-free environment that is protected from high temperature and moisture--allowing the best development of aroma, taste and texture over time.

“To the experienced connoisseur, antique teas reveal a moment of powerful tranquility by distilling the quintessence of nature through decades of aging."

Age and Taste Profiles

Raw Pu’er teas express changing flavor profiles during the course of aging.  By understanding their general stages of development, we can select Pu’er teas by age to match our preferences.

New Pu’er teas of several years young are refreshing and stimulating.  Its youth is characterized by a sharpness that ranges in intensity, depending on the region and style of the craftsmen.  The flavor and aroma can be fruity and citric, to fresh and grassy, with accents of lotus and bamboo leaves.

As Pu’er ages to five years, significant tastes and aromas emerge.  A tangy ripe plum flavor is a common milestone of developing Pu’er.  Though having shed its young grassiness, the bright copper brew still puts forth a youthful sharpness.

After ten years of maturing, the sharpness of its youth evolves to a bold, yet composed expression. Ripe fruit flavors often combine with exotic woods.  Its structure shows more fullness to greater fill the palate.

The aging of twenty years allows the tea to refine its character.  The boldness and urgency to show off its aroma is controlled.  Sophisticated displays of woody aromas greet the initial infusions, with surprising recollections of youthful fruit often expressed through subsequent infusions.

“It is the aging and transformation of this living character that makes Pu’er collecting so rewarding."

After thirty years, a Pu’er becomes calm and reserved.  Aromas are quietly revealing while flavors are structured in deep subtle layers.  A comforting woody bouquet, often of sandalwood and camphorwood, creates a settling atmosphere.

Over forty years, Pu’er opens up with the spirit of the harvest season.  Toasted barley and grains over earthy aromas of garoowood reflect the feeling of autumn.  Gentle sweet tones show up in delicate waves of after-taste.

Aging of Pu’er beyond fifty years develops greater subtlety.  Such antique teas are no longer encumbered by flavor or fragrance.  Its serene texture purely conveys the spirit of nature to the sensitive connoisseur. To untrained palates, the taste of antique teas is no more than delicate spring water.  To the experienced connoisseur, antique teas reveal a moment of powerful tranquility by distilling the quintessence of nature through decades of aging.