Puerh
Puerh
Fermented Puerh tea (Pu-erh)
Characteristics
Flavor: spicy earthy, austere.
Taste: dense, oily.
Aftertaste: enveloping, harmonious.
Color of the brew: thick, reddish-black.
Effect: warming, normalizing.
According to traditional Chinese classification of tea, they call fermented tea black. And in European classification there is simply no word for such tea — because for a very long time this tea was not known to Europeans.
At one of the last stages of producing fermented tea, it is «stewed» in special pits. Such unusual processing changes the qualities of the tea completely, affords it unusual taste and flavor (of which the customer should certainly be informed beforehand) and makes it incredibly health-giving.
Puerh is one of the few teas which become only better with time. Seasoned for several decades Puerhs are precious. A 10-year old Puerh has the same quality and the same value among post-fermented teas as a 10-year old cognac — among noble alcoholic drinks. Puerh's native land is continental China; nevertheless, the best seasoned tea can be purchased in Taiwan and Hong Kong nowadays. This tea is very good for health and has rather unusual taste and flavor.
Puerh is good as a morning tea. Besides, it can well be drunk on an empty stomach (something that must not be done with other teas). At the same time it combines well with different tea snacks. The unusual taste and flavor of this tea will give tea-drinking piquancy; and its 10-year old nobleness will turn tea-drinking into a refined pleasure. Puerh's normalizing effect makes it indispensable when one has some indigestion problems. Dried dates will make the best snack to accompany this tea.