Pu'er tea

High-quality Pu'er tea has a deep, rich flavor that many describe as earthy or mushroom-like. Lower-quality Pu'er tea often tastes muddy or musty. Premium Pu'er tea tends to appeal to coffee lovers and pairs well with rich desserts. Its flavor profile and well-known health benefits also make it a great choice as a post-meal digestive drink; in fact, in China, it's commonly consumed during or after meals featuring greasy foods (such as dim sum).

However, not everyone enjoys the taste of Pu'er tea. For instance, a friend of mine described it as having a fishy smell, sticky, and slippery—so much so that it felt like biting into a freshly caught fish. Pretty creepy, right? On this, I won’t pass too much judgment—after all, everyone’s tastes differ; to each their own.

If you don’t care for the taste of plain Pu'er tea, there are many blended versions available on the market. Chrysanthemum Pu'er tea is a traditional Chinese blend known for its "cleansing" properties, but there are also more "modern" blends to choose from. For example, Lixin's Pu'er tea line includes ginger Pu'er and vanilla mint Pu'er.

The Origins and History of Pu'er Tea

Pu'er originated thousands of years ago in China’s Yunnan Province, where large-leaf tea trees grow. Its history is closely tied to the tea trade between China and other countries—especially Tibet—and its name comes from the town (Pu'er City) where the tea was originally sold to other regions. Initially, to facilitate more efficient transport, it was compressed into shapes, and during transit to its final destination, it developed its dark color and flavor through natural fermentation.

Over the years, Pu'er has aged. The aging process leads to slow fermentation, and "raw" Pu'er tea requires about 15 years to achieve the dark color and flavor that Pu'er enthusiasts desire. In the 1970s, a processing method called "wo dui" (wet piling) was developed to accelerate the fermentation process.

The shou processing eventually led to a Pu'er tea collection/investment “bubble” during the 1990s and early 2000s. During the Pu'er bubble, many counterfeit Pu'er teas were made from leaves sourced outside the traditional origin (Yunnan). Prices soared, and many collectors began hoarding their aged Pu'er, while the quality of newly produced Pu'er drastically declined as production increased to meet demand. Fortunately, the Pu'er bubble burst, and production more or less returned to normal.

Pu'er Tea Processing

Sheng Pu'er is made from the leaves of Yunnan’s large-leaf tea trees with minimal processing, then carefully aged under supervision before consumption. This style of Pu'er is typically aged for 15 or 20 years, and can be aged even longer, to develop deeper, richer, smoother, and more complex flavors.

Shou processing involves applying heat and moisture, along with inoculating the tea leaves with beneficial bacteria. The harvested tea leaves take about a year to “ripen” or “finish” as Pu'er tea. Some “ripe” Pu'er teas are also aged, resulting in flavors closer to traditionally produced Pu'er.

The Shapes of Pu'er Tea

One of the most distinctive features of Pu'er tea is its variety of shapes. Pu'er commonly comes in forms such as bricks, cakes (disk-shaped, also known as “bing cha”), and tuo cha (shaped like small bowls). These shapes make Pu'er easy to transport and store.

Pu'er tea can also be loose (like other loose teas), or packaged inside pomelo or bamboo sticks. Occasionally, tea bags are also available.