Aged Sheng Pu-erh (老生普)

tea imagery: Hermit

Aged sheng pu-erh changes during storage: fresh floral notes may give way to dried fruit, wood and a softer taste. Each batch follows its own course. Fifteen years is not a universal threshold for maturity, and dark liquor alone does not establish age.

History

It starts like young sheng: heat fixation, rolling, sun-drying and, where required, pressing. Further changes depend on the leaf, processing and storage environment. Warmer, more humid conditions speed up some transformations, but faster does not mean better. When buying, ask where and how the tea was kept, and what is known about its leaf and pressing dates. Compare a sample with a less expensive batch: rarity and collector pricing do not necessarily bring more enjoyment in the cup.

The hermit is the artistic image for this card. A cake’s real history involves the pickers, makers and people who stored it. Details of the particular batch offer a way to explore that history.

Terroir

Yunnan leaf; the tea may have been stored in another region. Varies between gardens. Depends on the garden; ageing does not erase the importance of the original leaf. Both growing climate and storage temperature and humidity matter. At home, avoid damp, condensation, sunlight and other smells. Do not drink visibly mouldy tea; rinsing does not make it suitable.

Leaf

dry leaf: Olive-brown to dark-brown leaves. Colour depends on leaf and storage; compression varies.

aroma in a warmed vessel: Wood, dried fruit and sometimes resinous or camphor-like notes.

aroma after brewing: Woody, fruity aroma, sometimes with lingering floral notes.

taste: May have notes of dried fruit and wood, with gentle sweetness. Some bitterness or astringency can remain even in old tea.

finish: Compare fullness, lingering sweetness and mouth dryness after a few sips.

Properties

Traditional descriptions: Traditional descriptions often regard aged sheng as gentler than young sheng.

What to know: Storage changes polyphenols and aroma compounds. Laboratory composition data do not establish medicinal benefits of old tea.

Over a cup of tea: For exploring how storage conditions change sheng.

Caffeine: Contains caffeine. Years of ageing do not necessarily reduce the amount in a cup, so this tea is not a remedy for insomnia.

How to brew

A porcelain gaiwan or small 120 ml teapot. 4 g per 120 ml at 100 °C. Gently separate small pieces from the cake. Time for each infusion: 15 s, 15 s, 20 s, 30 s, 45 s, 60 s.

When to drink

Morning or daytime. Year-round, especially in cool weather. For an unhurried tasting of aged tea. Figs or walnuts; taste the first cup on its own. Alone or with others interested in comparing teas

What to notice

Read the batch details first.
Note two aromas you can identify yourself.
Compare the warm and slightly cooled tea.

Questions and answers

How do you brew Aged Sheng Pu-erh?

A porcelain gaiwan or small 120 ml teapot. 4 g per 120 ml at 100 °C. Gently separate small pieces from the cake. Time for each infusion: 15 s, 15 s, 20 s, 30 s, 45 s, 60 s.

What does Aged Sheng Pu-erh taste like?

May have notes of dried fruit and wood, with gentle sweetness. Some bitterness or astringency can remain even in old tea.

How much caffeine is in Aged Sheng Pu-erh?

Contains caffeine. Years of ageing do not necessarily reduce the amount in a cup, so this tea is not a remedy for insomnia.

What else should I know about Aged Sheng Pu-erh?

Storage changes polyphenols and aroma compounds. Laboratory composition data do not establish medicinal benefits of old tea.