7 Common Questions about Pu-erh Tea
Darjeeling may be considered the Champagne of Teas, but it is pu-erh that has the most in common with wine. Unlike other teas, which are ready (and best) to consume straight after production, the best pu-erh is aged for years before it is used.
Pu-erh tea is fermented. It may or may not be oxidized, depending on the type of pu-erh (see below).
Pu-erh is sold in loose leaf or compressed form. It is compressed into many different shapes, from traditional round cakes to mushrooms, pyramids, coins and other shapes.
Grow Your Own Tea
Once upon a time, Camellia sinensis (the tea plant) was only found in Southeast Asia, especially China. But when you’re onto a good thing, it’s all but impossible to keep it exclusively to yourself. Camellia sinensis spread to Japan in the 6th century; Chinese tea plants were subversively stolen by the British Empire to begin plantations in India, and later Sri Lanka; and in recent decades, tea production has exploded in parts of Africa and South America.
And now, you can grow tea in your own backyard.
Castleton FTGFOP1 Special China: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush 2006
Wrapping up my week of Darjeelings, I come to the fourth sample in my cupboard: Castleton Estate’s 2006 Autumnal Flush FTGFOP1 SPL China. This is the tea I would serve to a Darjeeling novice seeking their first taste of the region’s notorious teas. It’s robust, rich in colour and, most importantly, has that classic note of muscatel. A quintessential Darjeeling.
