Marlene 3/2/06

> "Unlike other varieties of tea, Pu-Erh Tea is traditionally made with older
> leaves (not the first flush or budding leaves) from tall and old trees.

Risking that others have already said this, I am tasting some
*extraordinary* young green Pu'erh, with what some believe has excellent
aging potential, composed of the bud plus three leaves from big leaf wild
old Pu'erh trees.

> These trees are of a type only found in Yunnan Province, known as broad leaf
> tea. The leaves are covered with fine hairs, are larger than other tea
> leaves, and have a different chemical composition. The leaves are then left
> green or moderately fermented before being dried. Often times the tea is
> then formed into cakes or bricks, wrapped in paper or pomello rinds, and
> stored outside exposed to moisture, air, and heat for order to further
> mature. Then the tea is stored underground for several years before taking
> on the darker, mellower characteristics that make Pu'erh tea.

I'd fear underground stored Pu'erh. Most storage of excellent Pu'erh is most
likely done in climate controlled buildings. Caves are good.

>This type of
> tea originated from the natural aging process that happened along the
> ancient caravan routes, and the tea bricks were at times used as a form of
> currency. The tea bricks developed a unique flavor that was then refined by
> aficionados. One of the most expensive and rare Pu'erh teas is made from the
> droppings of worms that eat stored Pu'erh bricks."
>
> http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Pu-erh_tea
>
> Well, is it true? I don't see worm dropping puerh actually brewing into tea,
> just sludge...

I tasted one recently. It didn't taste bad, but it's not my cup of tea. The
taste itself is somewhat sludgy, as Marlene suggests. That's my opinion and
experience.

As for the rest of my contributions to this thread, they are but my opinions
as well.

Michael