Pu erh

Pu erh, also known as aged or vintage tea is a renowned tea produced exclusively in the Yunnan province of China. There are two main varieties: raw, non-fermented pu erh, called pu erh sheng, and ripe, fermented pu erh, known as pu erh shu.

The raw version has a very fresh, vegetal flavor with hints of bitterness and a sweet aftertaste, while the ripe one has a mild, yet distinctive and earthy flavor achieved by the fermentation process. For both varieties, the leaves can be left loose or compressed into brick tea (Juan Cha), cake tea (Beeng Cha), bell-shaped tea (Toa Cha), or mushroom-shaped tea (Maw Gu Toaw).

Pu erh can be stored for a very long period of time - in fact, with time the tea gets better, because both the scent and the flavors change, becoming more mellow and smooth. There are many health benefits attributed to drinking pu erh tea, ranging from feelings of well-being and weight loss to claims of cancer-prevention.