How to Identify Good Puerh Tea - Zhi Zheng Tea Shop

„Tea that is picked in the summer, often referred to as Yu Shui Cha, is not of high quality. In the rainy season, levels of sunshine are comparatively low so it is often not possible to sun dry tea so a wood stove is used to dry it. This can produce a smokey aroma and flavour. With time it will abate, but not considerably, so any smokey tea that one has not witnessed being made is probably best put to one side.“

„The recently developed Wo Dui process (渥堆) pioneered by both the Menghai and Kunming Tea Factories has created a new type of pu-erh tea of which some traditionalists dispute the legitimacy. This process involves an accelerated fermentation into "ripe" Shou Cha (熟茶) which is then sold loose or pressed in various shapes.“