Exploring Pu-erh Tea: 3 Essential Things To Know 

By Abigail StClair

If Darjeeling teas are thought to be the Champagne of the tea world, then Pu-erhs are undoubtedly the whiskey.  Both Pu-erh and whiskey are known for their dark, earthy and often peaty flavor profiles that give way to a subtle sweetness in the finish with notes of caramel or vanilla.  Both are fermented and aged, sometimes for decades.  And both share a strong propensity to attract ardent devotees.  Much like whiskey, Pu-erh can be an acquired taste, but once acquired, it takes hold with a tenacity that has earned it a global cult following.  Whether you are new to Pu-erhs or a devoted daily drinker, here are a few essential things to know about the tea industry’s most fabled brew.

1. There are two types of Pu-erh Teas:

Pu-erh (pronounced poo-err) is a unique category of tea from Yunnan province, China specifically processed to encourage oxidation and mocrobial fermentation. Within that category, there are two distinct types: Sheng (raw) and Shou (ripe or cooked). Each has distinct characteristics, processing methods, and flavor profiles.

Sheng Pu-erh is considered the more traditional form of Puerh tea. Made from fresh tea leaves that have been first withered to reduce the moisture content and then heated to inhibit most, but not all, oxidation—the leaves will then undergo a natural aging process.  This aging process is crucial for Sheng Puerh and is carefully designed to encourage microbial fermentation, slowly enhancing the tea’s flavor over time. Though sometimes left loose, Sheng Pu-erh is more often pressed into cakes prior to aging to make them easier to transport and to store. These cakes are then stored in carefully controlled conditions to optimize the aging process, sometimes for decades. Over the years, it can transform dramatically, with some tea enthusiasts collecting and aging specific cakes nearly half a century.  Like whiskey or wine, Sheng Puerh is often marketed and sold according to the year in which it was first produced, also known as its vintage.

Sheng Puerh is typically greenish in color with a bright, grassy aroma. The taste is complex, often featuring floral notes and a vibrant, slightly astringent quality. As it ages, Sheng can develop deeper, mellower flavors, often described as earthy or woody. The thrill of tasting an aged Sheng Puerh is similar to savoring a premium single malt Scotch, where time only enhances its character.

Shou Pu-erh, on the other hand, is a more modern creation, developed in the 1970s to mimic the aged flavors of Sheng but in a much shorter time frame. This process, known as "wo dui," (or “wet piling”) involves piling damp tea leaves in a controlled environment to accelerate fermentation in as little as two months.  As a result of this rapid fermentation process, Shou Pu-erh has a darker appearance and a rich, earthy aroma.

The flavor profile of Shou is generally smoother and more robust than that of Sheng. It often features deep, rich notes of chocolate, earth, and even a hint of sweetness. Shou Pu-erh is ideal for those new to Pu-erh, as its approachable taste can be less intimidating than the sometimes sharp flavors of young Sheng.

2. Pu-Erh Teas Have a Storied History

Pu-erh tea has been a significant part of Chinese culture and trade for over a millennium. Its roots can be traced back to the early Tang dynasty (618-907 AD), when it was first produced in Yunnan, China around the ancient town of Pu-erh (now Puer), after which the tea is named. Pressed into cakes for easy transport and trade, the tea was carried on the backs of mules into Tibet to exchange for war horses.  Along the long, arduous journey that often took nine to twelve months, humid conditions activated microbes in the air to act upon the tea leaves and begin a slow and continuous fermentation process.  Believed to aid digestion and promote overall health, tea from Pu-erh was originally consumed for its medicinal properties, but also became popular for the sweet, mellow character it developed over the course of its journey along what is now called the Tea Horse Road.  Over the centuries, tea makers in this region honed and perfected the artisanal process that is still utilized today to intentionally age and ferment Sheng Pu-erh.

Traditional Pu-erh cultivation and processing thrived up until the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, when socialist reforms forced many tea farmers to abandon artisanal and traditional methods in favor of mass cultivation techniques.  With a few exceptions, Pu-erh tea all but disappeared from the market until the liberalization and re-opening of China in the 1990s brought about renewed interest.  All of a sudden, Pu-erh became extremely fashionable and sought after, driving prices through the roof and creating new markets all over the world.  People began investing in Pu-Erh tea and collectors flooded the area attempting to gain access to the market in direct trade.  Traditional tea farmers in remote Yunnan villages suddenly became millionaires, dramatically changing the landscape and culture of the area.  Average prices soared upwards of hundreds of dollars a kilo before the bubble burst in 2007, mostly due to a massive influx of counterfeit Pu-erh destroying confidence in the market.  A crack-down on counterfeiting that included legislation to define and limit Pu-erh tea production helped to stabilize the market and Pu-erh prices are soaring once again.  It is not uncommon to encounter vintages of Sheng Pu-erh that sell for thousands of dollars a kilogram.  On a visit to China in 2017 I was invited by a well-known tea master to enjoy Pu-erh from his private collection that would have fetched close to $10,000 per kilo on the open market.  It lived up to every bit of the hype and the experience reignited my passion for Pu-erh.  Teas like that rarely leave China and represent rare opportunities to appreciate the complexity and the exhilarating energy flow of the world’s most prized Pu-erhs.

3. Not all aged or fermented teas are called Pu-erhs.

Due to a 2008 ruling, Pu-erh tea is now considered by the Chinese government to be a product with “geographical indication status,” meaning the term Pu-erh can only be used for teas that meet certain geographic and technical specifications.  There are 11 prefectures within the province of Yunnan that qualify as Pu-erh producing districts and any tea grown or processed outside of this area cannot be labelled as Pu-erh. True Pu-erh must also be made from the Da Ye broad-leafed variety of the tea plant and must be processed according to traditionally accepted practices.  Any aged or fermented teas that do not meet these specifications are simply called “Dark Teas”, the broader category that encompasses Pu-erhs.  Just as all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne: the same is true of Pu-erhs and Dark Teas.  All Pu-erhs are Dark teas, but not all Dark teas are Pu-erhs.