Taste of time- Red Water Oolong 品茗歲月-紅水烏龍

Time can change everything. Some teas, particularly green teas, are best finished within a year because they are the least oxidized tea and therefore the least stable. What happens to other teas as they age? The life of tea continues and may open another chapter.
 
In processing most of the tea types (green, oolong, black and puerh…), Kill-green/Shaqing/殺青” is an important step. Generally, tea leaves must be heated to 150F to denature the enzymes responsible for oxidation. The heat is achieved by pan-firing or steaming. However, the process is normally fast and not 100% effective. Some enzymes are left behind and responsible for post-production oxidation/fermentation. Over time (after decades), if provided with suitable temperatures and moisture, the leaves develop completely different profiles because of this chemical transformation. While puerh receive the most attention among aged tea, many other types of tea age well, too. However, this aging process won’t turn a poor-quality tea into a high-end specialty tea. A quality aged tea should have some of the following characteristics if not all.
1. The taste profile should be completely different from when it was new.
2. Unique flavors may develop that can be only derived with time. Ex. Plum or Ginseng tastes.
3. Increased number of steepings.
4. Smoother in both taste and energy.
5. Tastes become deeper and richer or multi-layered.
 
FGT has set up a unique tea journey for Tea Pals who want to learn the magic of time. The package includes 10g of 2017 Red Water Oolong and 10g of 1979 aged Red Water Oolong.