This episode starts a two episode series featuring Liuan (Heicha) tea from Varat. The tea is still pretty young and has a complex profile that resembles both pu’erh and some oolong.
This episode starts a two episode series featuring Liuan (Heicha) tea from Varat. The tea is still pretty young and has a complex profile that resembles both pu’erh and some oolong.
4 responses to “2000s Sunyishun Liuan via Varat [Episode 269]”
Glad you enjoyed it. Liu An is a different category of tea altogether from puerh and its characteristics are uniquely its own. This is the youngest of the 3 Liu An teas from the sample pack. This tea is an early 2000s production, est. around the 2001-2003 mark. As both of you have noticed the characteristic of this adolescent tea still retains some roughness. The style of production from this modern era and age of the tea makes for an interesting and enlightening comparison to the more treasured older versions from 1970s and 1950s that are auctioned off for high sums in the Chinese market. Look forward to seeing you drink the older Liu An teas.
Best, Varat
Awesome! Thank you for the info – very helpful in understanding Liu An. It is still fermented in a very similar process to puer though, right?
The range and diversity within a fermentation is wide-ranging but will hold certain similarities. The parameters and interplay of heat, humidity, time, living culture are different in addition to the source of the tea leaves, An Hui. Liu An production also has changed significantly during the many decades that have passed. The very old versions were made with great care and skill. Unfortunately the old techniques and refinement for Liu An production appears to be a lost art judging from the new productions of Liu An today.
Thanks for the extra information Varat. Indeed it is, and having tasted through the set it’s a unique tea category. It befuddles me how all Heicha get grouped together when there is so much variety within it.
Cheers and thanks for the tea!
-James