Autumn, 2017; var. laochuan; Ya’an, Mendingshan, Sichuan; bud and 4-5 leaves; protected, “UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage,” fermented Hei Cha tea process, moderate pressure tea brick formation; 800m; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá.

Infusion: 5g in 200ml, percolated for 3-4 cycles;
Dry Leaf Aroma: aromatic, earthy, woody, syrupy, dried plums and dates;
Wet Leaf Aroma: mildly musty, damp, like a forest floor;
Liquor: deep ruby red with almost no perceptable aroma, very faintly “damp;”
Mouthfeel: viscous, mildly tannic and peppery, with a almost buttery-sweet finish;
Taste: delicate, neutral, “tea” like, wet wood and tobacco, with a lingering minerality;

Opinion: #TibetanTea is a post-fermented tea, or #HeiCha style tea. It originates from Ya’an, in Sichuan province. This style of tea was pressed into bricks and traded along the “Horse and Tea Road” throughout the Tibetan Region. The history of tea in this area goes back over 1300 years, giving rise to the claim that Ya’an is the origin source for “black” tea.