Liu Bao Cha

This aged Liu Bao presents a rich tapestry of deep, earthy notes reminiscent of damp forest floor and old wood. Expect a comforting sweetness, often associated with betel nut, leading to a smooth, end. It leans earthy, mineral and sweet.

Water around 95–100 °C (203–212 °F). In a mug, steep 3–5 min. For gongfu, use 5–7 g per 100 ml, 10–20 s steeps (10–20+ rounds). You'll get to see how the flavor changes across multiple rounds. Rinse the leaves once with boiling water before your first real steep. It cleans off storage dust and gets the flavor going.

Grown in Guangxi, China. This batch is from the 2005 harvest.

Starts at $42.00 from Purple Cloud Tea House, or about $0.42/g. A 100g package gets you around 17 gongfu sessions at ~6 g each, which works out to about $2.52 per session. Explore more dark teas on Teadar.