ABx wrote:I know that Hou De's description said that getting it compressed into bricks or tuos isn't the traditional method of making it. I wonder if it really makes a difference? Maybe I'll just have to try some of the others just to see
It's true. It's traditionally packed into large baskets of 10-30kilos of tea each, compressing itself more over time. This style uses larger leaf than the tuo/bing/brick varieties, and is still produced. Supposedly, because the leaves are larger and mostly whole, because the compression not forced, and because of the nature of aging in larger volume, this kind of tea ages much better.
I've had 1960s and 1970s liu bao from baskets, and they're very tasty, but these new varieties haven't been aged yet, so who's to say just yet...
ABx wrote:Right now I've got my eye on Hou De's Liu An. It's a bit spendy, but it's quite a bit of tea.
I just bought one the other day. LOL. Now I have...2 aged liu an baskets, one fermented liu an basket, two young liu an baskets, and one fake liu an basket (Guangdong). Woohoo! I dunno that Hou De's is ready to drink yet. Sample first?
