The key to understanding a Pu-erh tea is to determine and understand its age. A Pu-erh tea’s entire value and identity are wrapped up in its age, so as the tea grows older, it’s flavor grows more mellow and complex. Like a wise elder, a finely aged Pu-erh tea holds many years of knowledge and secrets. Drinking Pu-erh, then, is like reading from a page of history, or listening to a story passed down through the generations.
Drinking this ancient tea, then, is like opening a portal in time. As you drink, you consider what came before; the ancient tea tree, the leaves blowing in the timeless wind, the hands that picked the tea. In this way, you cultivate a connection to the past. Similarly, looking at that Pu-erh tea cake on your shelf is not unlike gazing into the future. It causes you to consider not only what the tea will taste like many years from now, but how you will have changed in that time while you wait for the right time to enjoy the tea.
A cup of Pu-erh is both a mirror aimed at the past and a window open towards the future. Perhaps most importantly, though, Pu-erh is perfect for enjoying the present. As you quietly sip the tea and enjoy its aroma, the past, present, and future will all dissolve together into one blissful experience.
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