Shu Puer "Longevity", Nanjiang County, Yang Mian Village, 50 years, 2016

Sweet and sour profile with a wide range of aromas. Spicy herbs, fresh milk, chocolate, nuts — it’s all there. The taste unfolds gradually. The first steeps are mostly spicy — notes of black pepper, lovage, and cilantro. The next steep reveals the astringent sourness of quince. And then the shu becomes sweeter and sweeter, preserving the previous organic nuances. The aftertaste is reminiscent of cane sugar. After a couple of minutes, salt and woody accents are felt.

Taoist tea lives up to its name. The taste combines sweetness, bitterness, sourness, salt and viscosity. Thanks to this, the energies in the body are balanced, which leads to health. And it is perceived more as a useful elixir, and not just tea for pleasure. Not everyone will like it, but it does not count on it. It is good to drink it pointwise, as a restorative after an illness, with a hangover or severe emotional states.