Yuan Du Liu Bao (2000s)

Stored in Malaysia for the past 10 years, this double-steamed liu bao tea is the perfect blend of quality and value to make it a reliable tea for daily drinking.

This original liu bao tea was processed in the traditional way from the pre-war era. The leaf is brownish-black in colour and the liquor is a bright, rich red with a mellow flavour and a sweet aftertaste. It has an aged, mellow aroma with a betel nut fragrance. It displays a characteristic pleasant freshness in the mouth, with a pure, sweet flavour.

The kill-green processing step for this tea was carried out in the traditional manner, which involves pan-firing the leaf in an iron wok. Then the tea leaf was sealed up for a day or overnight, making use of the natural moisture left in the leaf after rolling to lightly oxidise the tea.

After this, the leaf was dried over a special type of bamboo tea-baking apparatus called a “Seven Star Stove.” The tea farmers would then store the dried liu bao tea in a place where it was protected from moisture, such as on wooden boards in a loft, or hanging above the hearth.

This tea is double-steamed. This is an extra refining step in the liu bao tea-making process, which involves steaming the dried liu bao maocha to heat it and add moisture, then sealing it up in baskets for a certain period. This advances the oxidation in the tea, making for a mellower flavour.