Chuan Zi Lao Qing Zhuan 19928C92 Harvest: September 1992
Origin: China / Hubei / Chibi
Height: 500 m.a.s.l
Tea plant varietal: E Nan Shan Qu Qing Mao Cha
A rare classical heicha, one of the oldest ways of tea manufacturing. Normally pressed into rather big bricks. The tea leaves undergo an accelerated microbial postfermenting stage in a hot and damp room, this proces continues more slowly after pressing. Chuan Zi Lao Qing Zhuan was and is exportet to Mongolian tribes, which use it for their salted milk tea. Like Fucha, Chuan Zi Lao Qing Zhuan is quite a primordial tea with unexpected aromas, but smooth and sweet. Some similarity with Pu Er is there, but still Fucha is quite different and distinct.
Character:
Chuan Zi Lao Qing Zhuan is, just like Fu Cha, an earthy, primordial tea with unexpected, unknown tastes, but very mellow and sweet.
Category:
Heicha Other Heicha, i.e. post-fermented teas that are not Pu Er, are produced in various provinces, and most of them are unknown even among tea connoisseurs. Heicha from the provinces of Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and Anhui belong to the very rare and unknown traditional Heicha, which go through an artificial process of post-fermentation (Rengong Houfajiao), induced by human influence, but for shorter time than for the new Pu Er Shu Cha. They are produced in different variations, but they are not as clearly differentiated as Pu Er Sheng Cha and Pu Er Shu Cha. These Heicha are lighter in colour in the cup, and very unusual and archaic to the palate. They are often pressed into very large bricks or pieces. Just as Pu Er, they keep fermenting during the whole time of stocking. Heicha are generally speaking very distinct in taste, difficult and complex, sometimes beautifully sweet, though, and in any case extremely interesting.
Storage:
This tea has been fermented microbially during years of storage and keeps maturing over time, gaining depth, sweetness and earthy aromas.
