Gui Zhou Hei Cha 19828G82 Harvest: May 1982
Origin: China / Sichuan / Ya'an
Height: 580-1800 m.a.s.l
Tea plant varietal: Wu Chuan Da Shu Cha
Very nice traditional Heicha using tea leaves from Sichuan province, but processed in Guizhou province. Pressed to a lump of 500g.The tea leaves undergo a microbial postfermenting stage in a hot and damp room, this process continues after pressing.Probably produced to export along the old caravan roads to Tibet, Xinjiang or Mongolia. This type of tea is also named Lu Bian Cha (Roadside Tea) or Zang Cha (Tibet Tea).
Character:
Marvellously old, woody, sweet, mellow, earthy, nice.
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.
