A Living Antique

Hard to say what is the best way to age oolongs. I have tried some 5 year, 10 year, 30 year, and 40 year old oolong on this trip, re-fired once every 10 years. Taken out too often means not enough fermentation, and it has to be very tightly sealed, the farmer explained to me. Some other farmers would fire them once every two years, some multiple times per year. Tea is a living culture; innovations and unorthodox and experimental methods abound, and we may never live long enough to taste every single unique tea from every esoteric farmer. In any case, I guess I stand corrected; an oolong older than 20 years survived and did not pulverized. Less murky than Pu-Erh, slightly less earthy, nonetheless, only one word can describe its taste: CHEN, meaning antique. The feel of a living antique.

Mr. Lee has one that was around 30 years old that he gave me a small bag of, while his wife eyed him and smilingly said, that tea has been in the family since the time I married into it! That puts it around 30 years. Mr. Lee couldn't stop giving examples of medicinal uses. We are good friends, he said to me, and I would give you the rest of this 3 kgs that I have left, but I have 5 kids, and anytime they are sick, I need to feed them some. For example, one time his son had food poisoning and vomiting, after a couple cups of the aged Baochong, he was cured. Another farm hand had a horrible cold, and lost his voice. Mr. Lee stingily gave him his 5 year aged Baochong, and he was immediately cured. Well, said Mr. Lee, he only had a cold! the five year Baochong was good enough. So, asked I, could I pilfer a few lbs from you? Teance customers, beware. I am coming back with some very medicinal aged Baochong, stuff the farmers depend on for their children's lives!