Pack of 5 x 100g, L: 2000 XG Pack R: 2005 XG Pack
The Xia Guan Tea Factory is the second most famous puerh tea producer in China. Founded in 1941, Xia Guan (XG) is most renowned for its bowl shaped “toucha”. The traditional XG toucha has a long history and a proven track record for ageing exceptionally well under long term storage. Different vintages that stretch back multiple decades have become highly sought after collectables that have greatly escalated in value. However with the passage of time change is inevitable and the new trend for young drinkable puerh tea means that the modern style* of XG toucha was born.
In this comparative series I wanted to take a closer look at the changes that have come upon the standard Xia Guan toucha. The 2000 toucha represents the traditional style of Xia Guan that I have grown accustomed to from the early years of my puerh tea venture. The 2005 version was my first encounter with the modern style of XG toucha and one that I have seen come to flood the market like a surging tsunami. The sudden and overwhelming change in puerh tea production to the modern style does raise some questions. Is it an evolution for the betterment of puerh tea? or perhaps, more a shrewd business operation that allowed the big players in the industry to exercise greater control and pursuit for profits? These are questions worth considering if you are a puerh tea enthusiast.
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*If you are interested to know where I stand on the subject of the "modern style" and be better aware of the change to puerh tea production and what it means for long term ageing ...
L: Traditional Style (2000 XG) R: Modern Style (2005 XG)
Natural Storage/Dry Leaf Aroma (2000): rich wood floral combined with a heavier age wood note, citrus, dark nuances
Natural Storage/Dry Leaf Aroma (2005): light green tea notes with woody accent, comparatively more subdued
Old classics of XG toucha
In Part 2 I will be conducting a side by side tasting of the 2 styles of XG toucha and share a more in depth impression on the characteristics of each tea and its age development.