L: 2000 Xia Guan Toucha, R: 2005 Xia Guan Toucha
Over the past few decades the puerh tea industry has sky rocketed in growth. Much of that recent growth has been fueled by the new controversial trend surrounding “modern style puerh tea” alongside the popularity for “dry/natural storage”. Both have added excitement and a new layer of intrigue to the world of puerh tea. In this regard the comparative tasting of the traditional and modern style of puerh tea under natural storage becomes all the more compelling. This is especially so with the selection of these semi-age teas and the insight that can be gained from assessing the age development from both styles of puerh tea.
2000 Xia Guan
2005 Xia Guan
I love engaging in the comparatively tasting of teas and pursuing the clarity that it brings. However it should be mentioned that the nature of drinking teas side by side can create an unforgiving environment. A tea with better qualities will shine and become all the more appreciated but an inferior tea will have its weaknesses exposed all the more harshly. Comparatively tasting both the 2000 XG and 2005 XG touchas left a very clear impression in my mind. The 2 teas and their different styles of production reveal two very different journeys.
I found the character of the modern style 2005 XG to be quite muddled. There are traits of puerh, green tea and oolong all combined into one, presented under a worn and run down theme. I am picking up on strange/off notes within the green tones of the 2005 XG. Comparing the performance of the 2 teas made me think that the 2005 XG was unraveling and coming apart at the seams. The staleness and off notes became more pronounced as the steeps progressed. There is a haunting dull emptiness within the tea’s character. In my opinion age has amplified the flaws in the 2005 XG. By comparison the old school production of 2000 XG is pleasingly rich and vibrant. The floral wood and orange citrus notes tickled my senses. Both teas possess astringency and bitterness, enough so that the early steeps should not be left for too long. The roughness in each tea has progressed in opposite directions. Having drunk both teas when they were younger I will say that the 2000 XG has improved whilst the 2005 XG is considerably worse off. As a tea drinker I found the performance of the 2005 XG to be lackluster and disappointing. However as a tea collector, the experience provides a valuable study towards better understanding the maturation of puerh tea and elevating my own collection going forward. The 2000 XG impressed me on both counts. Despite the tight compression and slow aging under natural storage conditions I enjoyed the vibrant aged nuances and the potency held in the leaves. The 2000 XG toucha is one to watch.