The Guide to Puerh Tea: Tea Session - Old (Red Stamp) Fuzhuan Bricks

Opening of Old (Red Stamp) Fuzhuan Bricks

Tea truly is a wonder and when blessed with time … magic happens. Appearances can be deceiving and despite the leaf material appearing simple and coarse I find this to be seriously good age tea. I am a fan of old Fuzhuan and today’s opening and early tasting of both bricks has strengthened my appreciation. The aroma from both bricks is amazing. After being sealed for over a decade the concentrated aroma took over the whole room. The sweet and spicy scent of old Fu cha is distinctive and memorable. Drinking good age tea imparts a sense of well-being, comfort and relaxation and I certainly felt that with this tea session.

The 1980s Fuzhuan possesses a rich tobacco character that stirs the memories of my youth when I used to smoked cigars. Using water straight off the boil, the tea leaves would release a sweet and spicy bouquet of tobacco intermingled with dry chrysanthemum flowers, fragrant wood, incense, retired smoke/charcoal. Sipping the tea, the brew is sweet and mellowed, the flavors are so well integrated that initially it becomes hard to make out but in subsequent steeps as things open up much of what is identified in the aroma can also be recognized in taste. The tea drinks old and I feel like drinking history. It is a very different experience from modern Fu Cha. No doubt that within the span of four decades much has happened and change, I can’t help but think that there have been significant changes in production much like what has taken place with puerh tea. The 1970s Fuzhuan by comparison displays significant differences whilst possessing enough similar traits to substantiate the connection between the 2 teas. As can be expected the age characteristic is more developed, imposing a greater maturity. The aroma presents an air of old perfumes that is reminiscent of traditional attars. The wood note is at the fore, offering a scent that is aged and captivating. Within the scent trail there are notes of incense, age resins, TCM, together with a powdery touch that coincidentally also exists in old perfumes, all subtly layered and interwoven. Sipping the tea the cooling sensation is penetrating, the richness and depth in the brew evident of a good tea base. That said, I noted that the early experience with both teas felt slightly muted. This can happen when an age tea that has been sealed for many years is newly opened. The issue usually resolves itself after a period of time once the tea is fully awakened. The ambience of both teas, in particular the 1970s Fuzhuan provides an old vibe yet there is a sense of what I would term “brightness” in both teas. The sweet and pure quality of the brew heightens the activeness and subtle nuances and complexity within the character of the tea. It is a special quality to have in an old tea and worth looking out for when brewing these old Fuzhuan bricks.