- A Taste of Old Hong Kong -
I have visited Hong Kong many times beginning from the early 2000s. As a historical trading hub that connects China to the West, tea remains one of the most important trading commodity that passes through this iconic port city. That said whilst there are many categories of tea available catering to a diverse range of taste, there is a deep local affection for ripe puerh tea. Ripe puerh is served everywhere and is the classic pairing to the local cuisine. This uniquely fermented tea offers a subtle character together with an underlying richness that pairs especially well with the oily and savory dishes in the region. Drinking tea alongside a meal helps to cut away grease and aid digestion. Places where you have a special connection to the owner will even serve you ripe puerh that is more aged than the standard offering.
I was excited to come across the 1990s Hong Kong Classic (Ripe) as the tea triggers many nostalgic memories. I have often noted to myself that old ripe puerh from HK taste different compared to those from elsewhere. In part I believe the traditional HK storage emphasizes a distinctive TCM character within ripe puerh accentuating herbal notes, old wood and medicinal root like ginseng. The more remarkable batches will even possess overlapping traits that exist in raw sheng that has undergone a heavy HK storage. The 1990s Hong Kong Classic is representative of this older style of ripe puerh tea - it is the taste of old Hong Kong.
Additional Note: It is important to keep in mind that not all ripe puerh sold in Hong Kong will have undergone traditional HK storage. In recent decades the increased demand and depletion of old stock means that young ripe puerh is being pushed out for consumption. Furthermore the rapid growth, development and heightened costs within the region means that the majority of warehousing have moved to China. The resulting tea from these Chinese storage locations do not have the same development and taste as the older HK stock. Thus we can only value and be appreciative of the dwindling stock that remains.
Close up
Standard practice for all ripe puerh is double rinse.
The potent herbal character within the brew is where this tea shines.