Aged oolong from the Lu Gu farm.
The best raw materials of the year are used to make Lao Cha Wan, and the harvest time is chosen so that the leaves are neither too old nor too tender. A small amount of the best oolong of the year is set aside for storage and ageing and is heated repeatedly. It is then poured into large stone or clay vessels and covered with thick paper to absorb moisture. Every two to three years, the tea is checked and carefully roasted to remove excess moisture and preserve the aroma. Over the years, the degree of roasting increases, the tea becomes deeper and stronger, and is filled with new shades of aroma.
The natural ageing process takes about three years, as a result of which the tea loses its fresh appearance and aroma. After at least three years of storage, the tea begins to acquire a special softness characteristic of aged oolongs. Experts determine the age of six to eight years as the minimum for the maturity of Lao Cha Wan.
The oolong is medium-sized, spherical, black in colour with small brown stems. When warmed by breathing, the aroma of baked milk with cooled charcoal from a fire can be detected. When water is added, the aroma becomes significantly richer. There are notes of chocolate, tobacco, coffee, cream, and caramel, and if you use tea pairs, the aroma spectrum becomes even wider. The infusion is cognac-coloured. The taste is soft and lingering, enveloping the mouth with a long creamy coffee aftertaste with hints of expensive cigars, cognac, and spices.
With each new pour, new flavour facets are revealed. The sweetness of chocolate, nutmeg, pastries, caramel, cream, a hint of vanilla and nuts comes to the fore. Behind it is the soft and pleasant bitterness of tobacco, charcoal, coriander and smoke. You can also detect a slight metallic saltiness and a hint of bay leaf sourness.
The tea relaxes the body and clears the mind of unnecessary thoughts, filling it with a pleasant feeling of harmony, allowing you to look inside yourself and concentrate on what is important. A meditative tea for the afternoon.