2016 Cang Mountain "7105 Golden Flowers" Liu Bao Tea

This is a small producer Liu Bao tea that was picked and processed in 2016 from Cang Mountain material (in the west of Wuzhou county).   The Liu Bao was wet piled and then inoculated with golden flowers (金华 eurotium cristatum aka aspergillus cristatum) in the final stage.  After wet piling the tea is steamed briefly to make it wet, inoculated, and then compressed by hand into the basket.  This light degree of compression allows the right environment for the golden flowers to flourish.

The taste of this tea is very clean and smooth, at the time of writing (April 2021) there was a very subtle wet pile taste still present but that will fade within the next year or two.  The tea was not wet stored and doesn't have mustiness at all, it's very clean and vibrant tea!  There is a betel nut and fruit character to it, as well as a mineral character (this ties in a bit with the betel nut taste).  

Very nice Liu Bao tea that is also very affordable!