The tea garden is home to a particularly large number of old tea trees, and new plants are propagated from its own cuttings.
To make Liu Bao, the freshly harvested leaves are first spread out on flat bamboo trays and left to air-dry. They then undergo shā qīng, a heating process also used in the production of many other Chinese teas, which halts further oxidation. Rotating ovens keep the leaves in constant motion, ensuring that they are heated evenly. The leaves are then rolled to give them their characteristic shape and dried. At this stage, the tea is essentially still a green tea.
What follows is the defining stage in Liu Bao production, transforming the leaves into a post-fermented Hei Cha. During a process known as wo dui, the leaves are piled and moistened with water. Depending on the ambient temperature, the piles may also be covered with cloth to create a particularly warm and humid environment. The leaves are left to ferment under these conditions for around twelve hours, during which they undergo a striking transformation, becoming noticeably darker and softer.
Once fermentation is complete, the leaves are heated before being repeatedly compressed and loosened again. The tea is then traditionally packed into bamboo baskets, where it is left to mature. Bamboo has a long history in China as a material for storing tea: it keeps the leaves closely packed together, encouraging even maturation, while still allowing the air circulation essential to the ageing process. Bamboo is also traditionally used in the storage and packaging of Pu Erh tea.
Liu Bao is generally not released for sale until it has been aged for at least a year, allowing its characteristic flavour profile to develop. With longer maturation – as in the case of this Liu Bao – the tea gains further depth, richness and intensity.
Another distinguishing feature of this particular Liu Bao is the farm itself, which has a documented commitment to cultivating its tea without chemical pesticides. This remains relatively unusual among Liu Bao producers today, many of whom use synthetic crop-protection products in their tea gardens.
