Aged tea is the outcome of ageing different types of tea for varying number of years. Traditionally, aged tea was easy to find, with cost varying based on age. However, thanks in part to a lot of interest in the recent past, not only are aged teas harder to find, but they are more expensive than ever due to the scarcity.
One thing to remember before you buy Antique tea, it that it can be as old as 40 years or as young as five. In Asia, aged tea is considered your if it is less than five years old, although that does vary on the tea. Please note that aged tea should not be confused with old tea. Old tea is just tea that is too old, while aged tea goes through an ageing process which usually involves fermentation as part of the process.
People age tea because of the future potential of the tea along with qualities of the tea when it is young. It is a longer process that mirrors that of wine. Where vineyards will select batches of young wines that they know will age well and become much finer wines as they age.
Generation Tea says that Oolong and Pu-erh teas are some of the most popular aged teas. You will also find aged black tea, though these are not as popular as the above. Aged black teas are full leaf black teas from provinces like the Yunnan in China and do not apply to local loose leaf black tea’s you find in a supermarket.
Aged tea can be a wonderful experience, increasing the flavor and potential of a young tea to new heights.