Shengcha, ‘raw tea’ or literally ‘living tea’ is Pu Er of the classic kind. After withering, the tea leaves are briefly heated, then moulded and sun-dried; simpler teas are often also hot-air dried. This so-called Mao Cha, ‘unfinished tea’, is either pressed into various forms or sold or stored as Sancha, ‘loose tea’. The flavour of old shengcha differs greatly from that of young shengcha. When young, they are stormy: tart, on the other hand extremely soft and sweet. With increasing age, they become more mature: the tartness turns into sharpness and then gives way to incredible moist, earthy flavours. The sweetness remains discreetly in the background.
