Pu-erh

Pu-erh is a fermented tea from Yunnan province, sold either loose or pressed into cakes, and split broadly into raw sheng, which ages slowly and can taste sharp when young, and ripe shou, which goes through a quicker fermentation and tastes smoother and earthier right away.

What sets pu-erh apart from oolong or black tea is that microbial fermentation, not just oxidation, continues to change the leaf over time, which is why some drinkers store cakes for years and track how the flavor shifts as it ages.

When buying, decide whether you want a compressed cake, which needs to be broken apart with a pick before brewing, or loose pu-erh, which is simpler for daily use straight out of the bag. A common mistake is skipping the quick rinse many pu-erh drinkers use to wake up compressed leaf, or brewing it too weak, since pu-erh generally rewards a fuller dose of leaf than a typical black tea would need for the same size pot.