2015 Ginseng Aroma Golden Flower Liu Bao Dark Tea

This Ginseng Aroma Golden Flower Liu Bao originates from Cangwu County, Guangxi Province, and is made from first-grade Cangwu Quntizhong (heirloom population cultivar) material, aged beginning in 2015. The tea was produced using modern Liu Bao processing, combined with cold-water pile fermentation, and then stored under dry-storage conditions in a clean, ventilated, light-avoiding environment.

During long-term aging, the tea naturally developed a distinctive ginseng-like aroma similar to American ginseng, alongside a characteristic fungal sweetness. In some pieces, one may observe golden or pale-yellow granular specks, commonly referred to as “golden flowers.” In Liu Bao, these “golden flowers” indicate the presence of beneficial Eurotium species. Their enzymatic activity during aging contributes to smoother texture, deeper sweetness, and a more rounded aged profile. Among dark-tea drinkers, this mushroom-like sweetness is widely regarded as a marker of well-executed aging and positive microbial transformation.

The dry leaf is tightly bound, dark brown-black with an oily sheen. The liquor is deep red and bright. Aromatically, it is clean and persistent, combining aged wood tones, ginseng sweetness, and gentle mushroom-like nuances. The palate is rounded, smooth, and softly sweet, with a steady aged resonance and long-lasting huigan. The leaf base is dark brown, evenly structured, tender, and supple.