Aged Liu Bao basket tasting

an evening with aged liu bao

As dusk settles over Saint Petersburg on the evening of 21 November, a small group gathers around a single table in our studio. The air carries the dry, slightly woody scent of old bamboo — the first hint of what awaits. Amgalan Chin, a cross-regional specialist who has spent years working with dark teas from across China, welcomes everyone and introduces the session’s quiet agenda: three baskets of Liù Bǎo (六堡), each a different age, each a different voice from Guangxi’s deep tea tradition.

We begin with the youngest, a 2012 basket that opens with bright, earthy notes and a gentle astringency. Brewed gong fu style in porcelain gaiwans, the liquor reveals a coppery amber hue and a warm, rice-like sweetness. Amgalan explains how Liù Bǎo’s post-fermentation continues inside the basket, fed by ambient humidity and the slow breath of the bamboo weave. You taste the youth — lively, assertive — and start to build a mental map for what aging brings.

Next comes the 2005 basket. Fourteen years of resting in the basket have transformed the leaves. The liquor deepens to mahogany, and the first sip shows a mellow, rounded body — notes of dried jujube, old wood, and a faint medicinal cooling sensation. The group falls silent as each person sits with the finish. Amgalan invites them to compare the texture: the 2012’s brisk edge has given way to a silken, almost creamy mouthfeel.

After a short pause for fermented vegetables, rice crackers and still water — simple foods that cleanse the palate — we move to the 1998 basket. By now, the tea has been aging for nearly three decades. The dry leaf smells of dark soil and aged paper. The first infusion is almost black; the taste unfolds slowly, layer after layer: camphor, old leather, a distant hint of stone fruit. There is no astringency left, only length and a calming qi that settles deep in the chest. Amgalan shares stories of the basket’s origins and what makes Guangxi’s humid climate so ideal for this form of aging.

The evening closes with an open conversation. People ask about storage at home, about the difference between basket aging and piling (wò duī 渥堆), about how to find older baskets today. Before leaving, each person receives three labeled sample envelopes — one from each basket — so the tasting can continue at home, perhaps a week later when the memory has mellowed.

Members of tea.community can book with a €12 discount, and after the event, those who want to go deeper can explore the science of dark tea fermentation through self-paced courses at tea.school.

What you get

• a guided tasting of three aged Liù Bǎo baskets: 1998, 2005, 2012

• three take-home sample envelopes (approx. 7 g each) labeled with origin and year

• light fermented tea snacks and still water throughout the evening

• a printed tasting journal with fields for each tea — keep your notes

• a one-week discount code for any Liù Bǎo purchase at shop.thetea.app

• a €12 discount for members of tea.community (log in to access the member rate)

• extend your learning with dark tea courses at tea.school after the tasting

the practical details

• location — Teamotea Saint Petersburg studio, Nevsky Prospekt 48, entrance B (ground floor). Map & directions will be emailed upon booking.

• dress — Come as you are; avoid strong perfumes or scented products so we can all appreciate the tea’s subtle aromas.

• food — Light bites provided: fermented vegetables, rice crackers, still and sparkling water. If you have dietary restrictions, please inform us when booking.

• accessibility — The studio is step‑free on the ground floor. Wheelchair‑accessible restroom available. Contact us if you need any additional support.

• language — The tasting is conducted in English with Russian translation available upon request. Please note the preference in your booking.

• kit included — All teaware is provided — gaiwan, fairness pitcher, tasting cups. You only need an open palate.

• weather note — Late November in Saint Petersburg brings temperatures around −2°C to +2°C with possible snow. Dress warmly for the journey; the studio is heated.