In July of 2014, Guangzhou police received a report which claimed that a man's Dayi tea... stored in his warehouse was switched with an identical amount of fake teas. The police in Liwan district paid attention to this report and formed a special investigation group to investigate further. After interviewing people regarding the inventory and checking the video monitors , the police found the criminal who switched the tea (named Lin), was a former worker in the warehouse who was previously dismissed. After interrogating Lin, he admitted his crime and also told the police the source of the fake teas. The police started a long-term investigation aiming to obtain enough evidence to capture all of the criminals involved at one time. (translated from Chinese from this police report)One of the interesting facts about this case is that the cakes were being made with non-Puerh tea from Hunan province, which was purchased by the criminals for "between 6-10 RMB per 500g" or what is the equivalent of around $1 per cake. The low price point of the fake tea certainly sheds some light on what kind of profit margins are out there as an incentive for tea forgers, especially when many new Dayi plantation cakes can easily exceed $40 per cake. Keep this in mind next time there is a too good to be true price tag on a brand name cake! Even more disconcerting than the profits is that their initial target in Fangcun market was not a lone wolf.
After checking the main suspicious tea shop, the police found there are many suspicious tea shops in Fangcun market involved in selling fake registered brand teas, and they began an investigation to target the supplier (translated from Chinese from this police report)
This story should be a word of caution for visitors to Chinese tea markets like Maliandao in Beijing or Fangcun in Guangzhou. Just because a teashop has a stall at a major tea market does not necessarily mean the consumer can let their guard down. Instances of fake Puerh tea are common in the modern Puerh marketplace and it is safe to assume this is not an isolated incident, but a symptom of a much greater problem.
We are currently on a break for Chinese New Year, giving some well earned rest and family celebration to the dedicated postal workers of China. We will be on break until February 22nd. If you order during the break, we will ship as soon as we can when postal service resumes.
Happy year of the dragon!
Discover the most energizing, stimulating teas for focus, including raw and ripe Puer and black, white, and green tea, with recommendations and helpful tips.
If you’re considering tea for an energy boost, then you’re already making a very good choice. The right tea can be an excellent way to invigorate the mind and body. But before we jump into our review of the best energizing teas, a word of fair warning: we’re not going to spend a lot of time talking about tea chemistry in this article.
Oolong or wulong is a broad category of teas, in the spectrum between green and black tea, that originate in China. What sets oolong apart is that it can be processed with various different oxidation and roasting levels. The unique variations in the process to produce oolong create a wide array of flavors and sensations. Oolong can taste fresh, green, floral, fruity, roasted, woody, nutty, or honey-sweet, so this is a type of tea that can appeal to virtually all taste buds. Different tea plant varietals, seasons, styles, and regional terroir also influence flavor.