No other tea category is as difficult to explain to a new tea drinker as Pu'er. Too many tales have already populated pages and web pages. This is the de facto tea choice for some but loathed by others. Its taste is unlike those in any other tea category.
There are two major groups of tea under the Pu'er label: shu cha and shengcha. Some translate them as "cooked" Pu'er and "raw" Pu'er. We prefer to use the romanization of the original names for clarity of concepts.
Given the right quality, a shu cha Pu'er yields a deep burgundy infusion whose taste can be sweet and smooth with a soft, earthy character, while a sheng cha Pu'er can be crystal clear gold, with a body that is bright, sharp, and floral.
