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Puer tea is a class that has undergone a period of "aging" in open air, from several months to many years. The exposure of the tea to microflora, humidity and oxygen in the air causes it to undergo oxidation through auto-oxidation,and fermentation possibly by some reactivated oxidative enzymes in the tea. This alters the smell of the tea and typically mellows its taste, turning previously astringent or bitter teas into products that are thick and unctous, with pleasant mouth-feels and aftertastes. Careful aging results in a most refined tea with apricot-like fragrance. Some things really do get better with age!