Our Yunnan Gold Bud Supreme Dian Hong China black tea is grown in Feng Qing, Yunnan Province, China. From the Feng Qing large leaf cultivar of the Assamica varietal of Camellia sinensis, it produces an incredibly robust pure bud Yunnan black tea (called Dian Hong in China) that is delicately smooth and complex with a flavor that is at once sweet, brisk and flowery.
Perfect wilting, fermentation and hand-processing brings out a strong yet delicately smooth and complex flavor that is at once sweet, brisk and flowery. This is a remarkably refined tea with the characteristic Yunnan maltiness and a pleasant, slightly drying astringency without a trace of bitterness. Strong and full-bodied our Supreme Yunnan Gold Bud is particularly good in the morning. The underlying sweetness also pairs well in the afternoon with a slice of Madeira cake or a sticky piece of baklava.
The term “elegant” is not generally used to describe Yunnan black tea, however, our Supreme Yunnan Gold Bud is nothing less than elegant. Beautifully hand crafted, great care is taken in hand plucking only the newest shoots made up of one tender leaf and one pure bud. Perfect wilting and fermentation is followed by hand processing into long, slender, tightly rolled, needle-like leaves with a sharp point. It has all of the elements that define a Yunnan black tea and then some. The mouth-feel is nothing short of exquisite with a finish that is long, clean and sweet.
Ingredients: Artisan Black Tea
Origin: Yunnan Province, China
While Yunnan’s famous Puerh tea has been in production since the Tang Dynasty, over a thousand years ago, Yunnan Black Tea, called Dian Hong in China, first came into production in 1938. The first batch of approximately 2,500 kilos was sold to England via a Hong Kong trading company. (It is said to have been greatly prized by the royals.) However, shortly thereafter tea production came to a halt due to war with Japan and China’s civil war. It was not until 1987 that China’s tea production resumed, with Dian Hong accounting for approximately 20% of the total. Dian Hong translates literally as 'Yunnan Red. (Dian is another name for Yunnan Province). In China, black tea is referred to as “red' tea” because of the reddish brown color of infused liquor. The main difference between Yunnan Black Tea (Dian Hong) and most other Chinese black tea is the varietal—Camellia sinensis var. assamica rather than Camellia sinensis var. china—as well as its tightly rolled leaf and oily, blackish luster together with a profusion of fine leaf buds, or "golden tips." It can be easily identified by its luscious soft, downy leaves, and a unique malty, peppery, spicy taste. Dian Hong yields a robust ruby-red liquor and a unique fragrance and taste notes that are, quite honestly, unlike any other black tea in the world.
Premium Yunnan Black Tea (Dian Hong) is hand crafted in areas starting from the Feng Qing County to the south of Dali in Western Yunnan. This is a tea that can stand up to several infusions. To those who are unfamiliar with Yunnan Black Tea, we say it is similar in flavor to the tea from the Assam region in India. In fact, Yunnan province is located just north of Assam, India. Many tea experts speculate that this geographic proximity is the reason for Yunnan black tea's tippy character. Many tea experts and tea lovers think Yunnan Black Tea (Dian Hong) is arguably the most underrated Chinese tea.
Brewing Instructions
Many black teas coming out of China these days are best prepared gongfu style using a high leaf to water ratio (2 grams to 3 ounces water) and up to five short infusions starting at 30 seconds and increasing the amount of time with each infusion. However, it can also be prepared in the traditional British manner as follows:
Water Temperature: Boiling
Water Quality: Best with Spring Water
Amount of Leaf (per 6 fl oz water): 1 Tbl (3 grams)
Steep Time: 2-4 minutes
Number of Infusions: 2-3
We highly recommend brewing your tea in a teapot or mug with a removable infuser so that you can remove the leaves at the end of the steeping time. Whole leaf tea of this quality needs room to unfurl and expand in the water in order to perform its "magic." However, leaving the tea leaves in the water will result in an over-infused, bitter tea. If you want a stronger cup of tea increase the amount of leaf rather than the steeping time. If you don't have a removable infuser, you can brew the loose leaves directly in the pot. At the end of the steeping time, pour all of the tea into a warm serving pitcher or pot.
