I have already reviewed a few Dian Hong teas, and I am a fan of them. Dian Hong refers to any black tea comes from Yunnan Province in China. All Dian Hong teas are made from the Feng Qing big leaf tea cultivar, a descendant of camellia sinensis var. assamica that grows in Yunnan.
Some of the teas I tried were buds only (completely golden, as the buds turn gold colour when oxidised) and in entirely golden colour. One may argue that full buds make the best tea. It is most of the time the most expensive tea as some teams require 100,000 buds or more for a kg of a tea. Some Dian Hongs have a lower bud ratio, but it does not mean they are the most flavourful. In my opinion, buds-only Dian Hong (aka golden tips) are characteristically sweet. This one, on the other hand, was slightly sweet and it was full-bodied with strong cocoa, fruity and malty notes. Rich and complex, that’s what I like in a black tea.
I was reading pairing notes from Wesley’s “The Art and Craft of Tea” book, and he recommends that full-bodied black teas like Dian Hong match with milk chocolate. I have not tried that, but I’d thought dark chocolate may also bring out the cocoa flavour in this tea.
Tea Profile:
Type: Black Origin: Yunnan
Harvest time: April 2019
Leaf colour: Dark brown with 50% golden tips Liquor colour: Dark amber Tea Aroma: Malty Tea taste: Slightly sweet with fruity and cocao notes Steeping: Place 5g of teal leaves in a gaiwan/teapot. Add 100 ml water at about 90°C. Steep for 5 seconds and rinse the liquid out. Steep for 15 seconds. To each consecutive infusion add 10 seconds. You can infuse up to 4 times or until the taste is lost.
Shelf life: 2 years