I am so glad that I discovered this tea by coincidence and could review it under this challenge. I was given a sample, and I only knew that it was a black tea from Guangdong. I thought that it could be Dan Cong black tea. Actually, I reviewed one in this challenge. However, it was not reminiscent of Dan Cong at all.
Firstly, this tea gave me everything I’d look for in a black tea: malty and fruity flavours without any astringency. Also, it had a floral aroma which is rare for black teas. I even got a starchy fragrance which disappeared shortly after. This definition may describe how impressive this tea was, but you need to try to see if you agree that it’s a top black tea.
When I find out that this tea was called Yinghong No. 9 and it comes from Yingde, in Qingyuan city of Guangdong province, I started to research it. I found that Yingde black teas are considered within the top 3 black teas from China alongside Dian Hong from Yunnan and Keemun from Anhui according to this resource.
According to what the seller tells me, this is an autumn tea. They have three picking seasons: spring, summer and autumn. While they acknowledge that the spring tea has a more prominent taste, the autumn teas they say are more refreshing and aromatic. The tea makers have been in business only for 10 years, but they sold out their spring teas from this year which indicates their success, and I’d love to try them when I can. Another interesting information about this tea is that it does not grow at high altitudes.
It is all about this superior black tea for now, but I have another tea to review from the same farmer. Stay tuned!
Tea profile:
Type: Black
Origin: Yingde, Qingyuan, Guangdong
Harvest time: Autumn 2020
Leaf colour: Tones of dark brown with some golden tips
Liquor colour: Dark amber
Tea Aroma: Floral and fruity
Tea taste: Subtle fruity sweetness and malt taste, with floral and starchy aromas
Steeping/brewing: Place 4g in 100ml of water at 90ºC for 10 seconds for the first infusion, with an additional 10 seconds for the 3 subsequent infusions.
Shelf life: 3 years