Hunan Anhua is the birthplace of Black Tea. The quality of black Tea depends on the raw materials used. Many people believe that the younger the leaves, the better the tea, but in fact, older teas have their own unique characteristics. Anhua boasts a superior natural ecological environment and a rich diversity of flora and fauna. The unique natural ecological environment of Anhua and the Anhua Yuntai Mountain large-leaf tea variety grown in this environment are key factors contributing to the distinctive quality of Anhua black tea.

The maturity of the raw materials is not the only criterion for measuring the quality of tea. In daily life, those who enjoy strong flavors do not focus on the tenderness of the tea; instead, they prefer teas with a certain degree of maturity because these teas have a stronger taste and aroma, which is considered “mature tea.” If teas with higher maturity are not processed through special methods, they can be bitter and astringent with a coarse and aged flavor. The ancients of Anhua discovered by chance that the tea that had turned black through wet-piling had a mellow taste and a darker infusion, making it more suitable for drinking. They then standardized this process, leading to the creation of a new category of tea: black tea. Through processes such as wet-piling fermentation and high-temperature drying, Anhua black tea achieves an effect of “eliminating the rough and retaining the essence, discarding the false and preserving the true.”

Historically, Anhua black tea products were initially made from relatively tender buds and leaves because at that time, the tea-drinking customs in the northwest were limited to the upper classes, and there were fewer tea drinkers. “Tribute tea” and “bud tea” could satisfy the needs of this group. Under such prominent supply and demand contradictions, coarser and older leaves were used “to meet the numbers,” and over time, the common people in the northwest regions accepted this product form, which they continue to consume today. These coarser teas, after steaming and pressing and undergoing moist heat during long-distance transportation, exhibit the quality characteristics of “not bitter or astringent, red and concentrated infusion, mellow taste,” and due to their low price, they quickly became “indispensable.”

TIP 1: Observe the Appearance and Color

If you are looking at high-quality black tea, pay attention to its appearance and color. Its twisted strands resemble mudskipper-shaped, with a blackish-brown hue and uniform color. Low-quality black tea may display other colors like red, brown, or mixed hues. Additionally, observe the integrity, suppleness, and color of the infused leaves.

TIP 2: Taste the Infusion and Smell the Aroma

High-quality black tea has good durability when steeped, producing a bright orange-yellow infusion. Older black teas have a deeper infusion, tending towards brown-red. Low-quality black tea results in a murky infusion with impurities, lacks durability, and has an impure aroma with foreign odors. High-quality black tea has a pure aroma, often with a smoky scent, and a lasting fragrance. It has a thick and mellow taste, a sweet aftertaste, and a refreshing mouthfeel with a lingering fragrance.

These two tips can be used to identify most black teas. When purchasing Fu brick tea and Hei brick tea, which are compressed into brick forms, you cannot see the shape of the leaves, so you need to use other methods to assess their quality.

TIPS FOR SELECTING FU BRICK TEA

High-quality Fu brick tea has a dark brown color with abundant “golden flowers” inside. It has a rich “fungus flower” aroma, a mellow and robust taste, and a bright red-yellow infusion. High-grade Fu brick tea is generally heavier and well compacted, not easily dispersing. Good Fu brick tea has distinct corners and a flat surface. Poor-quality Fu brick tea may have missing corners and uneven thickness.

The difference between high-quality and poor-quality Fu brick tea is also reflected in the amount of “golden flowers.” Upon closer observation, we find that high-quality Fu brick tea contains abundant fungal filaments, and the infusion has a strong fungal fragrance. In contrast, poor-quality Fu brick tea contains only a small amount of “golden flowers” or even some impure molds, and the resulting infusion is very light or has an off-flavor.

TIPS FOR SELECTING HEI BRICK TEA

High-quality Hei brick tea has a dark brown color with a glossy sheen. Its surface is smooth and flat without any bumps, and the corners are distinct with consistent thickness. The patterns are clear, and there should be no black or white mold within the brick. There can be “golden flowers” inside. The inner quality exhibits a pure aroma, sometimes with a smoky scent, a bright orange-red infusion, and a mellow taste, avoiding coarse flavors and colors.

In addition to compressed brick teas, what are the selection criteria for Huajuan and Tianjian teas in black tea?

TIPS FOR SELECTING HUAJUAN TEA

High-quality Huajuan tea has a glossy dark black color, tightly rolled strands, and can contain “golden flowers” inside. It has a strong tea aroma. When brewed, it emits a slight sweet rice wine fragrance, and the infusion is transparent like tung oil. The first two infusions may have a slight astringency, but this diminishes or disappears after the third infusion. The infused leaves are bluish-brown. It can be brewed up to 16-25 times. Poor-quality tea, when brewed, has a greenish astringency, a dull infusion, and mixed infused leaves, and can be brewed up to 10-15 times at most.

TIPS FOR SELECTING TIANJIAN TEA

Tianjian tea usually has tightly twisted strands, a glossy dark black color, a rich and mellow aroma, often with a smoky or camphor scent, a thick taste without bitterness or astringency, and a bright orange-yellow infusion.

Generally, high-quality black tea can be selected based on the above criteria. When purchasing black tea, carefully observe these characteristics.