Fruit and flower aromatic black Tea is a new type of black tea made by integrating the shaking green process of Oolong tea into the traditional Tanyang Gongfu black Tea processing technique, resulting in unique qualities such as peach and orchid fragrance. It has been well-received by consumers in recent years. In this issue, we revisit the insightful explanations given by Lin Hong, the representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project (Tanyang Gongfu), in “The Tea Maker Speaks,” covering the background of creating fruit and flower aromatic black tea, the shaking green process, suitable cultivars, and differences from traditional Tanyang Gongfu black tea.

I. Background of Creating Fruit and Flower Aromatic Black Tea?

Tanyang Gongfu black tea has a history of nearly 200 years and was listed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2025. Fu'an is the birthplace of Tanyang Gongfu black tea.

Starting in 2000, the municipal party committee and government of Fu'an, along with local tea authorities, began promoting adjustments in the tea industry structure, which included two aspects: adjustment of tea cultivars and adjustment of tea products.

1. Adjustment of Tea Cultivars

In 2000, the main tea cultivars in Fu'an were suitable for making Green Tea, with only a small portion suitable for Tanyang Gongfu black tea. Through adjusting the tea cultivars, some high-aromatic cultivars like Dangui, Chunlan, Jin Guanyin, and Jin Mudan were introduced to Fu'an for trial planting, thus adjusting the tea cultivar structure in Fu'an.

2. Adjustment of Tea Products

After successfully planting these high-aromatic tea cultivars in Fu'an, local tea makers found that while the appearance of the tea leaves produced from these cultivars was very attractive, their taste lacked distinctiveness. Therefore, Teacher Lin Hong and local experts and tea makers proposed, “Could the shaking green process of oolong tea be integrated into the withering process of Tanyang Gongfu black tea to improve its quality?” After a series of technological research and improvements, fruit and flower aromatic black tea officially entered the market in 2009 and was favored by the market, although at that time its quality was not yet stable. With the joint efforts of Fu'an's tea companies, tea makers, and relevant scientific research institutions, the technology for making fruit and flower aromatic black tea was further improved. In 2025, the Fu'an Tea Association formulated and released the group standard “Fruit and Flower Aromatic Tanyang Gongfu Fujian Science Red” (T/FACX-2025), stabilizing the processing techniques of fruit and flower aromatic black tea. Since then, the technology for making fruit and flower aromatic black tea has been comprehensively promoted in Fu'an, and this technology has also been brought by Fu'an tea makers to other tea-producing provinces and regions, producing high-quality black tea. Thus, fruit and flower aromatic black tea was born as a new category of black tea.

II. Shaking Green Process of Fruit and Flower Aromatic Black Tea

The shaking green process of fruit and flower aromatic black tea involves using fresh leaves from high-aromatic oolong tea cultivars as raw material and adding the shaking green process of oolong tea to the traditional Tanyang Gongfu black tea processing technique. This process makes the fresh leaves collide with each other, allowing them to release water and become “alive.”

1. Light Shaking

During withering, a light shaking process uses manual or mechanical force to slightly damage the leaf edge cells. The shaking intensity of fruit and flower aromatic black tea is lighter than that of oolong tea.

2. Heavy Shaking

When the fresh leaf material is relatively coarse and old, heavier shaking is needed to increase the amplitude of leaf movement, promoting changes in its quality components. However, it is important to avoid over-shaking, which can lead to dead leaves and reddening.

3. When Can Shaking Be Stopped?

Shaking can be stopped when the grassy odor of the fresh leaves disappears and floral aroma appears, proceeding to the next step in the process.

III. What Varieties Are Suitable for Making Fruit and Flower Aromatic Black Tea?

Green tea cultivars are generally unsuitable for shaking green because they lack sufficient aroma, resulting in weaker flower and fruit fragrances in black tea.

Cultivars of the local population can be used to make fruit and flower aromatic black tea, but the flower and fruit aromas will not be prominent in the finished product.

Jin Guanyin presents greater difficulty in making fruit and flower aromatic black tea, but the quality of the finished product is excellent.

Jin Mudan has a higher success rate in making fruit and flower aromatic black tea, and the finished product tends to have a pronounced flower and fruit aroma.

In addition, several tea cultivars like Purple Rose and Yellow Rose are also suitable for making fruit and flower aromatic black tea.

IV. What Are the Differences Between Fruit and Flower Aromatic Black Tea and Traditional Tanyang Gongfu Black Tea?

Fruit and flower aromatic black tea features three “news”: new cultivars, new technology, and new products.

1. New Cultivars

Traditional Tanyang Gongfu black tea is mainly made from fresh leaves of local Tanyang population and small- to medium-sized leaf cultivars, while fruit and flower aromatic black tea uses fresh leaves of high-aromatic medium- to large-sized leaf cultivars.

2. Differences in Processing Techniques

(1) Fruit and flower aromatic black tea adds the “making green” process of oolong tea.

(2) The parameters of the processing techniques differ between fruit and flower aromatic black tea and traditional Tanyang Gongfu black tea.

The air humidity, temperature, and fermentation degree during withering are different between the two, although the degree of withering is relatively similar. The fermentation degree of fruit and flower aromatic black tea is lighter, with the fermented fresh leaves showing a brass color, whereas traditional Tanyang Gongfu black tea shows an ancient brass color.

3. Differences in Appearance and Inner Quality

(1) Appearance

The appearance of fruit and flower aromatic black tea is tight, heavy, and dark lustrous.

The appearance of Tanyang Gongfu black tea is fine, dark, and glossy.

(2) Inner Quality

The liquor color of fruit and flower aromatic black tea is orange-red and bright, with an amber hue. Its aroma is of flowers and fruits, mainly peach, with the aroma blending into the liquor. The leaves after brewing are intact without fragments.

The liquor color of Tanyang Gongfu black tea is red and bright, with a sweet, fresh, and refreshing taste.

The above is the insightful explanation given by Teacher Lin Hong in “The Tea Maker Speaks” about fruit and flower aromatic black tea. The Chinese tea magazine “The Tea Maker Speaks” will continue to invite tea masters to explain the skills of making other types of tea, so stay tuned!

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