Personally, I find the taste of Dian Hong Golden Snail to be better. The raw material grade for Dian Hong Golden Bud is one bud and one leaf, while that for Dian Hong Golden Snail is one bud and two leaves. Because it has more leaves, Dian Hong Golden Snail contains richer substances. After brewing, the taste of Dian Hong Golden Bud is relatively lighter, whereas the taste of Golden Snail is very full and sweet. The Tea soup is more red, concentrated, and bright, with a richer layering, and the overall balance of taste is significantly better.

Which is Better: Dian Hong Golden Snail or Golden Bud?

“Dian Hong Golden Snail” and “Golden Bud” are both famous teas in Chinese Tea culture. They are both produced in Lincang City, Yunnan Province, but their production methods and quality characteristics differ.

“Dian Hong Golden Snail” is a type of Black Tea made from high-quality tea leaves through the processes of withering, rolling, fermentation, and drying. The tea soup of Dian Hong Golden Snail is reddish-brown, with a rich fruity and floral aroma, a fresh and refreshing taste, and a long-lasting sweetness. The shape of Dian Hong Golden Snail's tea leaves is spiral-shaped, golden in color, and has a unique fragrance.

“Golden Bud” is a type of black tea made from top-grade tender buds, processed through sorting, sunning, rolling, fermentation, and drying. The tea soup of Golden Bud is reddish-brown, with a rich fruity and floral aroma, a mellow taste, and a sweet aftertaste. The shape of Golden Bud's tea leaves is tightly bound, golden in color, and has a delicate and elegant fragrance.

In general, both Dian Hong Golden Snail and Golden Bud are high-quality famous teas, and their qualities differ based on the tea leaves used and the production process. Which one is better depends on individual taste preferences.

How to Distinguish the Quality of Black Tea

1. Examine the Appearance

You can distinguish the appearance, weight, coarseness, tightness, etc., of black tea by touch. However, do not grab too much tea at once to avoid the sweat from your palm moistening the tea. High-quality black tea: has a twisted shape, is heavier and firmer, intact, clean, uniformly sized, and consistently colored, with golden downy hair. Such tea is of high quality. Low-quality black tea: is loose, scattered, coarse, light, or contains powder or broken leaves, as well as other substances (such as weeds, old branches, tea fruits, etc.), which are considered inferior quality.

2. Taste

High-quality black tea: has a sweet and mellow taste. Low-quality black tea: tastes bitter, strong and astringent, pungent, and accompanied by off-flavors.

3. Smell the Aroma

You can smell the tea to determine if there are any off-flavors (such as sour or moldy smells) besides its natural aroma, to judge the quality of the black tea.

4. Observe the Soup Color

High-quality black tea: when brewed, the tea soup is clear and bright, with a vivid red color. Low-quality black tea: the tea soup is cloudy and contains many fine particles. Its aroma is not distinct and is accompanied by off-flavors.

5. Examine the Leaf Base

High-quality black tea: after brewing, the tea leaves fully unfold, without any gaps, and have a soft, tender texture accompanied by a sweet and fragrant aroma. These are signs of high-quality black tea. Low-quality black tea: the leaf base is uneven, contains old stalks, is dark, and does not fully open.