Dark tea is a fully fermented tea, mainly produced in Sichuan, Yunnan, Hubei, Hunan, Shaanxi, and Guangxi. Key varieties include Sichuan border tea, Yunnan dark tea, Hubei old green tea, Hunan dark tea, and Guangxi Liupao tea.

The basic processing steps for dark tea are fixation, initial rolling, pile fermentation, re-rolling, and baking. The raw materials are generally coarse, and the prolonged pile fermentation period results in dark brown or blackish leaves, giving the tea its name. Historically supplied to ethnic minorities in border regions, it is also known as 'border-sale tea.' Dark coarse tea is the primary raw material for various compressed teas, which are daily essentials for Tibetan, Mongolian, and Uyghur communities, as reflected in the saying: 'Better three days without food than a day without tea.'

1 Dry Tea Shape Terminology

1.1 Loach strips: fishery Straight, relatively large tea strips resembling loaches.

1.2 Folded strips: enveloped Tea strips that are wrinkled and overlapping.

1.3 Neat: normal brick The brick shape is complete, with a flat surface and distinct edges.

1.4 Clear markings: clean mark Patterns, trademarks, or text on the brick surface are clearly visible.

1.5 Layering: open The surface layer of the brick tea is warped but not detached.

1.6 Surface breakage: broken cover Part of the surface tea has fallen off.

1.7 Surface detachment: cover drop The covering layer of cake tea has脱落.

1.8 Appropriate tightness: well-compressed Compression is neither too tight nor too loose.

1.9 Smooth: flat and smooth The brick surface is flat, without layering, surface breakage, or protruding stems.

1.10 Golden flowers: golden flower Golden yellow spores of Aspergillus cristatus in Fu brick tea. Abundant golden flowers indicate high quality.

1.11 Axe shape: axe-shape The brick is thick at one end and thin at the other, resembling an axe.

1.12 Gap: broken piece The edge of brick tea or cake tea is chipped or incomplete.

1.13 Exposed core: heart unenveloped The inner tea is visible on the surface.

1.14 Cracking: crack Cracks appear on the brick surface.

1.15 Burnt core: heart burnt The center of the brick tea appears dark, black, or red. Burnt core bricks are prone to mold.

1.16 Broken layer: broken layer The Jinjian tea is broken in the middle, not forming a whole piece.

2 Dry Tea Color Terminology

2.1 Black and glossy: black bloom Dark black with a glossy sheen. This term also applies to the dry leaf color of black tea and oolong tea.

2.2 Semi-yellow: semi-yellow Variegated color, with leaf tips black and stem ends yellowish-black.

2.3 Blackish brown: black auburn Brown with a blackish tint. This term also applies to the liquor and infused leaf color of compressed teas, and the dry leaf color of oolong and black tea.

2.4 Iron black: iron black Black like iron.

2.5 Brownish auburn: brownish auburn Auburn with a brown tone. This term also applies to the liquor color of compressed teas, infused leaf color, and the dry leaf color of black tea.

2.6 Bluish yellow: blueish yellow Yellow with a bluish tinge, resulting from insufficient post-fermentation of the raw material.

2.7 Liver color: liver colour Reddish and dull, similar to the color of liver.

2.8 Auburnish red: auburnish red Red with a brownish tone.

3 Liquor Color Terminology

3.1 Orange red: orange red Red with an orange hue. This term also applies to oolong tea liquor.

3.2 Red and dull: red dull Red and deep/dark. This term also applies to black tea liquor.

3.3 Brownish red: brownish red Red with a brown tone, resembling coffee color. This term also applies to the dry leaf color of black tea and the liquor color of black tea with milk.

3.4 Brownish yellow: brownish yellow Yellow with a brown tone. This term also applies to the dry leaf color of broken black tea.

3.5 Reddish yellow: reddish yellow Yellow with a red tone.

4 Aroma Terminology

4.1 Aged aroma: stale flavour A clean, aged aroma without mustiness.

4.2 Fungal flower aroma: aroid flavour The distinctive aroma resulting from normal and abundant 'golden flower' growth in Fu brick tea.

5 Taste Terminology

5.1 Aged and mellow: stale and mellow A mature, mellow taste without moldy off-flavours.

5.2 Coarse and plain: coarse and plain A thin, flat taste with a rough throat feel. This term also applies to the taste of green tea, black tea, and oolong tea.

6 Infused Leaf Terminology

6.1 Yellowish black: yellowish black Black with a yellow tint.

6.2 Reddish auburn: reddish auburn Auburn with a red tone. This term also applies to liquor color.