Dian Hong Black Tea is mainly produced in Fengqing, Yunnan. Its characteristics lie in the superior ecological environment; high mountains and mist produce fine Tea. The unique geographical environment brews great tea. The taste of Dian Hong black tea is mainly characterized by its richness, strength, and freshness. Dian Hong is a tea enjoyed by many tea enthusiasts. So, what are some good Dian Hong teas in Yunnan? Let's take a look:
What are some good Dian Hong teas?
1. Dian Hong Golden Needle
The selection of materials for Dian Hong Golden Needle is quite particular. Top-grade Dian Hong Golden Needle is usually made from the bud of fresh leaves, while slightly lower grades use one bud and one leaf.
The conventional production process for black tea includes withering, kneading, fermentation, and drying. The Golden Needle has an additional mechanical shaping process to make the dry tea more attractive.
Dian Hong Golden Needle has a golden appearance with revealed downy tips, straight like needles, and upright. The tip of the bud has a bright golden color, and the dry tea has a strong, lasting malt aroma. After brewing, the tea soup is red and yellow, clear and bright, fresh, smooth, and sweet, with a malty aroma that fills the air. The aftertaste is sweet and long-lasting, and the taste is strong, making it a top-quality Dian Hong.
2. Dian Hong Golden Silk
Dian Hong Golden Silk, like Golden Needle, is typically made from the bud of fresh leaves and is among the top-quality Dian Hong teas.
Its appearance features plump buds and leaves, graceful and intact sprouts, prominent golden down, and a dark lustrous color. When brewed, the tea has a bright red color, shows a golden ring, and has a pure and fresh fragrance and a strong, stimulating flavor. The leaves at the bottom are uniformly red and bright. Its fragrance is light yet lingering, with a honey-like aroma.
3. Dian Hong Golden Bud
Dian Hong Golden Bud is a high-end product within Dian Hong teas, harvested from one bud and two leaves, one bud and three leaves, and single leaves of similar tenderness, then processed through withering, kneading, fermentation, and drying. The refined tea is divided into four categories: body, long body, round body, and light body, combined through sieving and blending.
The tea leaves have a natural, full shape, with the buds straight (Golden Bud) or slightly curved (also known as semi-curved Golden Bud), named for their shape. The tea has exposed golden down, straight like a needle, and a red and bright tea soup with a long-lasting aroma, fresh and sweet aftertaste.
4. Dian Hong Golden Snail
Dian Hong Golden Snail is made from single buds, one bud and one leaf, or one bud and two leaves, shaped like a “snail” and thus named.
The production process of Dian Hong Golden Snail is relatively special, using the shaping technique of Biluochun, with a heavier kneading degree than other types. It has a solid and substantial appearance, and when brewed, the tea soup is golden yellow, with a rich and thick taste, a returning sweetness, and a smooth, thick, and long-lasting mouthfeel.
5. Dian Hong Pine Needle
This tea is considered a sibling of the Golden Needle Dian Hong in terms of production and naming, made from one bud and one leaf.
From the appearance of the dry tea, the overall color is golden and dark, the strips are straight, longer than the Golden Needle, with graceful and intact sprouts and slightly visible golden down.
6. Wild Dian Hong
Compared to other Dian Hong teas, this type is darker in color, with no grade requirements. Strictly speaking, the difference lies in the raw materials used (wild tea or abandoned tea), and the production process is distinctive.
In addition to having the characteristics of top-quality Dian Hong teas, such as tight, elegant, and dark lustrous strips, bright golden tea soup, full-bodied and mellow taste, and a stable, lingering fragrance, it also possesses a strong wild character typical of ancient arbor tea.