Varieties Of Black Tea - Dian Hong
Streactly speaking, Dian Hong is red tea. But in the West Dian Hong is referred to as black tea. It is commonly used as an English Breakfast tea. Dian Hong is produced in China in the Yunnan province. It is used as a reasonable gourmet tea and in blends, the main difference being the preservation and amount of buds (golden tips) present. Finer teas have a very sweet and gentle aroma with a brassy golden brew but without any astringency, while cheaper Yunnan teas make a darker and more brown brew that can be very bitter.. The appearance of this fine red tea holds a strong and tight shape with golden color on the tip. The rich liquor of the Dian Hong is strong, mellow, and thick combined with a subtle hint of spice. The aftertaste is long and sweet, which makes you want to drink more.
How to prepare:
Dian Hong teas are best brewed with porcelain or yixing teaware using freshly boiled water at 90°C (194°F) to 100°C (212°F), and are suitable for multiple infusions. It is important not to overbrew the teas as they will easily go bitter, especially the cheaper varieties. Tea-water ratio: 1:5. Number of infusions: up to 6.
Dian Hong has some trademark varieties:
Broken Yunnan
A cheap tea used for blending which contains very few golden buds and is generally bitter on its own. You can spot this tea easily as it has an overwhelming black color with maybe a few bursts of golden tips. The brew is dark and not brassy but reddish-brown.
Yunnan Gold
A mid-range Yunnan that contains a large amount of golden buds. It is on par with the pure gold, and is priced similarly, but makes a different brew. You will notice an almost equal number of golden buds and black leaves in the tea. The brew is sweet and has a brassy color very different from other black teas, but the sweetness is not quite as intense as the pure gold.
Yunnan Pure Gold
The best of the Yunnan tea. It contains only golden tips and is a superb tea in all respects, with a gentle aroma and a sweet taste. It makes a purely brassy-coloured brew that is unlike anything else on offer. The colour of the tea is gold before brewing but turns brown when it has been dissolved. You may also sometimes find fur on the golden buds.
Sources: http://www.jingteashop.com/pd_dian.cfm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dian_Hong_tea, http://www.chineseteaforyou.com/site/1023330/product/710, http://www.acupunctureedinburgh.co.uk/herbaltea.html