Golden Yunnan – Black Tea

Brew & Taste

This tea is not called "golden" for nothing. After brewing, the tea leaves turn out exactly the same colour as red gold. The full and rich infusion smells wonderfully sweet. The flavor comes from the natural soft maltiness and is defined by spices and smoke. Generally, Golden Yunnan tastes like creamy chocolate with a slight peppery flavor.

Origins

This wolrd-famous Chinese tea was in the province of Yunnan. It lies on the border with Vietnam and is home to the oldest tea plants. Its tea gardens are known all around the world and make for a a beautiful destination for tourists and all tea lovers. However, black tea production is relatively new to local farmers –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the first varieties were produced in 1939. But that does not change the fact that black tea from Yunnan is one of the most demanded and high-quality on the market. Yunnan has a mild climate, influenced by the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The growing season is long, and although Chinese tea trees (Camellia sinensis) grow at high altitudes, they have ideal growth rates and great content of valuable substances. The terrain of Yunnan is mountainous, with an average altitude of 1980m in the province. Harvesting in Chinese tea gardens usually takes place in spring. In the case of Golden Yunnan, however, it is not until autumn that the tea plants are at their best. The leaves are picked, usually by hand for the finer teas, placed in large baskets and transported to processing plants. There they are spread out on grates and left to wilt. The process can be sped up by fans, but traditional producers use sunlight. After the dehydration, it is time to roll them. Again, this can be done by hand or, using modern technology, the so-called rollers. They are simple machines with two metal plates on which the leaves are rolled. The next step is fermentation, a crucial moment in the production of black tea. The natural fermentation of the plant takes place under high humidity conditions. At this point, the tea leaves change color and acquire their typical aroma and strong flavor. This is why fermentation must be managed and monitored very carefully. Finally, the tea is dried, either over a fire or in large pans. The resulting product is sorted out, packaged and exported.

Golden Yunnan (also known as Dian Hong) is characterized by its large amount of golden tips and delicate spicy aroma.

Tea packaging preview

We pack our teas in a strong, zip-lock aluminum packet which allows you to easily re-seal its contents. This container protects the quality of the tea against humidity, light or foreign odors, all of which could noticeably affect the quality of the brew.