Dian Hong滇红茶

Dian Hong is a yunnan-red black tea from Feng Qing, Lincang, Yunnan, China. Brew it at 90°C with 5g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 9 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. No rinse needed.

Tasting notes

Dian Hong is where assamica gets redeemed. The first steep comes out the colour of old amber and lands thick on the tongue — malt, warm honey, a little cocoa at the back — and, crucially, no bite. That absence is the whole game. A good Dian Hong from Feng Qing finishes sweet and clean; a careless one tastes like the bag at the bottom of a breakfast blend. Gold-bud grades push the honey forward and go silkier; larger-leaf versions trade some of that for pepper and a darker chocolate edge. The trap is boiling water. Assamica has the tannins to punish you if you let the kettle rip — 90°C keeps it round, 100°C drags out a dry, cardboard tail you will not enjoy. Short steeps early, and stop chasing the seventh infusion. By then it has given you what it had.

Flavor profile

Rich and malty with a natural sweetness that sets it apart from other Chinese reds. Golden-tipped grades lean honeyed and smooth, while larger-leaf versions bring more cocoa depth and a peppery finish. The assamica base gives it a full body unusual for Chinese black tea.

Terroir

High altitude (1200-2000m), subtropical climate, red laterite soil

Cultivar: Feng Qing Da Ye Zhong (Camellia sinensis var. assamica)

Brewing

1. Steep 1: 10 seconds
2. Steep 2: 10 seconds
3. Steep 3: 15 seconds
4. Steep 4: 15 seconds
5. Steep 5: 20 seconds
6. Steep 6: 25 seconds
7. Steep 7: 30 seconds
8. Steep 8: 40 seconds
9. Steep 9: 50 seconds

Avoid boiling water — assamica leaves turn bitter above 95°C. Golden-tip grades are more delicate; start with shorter steeps.

Aroma & taste

Processing

• withered
• rolled
• fully oxidized
• dried

Sources

• https://www.bitterleafteas.com/blog/an-introduction-to-dian-hong
• https://yunnansourcing.com/products/traditional-process-dian-hong-black-tea-of-feng-qing
• https://yunnansourcing.com/pages/brewing-guide-for-green-black-oolong-and-pu-erh-teas
• https://meileaf.com/article/basic-brewing-guide/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianhong