July 2023
Yunnan Black Tea
This is our third black tea theme and also the fifth theme entirely dedicated to Yunnan province. We love teas from Yunnan, don’t we? Yunnan is abbreviated as Dian. When black tea production started in Fengqing county in 1939, Dian Hong came into existence, literally meaning "Yunnan Red." It was created mainly for export, and it quickly gained worldwide fame thanks to its rich flavor and smooth texture. Nowadays, it’s a popular product embraced by Chinese and international tea enthusiasts alike. Traditional Dian Hong is defined as black tea from Yunnan made by these steps: withering, rolling, oxidizing, and baking. The three Dian Hong teas in this selection are from different producing regions using different cultivars, so that you can get a full picture about Dian Hong. We also chose a unique Shai Hong (lit. sun-dried red) that differs from Dian Hong in its last processing step — it was sun-dried rather than baked dry. Therefore, Shai Hong has some natural fruity notes preserved from bathing under the sun. Like Sheng puerh, Shai Hong is known for its changing flavor through time, thus it could also be aged.
