Black tea accounts for more than 80% of the international tea trade, and before the 1880s, China's domestic black tea dominated the international market. The earliest appearance of Chinese black tea is a small black tea produced in the area of Tongmu Village in Chong'an, Fujian Province, and later developed and evolved to produce Gongfu black tea.
At present, the most popular on the market is the Zhengshan small species, Qi Hong and Dian Hong, so what is the difference between these 3 black teas?
01.
Origin
Qi Hong is produced in Qimen, Anhui Province, and there are a total of 18 townships in Qimen County, of which 16 produce black tea. Most of Qimen County is located in low mountainous areas, which are surrounded by water and filled with morning fog, which are very conducive to the growth of tea leaves.
This kind of tree suitable for making black tea only exists in the territory of Keemun County, and it is difficult for tea trees in neighboring counties to make tea leaves of the same quality as Keemun.
Zhengshan small-variety black tea is grown in the Wuyishan National Nature Reserve, a World Natural Heritage Site. It is densely forested, rich in vegetation, and deep in mountains and valleys, maintaining a complete subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest ecosystem.
The tea garden is located on the top of the high mountains, under the towering trees, coupled with the unique natural conditions of perennial clouds, away from pollution, fresh air and fertile soil, which is very conducive to the growth of tea plants and the accumulation of effective substances of tea leaves.
The small black tea produced in Tongmu Village is called Zhengshan Small Species and Paulownia Small Species, and the small varieties of black tea produced elsewhere cannot be compared.
Yunnan red is produced in Yunnan Province, and the main tea producing areas in Yunnan Province are basically distributed near the Tropic of Cancer, which is in the "bio-eugenic zone" and is also the most preserved area of wild tea plants in China.
Dianhong is mainly distributed in the two tea regions of western Yunnan and southern Yunnan, including the four prefectures of Lincang, Baoshan, Dehong and Dali, and the four prefectures of Pu'er, Jinghong, Wenshan and Honghe in southern Yunnan.
Yunnan's unique plateau and mountain climate, the tea area is undulating, cloudy, abundant rainfall, fertile soil, high forest coverage, with good environmental conditions for the growth of tea plants.
02.
Craftsmanship
Qi Hong production, all by hand kung fu, especially high-grade Qi Hong, the process is not only magical, but also more mysterious.
Historically, Qi Black Tea is all over the countryside, and although the tea making process is roughly the same, it has its own number of ways and is self-contained for key processes, such as pyrotechnics, sieving, and incense identification. Therefore, in history, there is no unified standard for Qi Hong's handmade method, and each family's system has become a secret.
Zhengshan small seeds have special black tea processing techniques, such as fermentation after the pot stir-frying (also known as "over-red pot"), re-kneading and smoking roasting.
The role of the red pot is to stop the fermentation to maintain the sweet and pure aroma of the small black tea, the tea soup is bright red, and the taste is strong. After the wok, the tea blank must be re-kneaded to make the loose tea strips tighten. After the re-kneading, the tea blank is spread out on the bamboo sieve and placed on the bottom hanger of the "Qinglou", and the tea blank continues to adsorb rosin in the process of drying, so that the small black tea has a unique pine resin aroma.
Dianhong production using excellent Yunnan large-leaf tea plant fresh leaves, first through withering, kneading or kneading, cutting, fermentation, drying and other processes to make finished tea; and then processed into Dianhong Gongfu tea, and then kneaded and cut into Dianhong crushed tea. Each of these processes has long been operated by hand.
03.
Quality characteristics
Qi Hong's aroma is unique, especially unique, like apple fragrance, but also like the contained orchid fragrance, the fragrance is long-lasting, known as the most heroic in tea, the most fragrant.
Qi hong taste unique, mellow in the mouth, thick aftertaste, sweet in the taste; the shape of the cord is tight, the sharp seedlings are good; the soup color is bright and bright, and after opening the soup for a little longer, there will be a halo phenomenon, which is the best tea soup.
Zhengshan small black tea has a strong shape, tight knots, uniform and clean, dark and oily color, and dry tea smells with a special rosin fragrance and cinnamon ball dry fragrance. And it is resistant to brewing, and various features are still obvious after four or five bubbles.
Its soup color orange red bright, mellow taste, smooth and refreshing, not bitter or astringent, sweet and long-lasting, whether it is after drinking with sugar and milk is very suitable.
Zhengshan small seeds are also resistant to storage, generally stored for 1 to 2 years, pine smoke incense is further transformed into dried fruit, the aroma is more mellow and sweet.
The shape of Dianhong is tightly knotted, fat and strong, dry tea is golden and bright, the soup color is bright and bright, the aroma is fresh and long, the taste is thick and fresh, it is irritating, and the red bottom of the leaf is uniform and bright, unique.
High-grade Dian red, tea soup and tea cup contact often show a golden circle, immediately after cooling appear milky condensation of cold after the phenomenon. The quality of Dianhong has seasonal changes, and generally spring tea is better than summer and autumn tea.
The above three kinds of black tea have their own characteristics, due to the origin, tea plant types and slight differences in technology, resulting in differences in taste and appearance. You can choose the right tea according to your own preferences, there is no need to follow the trend to buy Oh~
"People look at tea as if they were looking at the water from a high place and looking at the mountains from a low place." Tea is not tall or short for people, but it is far away and close.