Imperial Feng Qing Dian Hong Black Tea of Yunnan * Autumn 2017

I didn’t get much out of this throughout my steeps. I went around 8 deep and only got this bland malty and wood taste. Nothing changed at all really other then it got much, much more drying on the palate. Got nothing else to say about it. Boring and not interesting.

Part of a set of hyper affordable, young Dian Hongs that I bought from Yunnan Sourcing last year. My 1st try at this tea. Beautiful leaf structure, intact, still curing by the feel of them, with a slightly sweet/fruity, earthy, classic Dian Hong aroma. The Feng Qing factory leaf is s beautiful thing.

5g, 195*f in a preheated, glazed 175ml Gaiwan

1st steep – 4 Mins – Broth, Umami, savory, very very slightly sweet notes, roasted sweet potato, fruity, oak wood, tannic, wet bark, a bit sour on the back corners of the tongue. This an unrested tea and since it is an Autumn 2017 tea and I am drinking it in March 2018, it will likely improve a lot over the next 12+ months. Next time for such a young tea I would go to 4g and steep for 3 mins, keep it lighter but still in the longer steeping range hopefully opening up some of the fruity flavors by suppressing the astringency.

Steep 2 -

dry leaf: chocolate pudding, cedar, frosting

1
n: chocolate fluff, peaches and honey, cream
t: peach, strawberry, sweet cream

2
n: muffins, bread crust, wildflowers
t: pear, yam, lemon, bread, salmon sweetness

3
t: malt, lime, wheat, mandarin, wet spring earth, puff pastry

4.
n: red pepper, whipped cream, toast
t: malt, peppercorn, toast, orange, milk

5.
n: steamed milk, lavender, cream
t: oak, cake, cream,

6.
n: hot chocolate
t: chocolate, marshmallow, cream, creamed corn