Yunnan Gold | black tea
Tasting notes: caramel, cocoa, baked apple
Flavorful Lincang DianHong aka 'Yunnan Gold' black (red) tea is crafted from the highest-grade small-bud Feng Qing tea. Harvested when the buds are young, the tea undergoes careful rolling, brief fermentation, and hand-drying in a wok. The result is one of the smoothest black teas available, with a super clear golden yellow liquor and a clean, penetrating aroma.
Tea Region
Tea tree
Cultivar
Harvest
Picking & processing
Lincang, Yunnan, China
Camellia sinensis vr. assamica
Feng Qing Big Leaf
Spring, 2023
One bud, two leaves
The Golden Tips black tea, crafted from old Yunnan trees, carries with it the purity and essence of an untouched natural world. Grown in ecological forestry tea gardens in the Lincang river province, these trees thrive without the aid of fertilizers or pesticides, absorbing the rich nutrients of the earth and the clean air of their high-altitude environment. The slow growth of these ancient trees imbues their leaves with a depth and complexity that is impossible to replicate in younger, more commercial tea gardens.
The tea itself is a testament to the art of traditional tea-making, a practice that has been passed down through generations. The leaves are hand-harvested by local Yunnan farmers, who expertly select the perfect combination of one bud and two leaves to create a tea that is as close to its ancient origins as possible. The careful oxidation process results in a beautiful copper-red liquor, with a light honey fragrance that rises from the cup.
Upon tasting, the tea reveals its true character: a strong and sharp flavor that is at once brisk and mellow, with a classic caramel undertone that lingers long after the last sip. The rich, deep aftertaste is a reminder of the purity and age of the trees from which it came, a taste of the past brought into the present.
Baked Camembert with rosemary
The creamy, earthy flavors of baked Camembert contrast nicely with the brisk, mellow taste of the tea, while the rosemary adds a herbal note that echoes the tea’s natural purity.
Sweet potato gnocchi with brown butter and sage
The sweetness of the sweet potato and the nuttiness of the brown butter bring out the rich, deep aftertaste of the tea, while the sage adds an earthy complexity.
Candied ginger slices
The spicy heat of candied ginger contrasts with the tea’s smooth mellowness, while also complementing its sharpness, making for a dynamic and invigorating pairing.
Tea character
Leaf
cocoa nibs, grapefruit, Chanel #5
Cup
light honey,
Flavor
caramel, cocoa, baked apple
How to brew
Temperature
Tea weight
Water amount
Steeping time
85 °C
5 gram
100ml
10 sec (add 5 sec per steep for at least 8 steeps)
Temperature
Tea weight
Water amount
Steeping time
85 °C
4 gram
500ml
2 min (you can resteep 2-3 times)