This is another special dian hong from Wuliang Shan, a mountainous nature preserve that supports old growth tea forest areas. This dian hong has plenty of buds and is a mao feng pluck (a bud and two leaves). The tea is made from ‘old tea tree’ leaf materials – evidenced in the impressive and beautiful size of the tea leaves.
The flavor of this tea is rich, creamy, well-balanced and satisfying. The aroma of the leaf is soft and has the sweet aroma of fresh baked pound cake or coffee cake. We love Yunnan black teas, especially teas from this area. With no resting under its belt at this time, this dian hong has yet to develop the cascade of buttery, caramel flavor notes (that it will in approximately a year! ). With just a hint of raisins, toast, bananas foster and fruity-coffee flavors showing at this still-youthful stage of its development, there is much to look forward to with this leaf. Buy as much as you can and put it in a safe, stable environment and you will have a great tea for many years.
Even most tea-resistant coffee-drinkers love this tea – and we know that it is just fine with a little milk, too.
But for truest flavor, drink it as the locals in Yunnan do – plain. It is smooth (no astringency) and really quite full and rich in mouth-feel. It is most delicious and enjoyable in the cup now or do as we have done and set some aside for further resting and improvement.