| Origin and processing | Yunnan black tea made from large-leaf tea plants, with Fengqing an important production centre. The leaves are withered, rolled, oxidised and dried. Similar plants supply leaves for pu-erh, which is processed differently. Dian Hong includes both leafy and bud-only styles. | Black tea from Qimen in Anhui. Traditional Qimen Gongfu goes through careful sorting, cutting, further firing and blending. Maofeng and Xiangluo are other styles, each worth tasting in its own right. |
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| Flavour and appearance | Malt, honey, baked sweet potato, fruit and flowers are possible. Golden down is more prominent in bud-heavy versions, but good Dian Hong need not be entirely golden. Body also depends on brewing. | Often floral, fruity and honeyed, sometimes with cocoa or wine-like notes. Qimen xiang describes its characteristic aroma, which varies between batches. Leaf shape and the amount of down vary too. |
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| Brewing and caffeine | Try 3–4 g per 120 ml at 90–95 °C for 10–15 seconds. Alternatively, use 2–3 g per 250 ml at the same temperature for about 2 minutes, then remove the leaves. Long steeping can bring bitterness and astringency. | The same recipes are useful starting points. Smaller leaf may extract faster, so try a shorter steep. You can still taste subtle flavours when brewing in a mug. Both contain caffeine; the name alone cannot establish that Qimen has a gentler stimulant effect. |
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| Buying and adding milk | Check origin, harvest year and a sample’s flavour. Plenty of golden buds or an “old trees” claim do not prove quality. For milk, look for a tea whose flavour holds up when brewed stronger. | Ask which product style and leaf size you are buying. Qimen Maofeng is not necessarily more expensive than every Dian Hong. Milk is an option here too: taste a little plain first, then decide how you prefer it. |
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