Dian Hong (滇紅)
archetype: Red fox by the campfire
A red fox by a campfire: a honeyed warmth, amber, a warm cocoa, a wild sweet depth.
History
Dian Hong — 'red of Yunnan' — was created in 1939 in Kunming, in response to the export market during the Japanese occupation of the main tea provinces. Unlike the Fujian reds, it is made from the large-leaf bush Camellia sinensis var. assamica — the same that goes into puer. A high content of polyphenols and natural sugars gives the characteristic amber infusion and a dense honey sweetness. The best harvest is with buds; the 'golden needles' of Dian Hong are especially prized.
Terroir
The standard is the leaf of Yunnan Da Ye, from old cultivars. 'Golden needles' are the most expensive grade, made only from buds with down.
Leaf
honey, cocoa, amber sugar, ripe apricot long, amber, warm; the aftertaste — a 'fox's tail' in the throat
Properties
rich in theaflavins and natural sugars; gentle stimulation, warming, supports circulation warm, dense, dispersing across the upper chest; felt as 'a fire in the chest' medium (40–55 mg)
Brewing ritual
a 150 ml gaiwan; 95 °C; 5 g / 150 ml. 10s — a honey note, warm cocoa; 12s — the peak: amber sugar, ripe apricot; 18s — a deep honeyed warmth; 25s — a long sweet tail; 40s — the finale — a warm trail by the fire.
When to drink
morning and early day. autumn and winter. when an amber warmth is needed, for warming up, for a warm morning