China Red or Zhongguo Hong (中国红) is a dianhong developed during the renaissance of high grade black teas in the early 2000s. Designed to compete with high grade Fujian and Anhui red teas, China Red uses a blend of cultivars which is considered a trade secret. It is also processed more like a Fujian or Qimen gongfu red, and rolled into a needle shape. This is an exceptionally well-made example of China Red, using only fine pickings. The tea liquor is very substance-rich, full of tea down and seemingly high in saponins. We were able to find a producer who uses much older trees than would normally be used for this tea. This results in improved texture, especially when the liquor cools down.
You can brew this tea any way you like, trying different water temperatures. When brewing this tea gongfu style we like to have a long session with a 5-6g/100ml ratio and short infusions. This tea also brews well ‘grandpa style’ in a mug, becoming more fruity when brewed this way.
