Yunnan Fengqing Maofeng Red (Black) Tea

Yunnan Fengqing Maofeng is a red tea produced in the Fengqing area of Yunnan which bears many similarities to another product in our catalogue called Imperial Yunnan Fengqing. Both of these teas have very small leaves harvested in early spring but this one in particular has fewer buds. Another somewhat less obvious feature that differentiates these two products is how their leaves have been folded. In this case we have a twisting of the leaves similar to that which characterises Maofeng while in the case of Imperial Fengqing a technique has been used which makes the leaves more needle-like and less twisted.

Although small, these differences mentioned so far lead to a significant difference in the taste of these two teas. For this reason, we encourage you, if possible, to take both products so that you have the opportunity to experience the effects of these differences through your own taste. In this case, the infusion has a slight acidic taste due to oxidation, plus a good presence of tannins perceptible at the back of the tongue. Finally, in the aftertaste, this red tea will reveal its still herbaceous side (due to the young age of the leaves) with a refreshing touch.

Place of origin

Fengqing – Yunnan, China

Production

After harvesting, the leaves are left to wither in the sun for a certain amount of time depending on the producer before moving on to the folding stage. The leaves are then folded and rolled so that the juices inside are stirred and the oxidation process can begin. For this tea, the leaves are exposed to a progressive increase in temperature during oxidation and, once the leaf reaches its typical brown colour, the residual internal moisture is removed. After a few days’ rest, the tea is ready for consumption.

How to prepare

We highly recommend infusing this tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, 5.5 grams of leaves (about 4 teaspoons) can be used in a gaiwan of about 100 ml to obtain several infusions with different tastes. After a quick rinse of the leaves in water at 95°C, an initial infusion of 15 seconds can be made, after which, keeping the water at the same temperature, the time can be increased each time by 10 seconds compared to the previous infusion (15 – 25 – 35…).

This tea has a longevity of about 7 infusions.

For a classic preparation according to the Western style we recommend 2 grams of leaves (approx. 1 teaspoon) in a 150 ml cup with water at 95°C for an infusion time of one and a half minutes.

The tea can be filtered for greater ease at the moment of tasting, and also the infusion times indicated above are intended to be purely indicative, so you can also adjust according to your personal taste.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.