Yingde Hong Cha

This tea's bold flavour is suggested by its dark, wild-looking leaves with golden tips: a waft of intense malty and tannic tones, with a roasty-fruity twist evoking grilled peach or pineapple. Originating from a small farm in Guangdong, it utilises a cultivar developed in Yingde's tea research institute during the 1950s with large-leafed assamica plants brought from Yunnan. Admirers of the 'wild flavour' of Yunnan hong cha will find a pleasing relative here, albeit one whose maltiness—though not full-bodiedness—is tempered by a subtle herbal note.

For a sweeter tea from the same cultivar and region, consider our Da Ye Hong Cha.