Yunnan Black Tea Tasting & How-To Video: Everything You Need to Discover Their Differences

All Our Black Teas from Yunnan Province

In this Yunnan Black tea tasting session, we try all three of our black teas from Yunnan Province:

• Yunnan Black (Tian Hong)
• 2016 Jing Mai Ancient Black Loose
• 2014 Jing Mai Ancient Black Tea Cake

Each of these three teas are made from the large-leaf tea plant varietal which is also used for Pu-Erh teas.

Why Do a Cupping?

A cupping (also called a tasting) is a great way to explore the variety within a single category of tea. You might expect that three black teas from Yunnan Province in China would all taste the same – but a side-by-side comparison reveals their unique qualities!

Step 1: Prepare Your Materials

A clear mind and focus always help with tea tasting. Prepare everything you need before starting to brew, to avoid distractions and maximize your awareness of scents, sights, and flavors.

Tea Cupping Prep List

1. Clean, Well-Lit Location. We do cupping in front of a window, because natural light makes it easy to see the true color and clarity of the tea.

2. Hot Water. For black tea, the temperature should be between 200°F – 210°F (about 95°C – 100°C)

3. Tea Leaves. We use 2 grams of each type of black tea. A gram scale is the most accurate way to measure equal amounts, because each tea has a different density. If you don’t have a scale, try cupping with about 1.5 teaspoons of each tea.

4. Timer. A small hourglass tea timer, a kitchen timer, or a smartphone will work.

5. Brewing Vessels. Simple is best when it comes to cupping. We use small bowls that hold 6 fl oz each, but you could also use cups or gaiwan. White is preferred, to see the tea color and leaf shape clearly.

6. Strainers. Any mesh strainer, such as a kitchen or tea strainer, will do – as long as it is easy to hold!

7. Tasting Cup & Spoon (optional). You can drink directly from the brewing bowls, or use a spoon to scoop tea liquid into a small cup to drink from. Again, a simple white cup is best to display the tea color, but glass also works. A smooth surface such as porcelain will carry fragrance better than unglazed clay such as yixing.

Step 2: Doing the Tea Cupping

Once everything is ready, start by looking at the dry tea leaves.

• What are their visual similarities and differences?
• Do they have noticeable fragrance?

At a glance, we can see that Yunnan Black (left) has more golden-furred leaf buds than the other two. The black tea cake (right) is more dense after being pressed, so it looks smaller than the others. The Jing Mai leaf size is larger than the Yunnan Black leaves, which are from Feng Qing region in Yunnan Province.

Next, pour hot water over the tea leaves and start a 5 minute timer.

When the brew time is up, pour the tea through the strainer into the waiting bowls.

Try to pour the teas in the same order that you added water, so the brew time will be approximately the same for each one.

As soon as possible after pouring, smell each of the bowls of wet tea leaves.

Usually, your gut reactions are the most accurate – so pay attention to your first response to each one!

Aroma – Wet Tea Leaves

Finally, it’s time to taste.

Take a small sip of each tea, one at a time. You may want to slurp the liquid a little to taste the flavor more fully.

• Notice the tea’s texture, how it feels in your mouth and throat.
• Does the flavor develop or stay consistent?
• Pay attention to any lingering aftertaste.

Once again, trust your gut and your first impressions!

Tasting Notes

Step 3: Reflect on the Tea Tasting

• Which tea was your favorite, and why?
• Are there any conclusions to be drawn from the experience?
• If you were to brew the teas individually for casual drinking, would you adjust the brewing method?

Each Tea Has its Place

All three black teas from Yunnan are delicious – choosing between them would depend on the context, such as your mood, the weather, and whether they would be accompanying food. Yunnan Black (Tian Hong) is a perfect high-quality, every-day tea, that would stand up to food or even the addition of milk. In contrast, the Jing Mai Ancient Black teas are intricate delicacies to be savored, whether it’s a special occasion or simply an indulgence.

The first brew of the Black Tea Cake was flavorful, but we can sense that the tea is still holding back. It takes several brews for the pressed leaves to open up and reveal their full flavor. For that reason, this tea is a great choice for a sit-down tea session, with time to enjoy many steeps.

Why Are They Different?

The difference in these teas’ characters is partially due to the region (Jing Mai vs Feng Qing) and partially to processing method. The Jing Mai black teas underwent a sun-drying step similar to Pu-Erh teas.

As you might guess from the name, our Jing Mai Ancient Black teas are harvested from gu-shu, ancient tea trees over 300 years old. Many are over 500! These elders have roots that dig deep, contributing to the complexity and depth of flavor. Some tea aficionados consider ancient trees to provide more cha qi, or energy, to the drinker.

Aging also effects flavor and texture. 5+ years of storage have smoothed and deepened the flavor of the Jing Mai teas, as opposed to our Yunnan Black, which is a recent harvest. Its newness accounts for some of its forthrightness and comparative simplicity.

Tea cakes will always taste slightly different from their loose (Maocha) counterparts. The reason?

1. Loose tea leaves are softened with steam to allow pressing without breakage.
2. The flavor effects of aging differ based on airflow. Cakes are more dense than loose leaves.

Finally, tea is affected by the tea master‘s special touch and judgement during processing, and the weather through the harvest year. That’s why it’s fascinating to do cuppings with very similar teas – minute details can be revealed.

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Useful Teaware for Yunnan Black Tea Cupping

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