Yin (silver) Jun Mei

Yin (Silver) Jun Mei – Silver Eyebrow Red Bud Tea

Yin (Silver) Jun Mei is a modern Wuyishan classic: a small-batch red tea (Chinese black) made from hand-picked spring ingredients, bringing the clean, natural sweetness of the cool-haze microclimate and mineral soil of the Wuyi Mountains to the cup. The style became known in the early 21st century in the Jun Mei (“eyebrow”) family of teas, where Jin Jun Mei (gold) is an all-bud selection, while Yin Jun Mei is usually made with a bud + tender leaf picking standard – this gives it a slightly fuller, honey-malty, yet elegantly floral character.

Taste and aroma: honey-floral opening (acacia honey, wildflowers), malt and fine cocoa in the mouth, then layers of red dates , prunes and aged honey . The texture is silky, medium-full; the aftertaste is long, clean, with a slightly woody-cocoa finish.

Raw material & terroir: Wuyi Mountains, Fujian (China). Early spring, hand-picked; selected buds and tender leaves. Wuyi's UNESCO World Heritage environment, frequent fog and well-drained mineral soil give the tea a complex, "dry sweet" aromatics.

Processing (in brief): gentle withering → hand rolling → full oxidation → low-temperature, multi-step drying / roasting, which fixes the aromas and highlights the honey-fruity line. The style is smoke-free (not classic smoked lapsang), so the natural fruitiness and cocoa-malt depth remain in focus.

Why it's so good? A bud-dominant delicacy, but the presence of the leaf gives it a rounder, more substantial body. Easy to make, yet layered; it beautifully breaks up the honey-fruity notes in both gongfu and Western styles. An excellent afternoon "dessert tea", but also works well with food pairings (butter sponge cake, almond biscuits, soft cheeses).

Preparation suggestions

Asian (gongfu) method: 4–5 g / 100–120 ml gaiwan or small pot, 92–95 °C. 1st pour 15–20 sec, then gradually increase (8–10 pours will do). Tip: no rinsing necessary; short pours produce the purest honey-floral layers.

Western method: 2.5–3 g / 300–350 ml, 92–95 °C, 2–3 min. ±30 sec. to taste. Can be re-soaked 1–2 times; the sweetness and red fruits are well preserved.

Cold brew: 6–8 g / 1 liter of filtered water, 8–12 hours in the refrigerator. Result: silky sip, low tannin, enhanced honey and red fruits.

Useful tips

Water: low-mineral water brings the cleanest profile. Ratio: for a more intense cup, keep the ratio around 1:15 (tea:g), for a milder cup, 1:20. Storage: protected from light and odors, in tightly sealed packaging. It is also beautiful fresh, but it will continue to round out over 6–12 months; it can be gently aged for 1–2 years in closed storage.

Suitability: A red tea that is also great for beginners – it easily "gets the point" – and for advanced users, it provides plenty of layers with long, controlled infusions.