2021 Smoky Zheng shan xiao zhong
"You Yen Xiao Zhong"
Over pine wood embers, slightly smoked zheng shan xiao zhong, Wuyi mountain red tea.
The smoking was masterfully done, it doesn't overwhelm the tea, it just surrounds it, thus highlighting its sweetness. As the infusions progress, the fruitiness and citrus of the tea type emerges in a refined way. This tea has a characterful, but not intrusive personality, with whom you can happily spend several hours talking.
The tea is characterized by a slight pine resin, soft smokiness and a distinctly perceptible sweet fruitiness. It is considered a rarity, we bought the last 1 kg of it, which our producer saved for us from a Chinese who took all available from his birthplace.
We found it extremely special, with an incomparable aroma and strength, so we asked to show it to you.
We asked our dear producer how they make the smoked zheng shan red tea nowadays, in such a way that it is forbidden to cut down pine trees in the area.
The Chinese government must submit a request for how much pine is needed for the producer to be able to make smoked tea. After the request has been received and evaluated, the producer can receive the necessary pine raw material. This tea is a tradition and a treasure, so with proper regulation, it will always be available.
To prepare it, use soft water with a low mineral content, not tap water, or if there is no other solution, filter it with a filter jug with a magnesium insert. Several brands sell it.
Use 5-7 gr of tea leaves for 150-180 ml of water, then after a quick wake-up call (which I personally always consume) I drink tea for a long, long time with 10-15 second infusions. Balázs likes this tea more than I do, but he is also the one who prefers stronger red wines or more barrel-aged Somlói wines (although I like the latter too).
So I recommend it to those who like special and rare things, who like stronger flavors, whether in spices or fragrances. You won't be disappointed. 🙂 - Dori
It is also worth tasting our "keemun" red tea, there is no trace of smoking in it, but a truly cocoa-like tea.
Try the non-smoked, really floral and sweet version of this tea. Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong
Also, our article that presents the red tea type well can be found here.
