Rare Black Tea Jiu Qu Hong Mei
Jiu Qu Hong Mei means Red Plum from Jiu Qu, and is called "Red Plum" because the the tea soup is a lovely red and the taste and aroma of the tea reminds one of plum fruit. There is a also a thick honey and apple taste with little or astringency at all. The aroma is strong and heady with a pleasant character. The leaves are twisted into thin curls and have a beautiful aroma of dark plums. The liquor has a similar profile of the same aroma. It is has a fruity, lively taste with a slight floral note, malty with a rich sweetness. Whether the Jiu Qu Hong Mei is picked in the right time or not is related to the quality of the tea. Before and after Guyu is the best, the quality is lower when the garden is opened before and after the Qingming Festival.
The picking standard of Jiu Qu Red Plum requires one bud and two leaves to develop; it is made by finishing, kneading, fermentation, and drying (baking). The key is fermentation and drying. Jiu Qu Hong Mei is called Jiu Qu Hong Mei because of its red color and fragrance. It has a sweet taste and warms the stomach. Jiu Qu Hong Mei Tea has been produced for nearly 200 years. It became famous more than a hundred years ago.
Jiu Qu Hong Mei mainly grows in the towns and mountains around the West Lake. There is a warm, humid, and foggy climate, which is very suitable for the growth of tea trees.
The sandy soil is deep and fertile, with good permeability. This unique ecological environment is very conducive to the formation and accumulation of amino acids, proteins, and aromatics in tea.
The picking time of Jiu Qu Hong Mei is around the Grain Rain (April 19-21). The shape of the finished Jiu Qu Hong Mei is thin, tight, and curled like a fishhook. Its color is red-brown.
After brewing, it has a strong fragrance that is similar to that of orchid, honey, or pine soot. The tea liquid is very bright and red as the color of red plum and it tastes smooth and mellow. The color of the brewed tea leaves is brown.
There is a famous rose tea called Jiu Qu rose black tea, which is made from Jiu Qu Hong Mei and rose.
Black tea ｜ Zhejiang ｜ Complete fermentation ｜ Spring and Summer
