This reserve batch of Dian Hong black tea is made from the lightly rolled 1 bud and 2 leaves plucking standard known as the Mao Feng grade. It is an unusually small batch of tea we produced in an old-school fashion using sun-drying to bring out deep sweetness and wild fermentation flavors accented with notes of black cherry and cocoa. The mellow and thick sweetness of this Dian Hong is lively and dynamic. The batch is perfect in heavy doses for gaiwan gong fu cha brewing sessions.

Sun-drying is one of the original ways that tea producers used to dry their tea. Using the Sun’s light and energy to finally dry the tea predates the modern and more widespread practice of oven baking tea. The sunlight and the slow rate of natural drying create a uniquely sweet fermentation taste and aromatic complexity that only the Sun’s natural UV light can coax from the tea leaves.

The sun-dried black tea has a vitality that is similar to Pu’er tea in that it develops with age and transforms over time. The nuances of sun-dried tea are elegantly balanced with a strong tea taste and deep, mellow sweetness.