Chinese Assams?
I've heard that there are Chinese black teas produced out of Assamica variety tea... Any suggested makers?
Nov 18th, '10, 12:17
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bearsbearsbears
Re: Chinese Assams?
Any Chinese black tea from Yunnan Province would be made of var. assamica or a close relative.
Re: Chinese Assams?
That would explain the distinctive Yunnan flavor profile I enjoy so much.bearsbearsbears wrote:Any Chinese black tea from Yunnan Province would be made of var. assamica or a close relative.
Nov 18th, '10, 13:16
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Re: Chinese Assams?
... and why I do not particularly like Yunnan blacks (although I have tried to many times) ... though I do understand why peeps like Yunnan black more than I understand why peeps like Assam black which I do not get.TwoPynts wrote:That would explain the distinctive Yunnan flavor profile I enjoy so much.bearsbearsbears wrote:Any Chinese black tea from Yunnan Province would be made of var. assamica or a close relative.
Different strokes for different folks.
Dec 17th, '10, 17:26
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bryan_drinks_tea
Re: Chinese Assams?
The main difference is the processing that each tea undergoes.
Assam teas are oxidized "faster", with harsher bruising of the leaf and time spent in hotter rooms. Chinese teas hongcha is oxidized more slowly, with less initial bruising to the leaf and a long time spent oxidizing. That explains the slightly different flavor profiles of the two teas - i.e. the thearubigens are more plentiful in the yunnan hongcha than the assam.
If I'm wrong about this, my apologies.
Assam teas are oxidized "faster", with harsher bruising of the leaf and time spent in hotter rooms. Chinese teas hongcha is oxidized more slowly, with less initial bruising to the leaf and a long time spent oxidizing. That explains the slightly different flavor profiles of the two teas - i.e. the thearubigens are more plentiful in the yunnan hongcha than the assam.
If I'm wrong about this, my apologies.
Re: Chinese Assams?
Yunnan blacks aren't really Assams in the traditional sense of the word. If you want the Chinese take on Assams, you need to look at Taiwan. They sell a few Assams from some pre-WWII groves.
Re: Chinese Assams?
To me, Indian Assams taste malty, while (good) Yunnans taste more on the peppery side. Now that I think about it, I guess I have had a few (not so good) Yunnans that leaned to the malty side - I never knew why, though.