Chinese Assams?

TwoPynts wrote:
bearsbearsbears wrote:Any Chinese black tea from Yunnan Province would be made of var. assamica or a close relative.

That would explain the distinctive Yunnan flavor profile I enjoy so much.

... and why I do not particularly like Yunnan blacks (although I have tried to many times) ... :mrgreen:

though I do understand why peeps like Yunnan black more than I understand why peeps like Assam black which I do not get. :mrgreen:

Different strokes for different folks.

Facebook · by **Bryan_drinks_te...** » Dec 17th, '10, 18:26

Re: Chinese Assams?

by Bryan_drinks_te... » Dec 17th, '10, 18:26

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.

by **shah82** » Dec 17th, '10, 20:33

Re: Chinese Assams?

by shah82 » Dec 17th, '10, 20:33

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.

by **geeber1** » Dec 18th, '10, 01:46

Re: Chinese Assams?

by geeber1 » Dec 18th, '10, 01:46

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.