Tasting notes: Yin Ya Cha

In the depths of winter, enjoying a cup of tea is one of the ways of cheering yourself up everyday. Black tea is ideal for its “warming” effect. This Yin Ya Cha comes from the high mountains of Hubei which are covered with a dense protected forest. Tea plants grow there in a region characterised by light sunshine, where temperatures can be very low, with a high humidity and frequent mists.

These conditions favour the development of high levels of theanine and chlorophyll that allow the teas to naturally develop mild and delicious flavours.

Produced like a Keemun (Qimen), Yin Ya Cha contains lots of beautiful golden buds from the first spring crop and gives a golden liquor with intense and fruity flavour.

Produced like a Keemun (Qimen), Yin Ya Cha contains lots of beautiful golden buds from the first spring crop and gives a golden liquor with intense and fruity flavour.

Origin: Enshi tea cooperative, Hubei province, China

Labels: Organic, Fairtrade, small producer

Colour of tea: black

Water temperature: 90-95° c

Infusion time in a teapot: 3-5 minutes

Quantity infused: 7 to 8 grams in a 500 ml teapot

Dry leaves: Small, dark, evenly-shaped leaves rolled lengthways by hand. Good concentration of golden buds. A distinct apricot scent, sweet and slightly tart.

Infused leaves: The unbroken leaves keep their beautiful appearance when water is added. The even brown colour shows the expertise of the oxidation process.

Complex aromas of biscuit and cocoa deliciously highlighted by fruity scents.

Liquor: Amber and clear. The oily texture can be seen with the naked eye which suggests a high content of essential oils.

The scent: The liquor gives off full, warm fragrances of cocoa and yellow fruits.

In the mouth: The initial flavour is very tasty: the cocoa scents perceived by the nose are present in the cup. Next come the notes of yellow fruit. Once again you will notice the presence of apricot that characterises this tea. The milky and sweet finish, reminiscent of fudge, lingers in the mouth. The oily texture of this tea perfectly supports this festival of flavours with no trace of bitterness: a true delight that deserves to be re-infused many times!

The Enshi Cooperative:

The Enshi tea cooperative is located in Hubei province, in central China. The tea bushes of this mountainous area are well-known for the small size of their leaves which is greatly appreciated among wu long and green tea lovers. These tea bushes grow between 2600 and 3900 feet altitude and are distributed among 6 villages. Following an economic reform initiated by Deng Xiaoping, a Chinese statesman who put an end to the policy of collectivization of the land, the Enshi cooperative has been made possible. Following these developments, the 507 small tea producers have been able to acquire a total of more than 300 ha of land in their own names. They subsequently founded their own cooperative on the basis of fair trade.

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