dry leaf
Various: small wiry twists (Keemun) to bold golden-tipped buds (Dianhong) to long smoky strips (Lapsang, Zhèng Shān). Aromas of unsweetened cocoa, pine resin, baked plum, and faint flowers.
wet leaf
After rinse leaves unfurl with pronounced notes of pine smoke, roasted barley, and a deep honeyed sweetness.
liquor
From amber (Keemun) to deep copper (Dianhong), always clear and luminous.
aroma
Smoke, malt, dark chocolate, dried longan, and a high-note floral undercurrent that shifts with each tea.
taste
Varies by cup — Keemun’s winey cocoa and light smokiness, Lapsang’s bold pine-fire warmth, Dianhong’s creamy malt and peppery finish, and Zhèng Shān Xiǎo Zhǒng’s round honeyed body with gentle smoke.
finish
Lingering sweetness with a returning huigan, especially persistent in the Dianhong and Keemun; the cleanest finish comes with the traditional Zhèng Shān Xiǎo Zhǒng.