Hei Zhuan Tea

Hei Zhuan Cha (Dark Brick Tea) is a pressed dark tea from Hunan Province. It is made from coarse, mature leaves that are piled, pressed into firm bricks and then left to age. Hunan dark tea comes mainly from Anhua County, and the BaiShaXi Tea Factory in Anhua is one of its best-known makers.

All three bricks here are aged CNNP teas. The 1992 Anhua brick weighs 380g and the 1993 BaiShaXi brick is a large 2000g piece; both now have more than thirty years of age. The 2003 BaiShaXi brick of 400g has over twenty years. Long storage turns the rough leaves smooth, and the cup becomes deep red, clean and mellow, with woody and slightly sweet notes.

Dark brick tea is easy to brew. Break off a piece, rinse it once, and brew it in a teapot or simply boil it. Each brick is sold whole or as samples from 7g, so you can taste before buying. King Tea Mall is an online shop based in Guangzhou, China.