Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Two mid-century Chinese export black teas that are difficult to distinguish blind. Both were state-programme products rather than inherited local traditions.
Point by point
| Dimension | Yi Hong | Chuan Hong Gongfu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Black tea · fully oxidised | Black tea · fully oxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Strip rolling → Oxidation → Drying. spring harvest. | In order: Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying. bud and one leaf and first flush harvest. |
| Origin | China — Enshi | China |
| Flavour | sweet and woody. medium and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: honey, light malt, dry wood. Straightforward in character. Moderate in intensity. | citrus and sweet. medium and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: orange peel, honey, sweet potato. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 4–5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 10s of 5 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 88–93 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 4–5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 10s of 5 authored. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.