At a glance
Da Chi Gan is a Wuyi black-tea trade name often contrasted with Xiao Chi Gan. The older account distinguishes more opened fresh leaves from a smaller, less-open picking. Sellers do not always describe the boundary identically, so the name alone is not a fixed cultivar, origin certificate or universal quality grade.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 大赤甘 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Wuyi/Tongmu black-tea tradition, Fujian; check the actual garden |
| Leaf form | Substantial, open-leaf material worked into dark strands |
Taste and appearance
The inherited table describes substantial, somewhat rustic but well-formed dark strands, a lustrous black appearance, clear yellow liquor with red tones and a lasting floral fragrance. The cup is smooth, clean and mellow, with copper-coloured infused leaves. These descriptions preserve the original style account without certifying one tasting lot or an identical cup from every maker.
The original liquor photograph is withheld because identical pixels were assigned to another tea name. Its named identity could not be confirmed; the original file is preserved.
The cover is the original dry-leaf illustration. These images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of origin, grade, age, authenticity or image rights clearance.
Grade characteristics
This preserves the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table and does not grade your packet. Plant material, growing area, processing and grade are separate details. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Substantial, rustic, well-formed strands | Substantial, rustic, reasonably well formed | Substantial, rustic, reasonably well formed |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous, bright black | Bright black, reasonably lustrous | Bright black |
| Liquor | Yellow with red tones, clear and bright | Yellow with red tones, bright | Yellow with red tones |
| Aroma | Rich floral fragrance, lasting | Floral, reasonably lasting | Floral, reasonably lasting |
| Taste | Smooth, clean and mellow | Smooth, reasonably clean and mellow | Smooth, mellow and brisk |
| Infused leaves | Even and copper coloured | Reasonably even, copper coloured | Copper coloured |
Repeated cells preserve the old comparison. The columns are not a verified universal picking standard or a compulsory gold/silver/bronze hierarchy.
Names and origin
The source connects the tea with Wuyishan in Nanping, Fujian, and with the Tongmu tradition. It claims wild material at 1,500–1,800 m within the reserve; that exact elevation, wild status and protected-site origin have not been established for every product called Da Chi Gan. Keep those as earlier sourcing claims requiring packet-specific evidence. The source’s Tong Jun Mei association is historical trade wording, not a universal legal grade equivalence.
Everyday benefits
Brewed without added sugar, this is an ordinary tea drink that can be an alternative to sweetened drinks and contribute to fluid intake. It contains caffeine. These everyday properties do not establish that this named tea treats disease, lowers blood sugar or improves sleep. No TeaPlain clinical or brewing test is claimed here.
Who may enjoy this tea
It may suit someone exploring a fuller-leaf Wuyi black-tea style. A later or more opened picking can be a different style choice; it is not by itself proof that the tea is poor, caffeine-free or suitable for treating a stomach condition.
When to take care
- Caffeine sensitivity or sleep problems: consider your total intake and timing if tea affects your sleep. A pale infusion is not a caffeine-free claim.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or medicines: ask a clinician or pharmacist about your actual product, caffeine intake and relevant medicine instructions.
- Iron supplements: follow the medicine’s instructions about separating tea from the dose. Do not use tea as treatment for anaemia.
These are product and individual considerations, not a blanket ban based on traditional “hot” or “cold” labels, age, sex or a constitution category.
How to brew
Original prose: short gaiwan infusions
The earlier Chinese prose gives a white porcelain gaiwan, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio, 95–100°C / 203–212°F water and a 5-second pour after adding water. It does not specify a tea dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are an editorial illustration of the prose, not measurements inferred from the separate graphic.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g loose Da Chi Gan as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz, measured; 5 g at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan with room for the measured water and leaves |
| Water temperature | 95–100°C / 203–212°F |
| First infusion | 5 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling and pouring time |
| Leaves | Kept separate from the liquid after each pour |
Use your packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The earlier five-to-seven-infusion statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. The prose does not specify a leaf rinse; any rinse shown in the separate image is not added silently to this version and is not a validated disinfection step. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The shared original image gives 5 g in a nominal 110 mL gaiwan, 95–100°C / 203–212°F and about 5 seconds for each of the first three drinking infusions, then longer waits. Actual water is not given. The vessel label is not a measured 1:20 ratio. Preheating is not validated sterilisation; a natural spring photograph does not certify potable water.
For ordinary teaware options, see brew without a gaiwan. Keep each complete method together instead of selecting temperature, dose and time from different preparations.
Adjust your cup
| What you notice | One change to try |
|---|---|
| Too strong, bitter or drying | Separate the liquid from the leaves; shorten contact time or use less tea next time |
| Weak or watery | Keep the measured water fixed and try a longer infusion before changing the leaf dose |
| Later infusions become stronger | Check whether liquid was left sitting with the leaves |
| Different from a flavour description | Compare the actual product and method; a description is not a promise for every cup |
Change one variable at a time. For a fuller sequence, see fix a disappointing first cup.
How to buy
Ask for maker, garden origin, harvest, picking and whether smoke was used. A Tongmu-associated name, a wild-tea slogan and a protected-area claim each need their own traceability. Compare the actual product with Xiao Chi Gan instead of assuming every seller uses an identical gold/silver/bronze ladder.
See buy your first Chinese tea for packet comparisons.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No original brand, batch, harvest or quotation date was recorded. These are not verified current retail quotes, a market average or manufacturer-suggested retail prices.
| Chinese-edition tier | CNY per 500 g (one jin) | Equivalent CNY per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Extra grade | 750 | 150 |
| Grade 1 | 500 | 100 |
| Grade 2 | 350 | 70 |
Per 100 g is an arithmetic conversion, not a quoted packet. Do not infer a missing sensory or price tier. Compare actual growing area, style, harvest, roast, weight and channel. A currency conversion does not make a UK or US retail offer comparable to a China historical figure.
How to store
Original storage method
The earlier entry uses a sealed foil or kraft-paper pouch inside a closed, dry container such as a tin, kept cool, dry and away from light and smells. Its casual tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions: use a suitable cupboard if a shelf is sunny or near steam. Reseal the inner pouch after taking tea. Plain paper without a moisture-resistant lining is not equivalent to a sealed foil pouch.
Its historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F and below 50% relative humidity, with a 24-month general shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry date or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. The actual product label, seal and storage conditions take precedence. The earlier ordinary-storage method does not require refrigeration; follow any different instruction for your own product.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep the packet away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, direct sun and spice containers. A decorative outer tin does not replace the inner seal. Keep a small daily portion separate if that helps resealing the main supply. Do not assume a long shelf life from the tea’s dark colour. For opened-packet handling, read storing an opened packet.
Origin, processing and history
The original simplified map shows picking, withering, rolling, oxidation and drying. Identified Chi Gan products can have additional heating or different drying details. The five boxes do not certify an unvarying factory recipe, entirely manual production or the exact high-elevation wild origin asserted by the older source.
Common questions
Does Da Chi Gan always mean one bud and exactly two leaves?
The old account emphasises more opened leaves, while some identified sellers describe a two-leaf versus three-leaf picking distinction. These are not one verified universal rule. Ask the maker for its actual picking and leaf material rather than grading a packet from the name alone.
Can I move one number from this recipe into a different vessel?
Keep leaf form, measured dose and actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Nominal capacity or a fill fraction is not a measured ratio.
Compare Xiao Chi Gan, or browse the black tea overview.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. Valid original descriptions, sensory comparisons, prose and image methods, storage handling, China price figures and usable pictures are retained with their scope. Doubtful medical, ranking and exact historical claims are revised or omitted. Current full grade clauses and historical prices are not certified. Original Chinese-labelled graphics have English reading notes; no TeaPlain tasting or brewing test is claimed. Internal research and image audits record the decisions.