At a glance
Yingde black tea is a regional tea name from Yingde in Guangdong. Yinghong No. 9 is an important cultivar and product name within that wider context, rather than a synonym for every Yingde black tea. Read the locality, cultivar and leaf form as separate details on a packet.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 英德红茶 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Yingde, Qingyuan, Guangdong |
| Leaf form | Substantial, tightly worked strands with some golden hairs |
Taste and appearance
The old table describes fine, tight, substantial strands with golden hairs, dark lustrous dry leaf and bright red liquor, sometimes with a golden rim. It describes a fresh, rich floral aroma and a full, mellow, brisk cup. A golden rim or visible hairs are sensory observations, not a stand-alone cultivar, origin or grade certificate.
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 | Fine, tight, even, substantial strands with many golden hairs | Fine, tight, even strands, visible golden hairs and pointed tips | Substantial tight strands, some golden hairs and many tender stems |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous dark leaf | Lustrous dark leaf | Reasonably lustrous dark leaf |
| Liquor | Vivid red and bright, clear golden rim | Vivid red | Red and bright |
| Aroma | Fresh, rich and mellow, clear floral fragrance | Fresh and rich | Rich and mellow |
| Taste | Full, mellow and brisk | Strong and mellow | Strong and full |
| Infused leaves | Soft, red and bright | Soft and evenly red | Reasonably tender and even, red and fairly bright |
The retained sensory tiers are not a cultivar ladder. A golden rim is a description, not a test that every Yingde tea is Yinghong No. 9.
Names and origin
The source locality is Yingde, a county-level city within Qingyuan, Guangdong; the old Guangdong City wording is corrected. The original dates of 1955 for large-leaf planting and 1959 for black-tea trials are retained as a regional development account, not proof that every modern lot uses that original material. The region makes a range of black teas, including different leaf forms and named products. A historical top-three comparison is not an objective current world ranking.
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
Consider an identified product if you enjoy a full Guangdong black-tea style and want to understand its regional and cultivar labels. Choose by taste and traceability rather than a universal top-three ranking or a stomach-health promise.
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 Yingde Black Tea 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
This graphic gives a gaiwan, 5 g and 150 mL actual water as its stated water amount. Its four infusions use 85°C / 3 seconds, 85°C / 5 seconds, 90°C / 5 seconds and 95°C / 5–7 seconds respectively. Keep the full temperature-and-time sequence together; it is different from the earlier 1:20, 95–100°C / 5-second prose method. No separate leaf rinse is illustrated. Use potable water; the spring-water label is not a safety test.
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
Check the maker, actual growing locality, cultivar where stated, harvest and whether the leaf is whole-strand or broken. A golden rim and floral notes cannot verify the supply chain. Compare with the separate Yinghong No. 9 guide if that name is on the packet.
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 | 600 | 120 |
| Grade 1 | 400 | 80 |
| Grade 2 | 300 | 60 |
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 article has no process illustration, so none is invented. It describes the modern regional development of black-tea production. Research and maker accounts show several products within the regional context; a named cultivar, a strand-shaped product and a broken-leaf export style should not be merged into one fixed manufacturing record. Old planting and trial dates are regional history, not a packet’s production date.
Common questions
Are Yingde black tea and Yinghong No. 9 exactly the same name?
Yingde identifies the regional black-tea context, while Yinghong No. 9 identifies a particular cultivar and products named for it. A product can state both, but Yingde alone does not prove every leaf is that cultivar or that all packets have the same grade and recipe.
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 Yinghong No 9, 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.