One of the popular options for tea lovers : Heavy-fermented teas taste more layered, with acidic and fresh notes.
Heavy-fermented tea is a specially processed type of tea that exhibits unique flavours and aromas through extended fermentation and post-fermentation processes. During production, these teas first undergo a standard phase of oxidation and fermentation, followed by a post-fermentation stage largely facilitated by microbial activity, which enriches and complexifies the tea's flavour and chemical composition.
Due to the prolonged fermentation and post-fermentation treatment, the chemical components in heavy-fermented tea are fully transformed. These compounds give heavy-fermented tea a rich, complex taste and aroma, endowing it with unique flavours such as 'Spicy' notes, woody aromas, and rich sugary scents.
Compared to other types of tea, the main difference in heavy-fermented tea lies in its longer fermentation and post-fermentation periods. As a result, the tea's flavour becomes more layered, with acidic and fresh notes, and the colour deepens to shades like orange-yellow, orange-red, or bright red. Its distinctive taste and aroma make it a prized part of tea culture. Examples include the famous Oriental Beauty tea and Jin Xuan Tieguanyin, which is made from the Jin Xuan tea plant using the Tieguanyin method of fermentation, both of which are popular choices among tea enthusiasts.
