The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea
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| China's "Golden Family" of Panyang Congou Black Teas |
| The Panyang Congou family of black teas comes from China's Fujian Province and consists of: Golden Monkey, Golden Crab, Panyang Golden Needle (or King of Golden Needle) and, of course, Panyang Congou. |
| Chinese black teas are given a longer, slower oxi- dation period, concentrating a type of flavanoid called thearubigins, and along with plenty of sweet golden tips, give the tea a more rounded, gentler body and mild, mellow flavor. The thearubigins, together with plenty of sweet tips, a fine pluck, and processing steps that draw out the lightly sweet aroma of rock fruits, along with hints of semisweet chocolate have made these teas extremely popular in the U.S., and Europe. One of the "youngest" and most popular of these teas is Golden Monkey. Golden Monkey originates in the Saowu region that lies outside the city of Fu' an, near the coast in China's Fujian Province. Golden Monkey is a rela- tively new tea developed for export in the last |
| 15 to 20 years, and has a huge following in the West and Europe. Golden Monkey is made from Da Bai (or Big White), the same cultivar used to make white tea. The leaves are harvested when the tips are as large as they can get without forming whole leaves. The sweet tips contain extra sugars that help the bud eventually form into a whole leaf. During oxidation the bud turns a lovely golden color. One of the keys to Golden Monkey's newness is in its name. Most Chinese teas are given two names, with the first for the place of origin and the second the style of leaf. An example is Pan- yang Congou. Panyang is a town in Fujian Province, and Congou is a tea trade classification for this style of black tea with a twisted or coiled shape. Golden Monkey means nothing aside from processing and marketing purposes where the word "monkey" suggests a high quality tea. Next in the list is Panyang (also called Tanyang) Golden Needle, which is also located near the town of Fu' an in China's Fujian Province. Also called King of Golden Needle, this tea also contains plenty of nice golden tips, giving it a light, sweet flavor. Because it contains less tips than Golden Monkey it has a bit more body and stronger flavors of fruits and nuts. The Panyang region has been producing black teas for over 200 years and the best teas are described as "tippy" because of the large amount of golden tips or buds present. While the leaves of Golden Monkey are twisted or coiled, Panyang Golden Needle has straight, flat needle-like leaves that have a polished sheen. This is because they are slightly heated in a wok and the repeated rubbing against the metal surface of the wok gives them a polished look. Panyang Golden Needle is finished in an oven rather than over a fire, so the well-rounded tea is not overpowered by fire flavors. Golden Crab is a lesser known tea. Of the teas in the Panyang Congou family, they are all given a fine pluck of one bud and a leaf and sorted into four quality grades, with the first being Panyang Golden Needle (or King of Golden Needle), which has the finest leaf with the largest amount of tip. Next comes Golden Monkey with a slightly larger leaf and less tips, and Golden Crab which is still larger. Lastly, Panyang Congou has the largest leaf with the least amount of tips, but with a more full-bodied, brisk flavor. Panyang Congou is also grown outside the city of Fu' an in the small village of Tang Yang on Taimu Mountain. This tea is one of the last of its kind, one of the great historical teas produced in China during the tea trade days. The word Congou is a corruption of the Chinese words gong fu or kung fu, meaning "highest mastery" or "highly skilled," and a tea trade classification referring to the masterful skills needed to produce this type of twisted shape of tea by hand. Today Panyang Congou teas are made by machine with the leaves rolled into a tight twist or spiral before being slowly oxidized to draw out the thearubigins, the flavanoids responsible for the mild, mellow flavors, along with other compounds. Panyang Congou is more full-bodied and brisk than its relatives, Golden Monkey or King of Golden Needle, with less tips and the fruity flavor of unsweetened baked apples, closer in taste to an Assam or Nilgiri. Known as Tan Yang Congou in China, the first Panyang Congou tea gardens were established over 300 years ago during the early Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Panyang Congou, along with Paklum and Chingwo were popular teas of the English during this time of China's peak tea trade with Europe. Today Paklum is no longer made and Chingwo is also nearly out of production. Most of the tea produced today in the small village of Tang Yang is green, with Panyang Congou accounting for only about 5%, or 20 tons, of the total 400 tons of tea produced yearly. Enjoy. |
| For more information or to learn more about tea, visit our other pages: What types of tea grow in Nepal? Explore the types and styles of tea grown in Nepal. Learn why this Himalayan paradise grows a variety of quality teas comparable to India's popular and expensive Darjeelings. How do you perform a Chinese gong fu tea ceremony? Learn how to perform a Chinese gong fu ceremony step-by-step, as well as the tools needed, using either a traditional gong fu tea set or a modern version. (Try Darjeeling Oolong First Flush Tea from Silver Leaf Tea Co. to use in your gong fu tea ceremony-an excellent first flush with true Darjeeling character, flavor, and style). What is a "gong fu tea ceremony?" Learn about China's gong fu tea ceremony, the tools needed to prepare and serve tea "gong fu style," and an overview of the steps. Which India tea is close in flavor to Nepal's tea? Explore the teas of Nepal and learn which of India's teas is closest in flavor (and coincidentally distance), to Nepal's tea. (Try Evening Blend Tea from Silver Leaf Tea Co. - A blend of fine Indian and China teas, low in caffeine, making it perfect for evening, but this smooth, relaxing tea is great anytime day or night) What role did Tametco play in keeping Uganda's tea industry alive? Learn how British businessman and entrepreneur, Mitchell Cotts formed the Toro and Mityana Tea Co., in a joint venture with the government to help save Uganda's tea industry. What superstitious art form became popular during the Ming era due to the gaiwan? Learn about China's gaiwan (guywan) covered bowl, created during the Ming dynasty, and spurring an unusual art form practiced in Chinese teahouses. |
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