Our Black Dragon Pearls, also called Yunnan Black Pearls, are a hand-rolled, small-batch black tea from Yunnan, China. Each little pearl is a bundle of tea leaves and buds that slowly unfurls in your cup.

Product Page: https://www.beantowntea.com/black-tea-products/black-dragon-pearls

The pearls are rolled by hand using only the highest quality leaves and buds. Rolling tea into pearls takes skilled handwork, and the tight shape protects the leaf until it opens in hot water. Watching them unfurl is half the fun.

A Dian Hong black tea from Yunnan

Black Dragon Pearls belong to the Dian Hong family of Yunnan black teas. The name means "red tea of Dian," after an ancient name for Yunnan. In China, what the West calls black tea is called red tea, after the color of the brewed cup.

Yunnan black tea has a surprisingly modern story. Before 1939, the province mainly made green-style tea and had no black tea tradition. In the autumn of 1938, with China's traditional eastern tea regions cut off by war, tea specialist Feng Shaoqiu traveled to Shunning (today's Fengqing) and found large tea trees with plump, downy buds. His trial black tea impressed buyers, and in 1939 a new factory produced Yunnan's first export batch. Fengqing is still celebrated as the homeland of Dian Hong.

What it tastes like

The pearls brew a rich, mellow cup with Yunnan's signature sweetness, hints of jammy flavor and a touch of earthiness. It's complex but gentle, with just the right amount of astringency. It's also a forgiving tea: if you lose track of time and it steeps a little long, it still tastes good. That makes it a lovely all-day black tea.

How to brew Black Dragon Pearls

• Tea: 2 to 3 pearls per 8 oz cup of water

• Water: 212°F (a full boil)

• Time: 3 to 5 minutes, then adjust to taste

A splash of milk is optional, but the pearls are lovely on their own. For more black tea tips, see how to brew the perfect cup of black tea.

What to pair it with

Try it with dark chocolate, roasted nuts or a slice of spiced cake.

Sizes and more Yunnan teas

Black Dragon Pearls come in a sample size (makes 5 cups) plus 2 oz, 4 oz and 8 oz bags. If you enjoy them, try more Yunnan black teas like Golden Yunnan and Golden Spiral, or browse our full black tea collection.

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Darjeeling Margaret’s Hope estate 2nd flush TGFOP. This stable Darjeeling tea is such a classic. Medium body with right amount of astringency. The signature Muscatel grape notes are prominent. It compliments desserts and snacks very well. For someone who is new to Darjeeling Tea, this is a relatively inexpensive easy pick as an introduction to the regions great teas.

More information: The bushes at Margaret’s Hope are almost entirely the Chinese Jat (genus) accounting for the green leafed tippy appearance of the manufactured leaf and the superb fragrance. Because the tea is grown at such high altitudes and in relatively cool weather the bushes do not grow quickly, and as such the production is limited. The best time of the year for quality is during ‘second-flush’ (end May - end June). During this time Darjeelings are incomparable to any other tea in the world. The fragrance and taste is a complex bouquet that reaches right out of the cup. Some would describe the taste as nutty; others find it reminds them of black currants, but most often it is described as similar to the taste and fragrance of muscat grapes.

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