Best Autumn Teas for Golden Hour: Dragon Well, Golden Monkey & Assam Superior
In the northern hemisphere the Earth has been tilting away from the sun ever since the summer solstice, in June. For much of season, with relentless sunshine and heat, it didn’t feel much like the blazing star in the sky was relenting its grip; instead, she seemed fully in charge.
But with September we finally notice changes. Early mornings no longer shine bright—now we sip our morning oolongs in dawn’s grays. Dusk arrives earlier. Temperatures dip. And the light—oh the light turns golden.
Thank the tilt for the altered light. As the northern hemisphere shifts away from the sun, its rays much pass through more of the planet’s atmosphere. The journey filters out some of the rays’ shorter blue wavelengths, which invites the longer red, orange and yellow wavelengths to dominate. The result? The gold light for which autumn is famous. The lower sun angles, too, cast longer shadows. It’s all quite affecting.
September’s Golden Light and Tea
We think of September as the spark for a whole lot of tea vibes. From now through spring, many of us lean with more zeal into our tea rituals and practices. Iced tea, so refreshing during the hot months, loses some of its attraction. Instead, we wake up dreaming of the our hands cradling a warm, steaming mug. For some of us, the vision helps get us out of bed in the morning.
To celebrate the return of so much glorious, golden light we explore the teas that capture the mellow, honeyed atmospheres of autumn. Once brewed, teas take on a variety of hues, depending on the variety of Camellia sinensis grown, as well as the steps taking by artisans during the post-harvest phase.
Enjoy those golden hours! They tend to continue across autumn, including after the fall equinox on September 22. On the equinox, the day’s 24 hours are roughly divided evenly between light and darkness. But after the equinox and until the winter solstice in December, the balance of darkness expands a little bit every day.
The more opportunities to bask in golden hours, the merrier. Ideally, we step outside and bathe in the grandeur when the light does its glorious thing—mug of tea in hand.
Autumn Teas: Golden Monkey Black
One of our favorite black teas, Golden Monkey brews a deep golden amber color, and offers chocolate aromas as well as smooth, sweet flavors that lean into malt with a welcome note of bitterness. This elixir, from China’s tea-growing powerhouse Fujian Province, broadcasts so much that we love about traditional Camellia sinensis. Such a complex spectacle of aroma, flavor, texture and appearance! We think it’s a perfect tea to sip while savoring every moment of autumn’s magic light.
Autumn Teas: Assam Superior
Not only does this tea brew into an amber liquor—the tips themselves are gold. This dream is made for September light! It’s also quite a special Assam, from the famous Meleng Estate in India’s lush, tropical north-eastern corner and along the Brahmaputra River. If you cherish a hot cup of Indian-style black tea on a crisp fall morning, this tea will soothe in the extreme. Once brewed, this winner offers a rich, smooth and sophisticated flavor enlivened by fruity and chocolaty aromas. As with all Assams, it luxuriates in malty flavors. But this one comes across as a little bit sweeter, and with more depth. Calling all black tea lovers—try our Assam Superior! And brew it for a walk across your neighborhood park—just as the golden hour cloaks everything in sensory wonder.
Autumn Teas: Dragon Well
It’s September—Dragon Well time. This, the most famous green tea in China, produces a perfect golden brew, with enchanting nutty aromas and a full, round flavor. Also called Long Jing, only China’s royal families savored the tea for years, before it became available to the rest of us. Now we all can sink into the manifold pleasures of Dragon Well whenever we choose—including during autumn’s many golden hours.
In addition to truly royal flavor, Dragon Well (also known as Long Jing) contains the highest concentration of catechins (antioxidants) among Chinese green teas. Catechins are grand for vigor. Among other things, they help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, potentially reducing cellular damage; lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels; may protect brain cells; and boost metabolism, which can help with weight management.
The season of golden hours is upon us! As the sun casts long shadows and golden hues over environments, let’s brew some golden teas and head outdoors.
