Keemun

🌱 Vegan

Keemun is a black tea from China, grown in Qimen County in southern Anhui province. Since the late nineteenth century it has been highly valued in the West, where it still appears in several classic blends.

History

It was first produced in 1875, using techniques adapted from farmers in Fujian province. The name is an older Western spelling of the nearby town of Qimen. The tea grows between the Yellow Mountains and the Yangtze River, and it uses the same cultivar as the green tea Huangshan Maofeng.

Withering and oxidation are unusually slow, which gives the leaf a more nuanced aroma and flavour. Some of its floral notes are attributed to a higher share of geraniol than in other black teas. There are many styles: Keemun Mao Feng, picked earlier than the rest, is lighter and sweeter, while Keemun Hao Ya, made mostly from leaves, tastes more intense and is graded A and B for Western buyers.

Culture

In its home region, Keemun is a reference tea and its name is closely tied to the town of Qimen. Outside China it has long been used in traditional blends and breakfast teas. Some companies sell a black tea from neighbouring Hubei province under the name Hubei Keemun, but it is not a Keemun in the strict sense.

Trivia

Hao Ya A and B. For Western markets, Hao Ya is graded A and B. A is considered somewhat better than B, though both have a markedly intense taste.

A misleading name. Some companies sell a black tea from Hubei province as Hubei Keemun, although it is not a true Keemun.