Part X of X in a series on classic teas you need to taste
Origin: Qimen, Anhui China
Harvest: April-May
Dry leaves:
- Dark Auburn
- Depending on the kind, single leaves and tips
- Peach, plum, and chocolate aromas.
Wet leaves:
- Dark rust
- Plum and pipe tobacco
- Depending on the kind, single leaves and tips
Liquor:
- Dark mahogany
- Light briskness
- Aromas of pecan/hazelnut and peach, with chocolate notes
By the time Keemun teas were being produced in 1875, Darjeeling, Fujian, and Yunnan black teas were already in production. The world may have been persuaded there was no need for another black tea.
Keemuns can come in several forms, including mao feng, hao ya, and gongfu styles. As “ya” refers to tips, these tips often represent the finer, more delicate forms of keemun.
What is most defining about keemuns is the herby sweetnes it offers. While some detect peach or chocolate, there is another element, a Chinese medicine created with the potent roots and flowers of the apothecary.
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