These fuzzy-tipped, tobacco-hued leaves produce the most extraordinarily bright, eye-catching cup. Keemun, a black tea named after the Qimen precinct of Anhui province, has the alluring elegance, precision and clarity of a top-quality Burgundy wine. It takes great skill to produce a good Keemun and this is a fine example. It's sweet, toasty and honeyed with an underlying orchid essence that’s truly captivating.
Appearance:
Dry Leaf: Seaweed-fine curls which, agitated in their dry state, give an almost musical ring in white porcelain.
Wet Leaf: A graceful, elegant nest of interwoven moist leaves.
Liquor: Languid, clear, hazel-beech brown.
Aroma:
Dry Leaf: Graceful, haunting scents hinting at dried orris root and plant extracts. A smoky, sappy touch brings added complexity.
Liquor: Deep and complex, almost malt-whisky-like in its complex notes of grain, fruit, root and fire. Compelling and teasing.
Taste: Vivid and deep, the classic balanced freshness of Keemun lent authority by the smoky, countryside depths of this complex, artisan's Keemun.
Anhui Province, China