Keemun black tea traded its green-tea past for smoke and malt in the late 19th century, when a Qing-dynasty farmer in Qimen County, Anhui, worked out how to turn the local leaf into black tea instead. That shift built Qimen's reputation as a black-tea centre, and the style eventually found favour at the British royal court. This particular grade, No.1 Special Grade, follows the traditional process of withering, rolling, oxidising and firing.
The cup opens light-bodied, with orchid and honey giving it a floral, sweetish lift. Dried plum and date notes follow, along with a trace of smoke that adds depth without weighing the tea down. It finishes clean, with soft cocoa and a whisper of malt, and the astringency stays balanced enough to keep the whole cup crisp rather than bitter.
Brew it with 2 grams of leaf per 240ml of water heated to 80°C, steeping for about three minutes; steep longer on the next infusion to draw out more flavour, and expect one or two good re-steeps from the same leaves. It's worth drinking plain, without milk or sweetener, so the floral and fruity character comes through.
