As its name suggests, this tea is formed into small pellets to give it its distinctive appearance that looks like gunpowder pellets. It is a Chinese tea traditionally grown in the Zhejiang Province and it has been documented that the tea was grown here as far back as AD 618-907. Our gunpowder is a tightly rolled “pinhead” variety which opens out, when brewed, to reveal the whole lea. It has a robust, slightly smoky, slightly astringent flavour from the amber liquid it produces, that lingers on the tongue. It is an everyday, affordable tea and is probably the first green tea that most people try. It has a higher caffeine content than most green teas but it is also rich in antiviral and antioxidant qualities. It is used as the base for Moroccan mint tea, as its assertive flavour can withstand the mint and sugar, which are the other vital ingredients in this culturally classic tea.
