Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: small, dark
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: deep reddish brown
Keemun is one of my favorite types of Chinese black tea. I was incredibly sad when I opened my package of samples from +The Kettle Shed: Tea Company and saw that the lid had popped off of this tin. There’s no use crying over split tea, thankfully there was still enough leaf left to brew. The taste was earthy and sweet with just a touch of astringency. A slightly fruity note ended in a wine-like aftertaste. I had to lighten up on leaves a bit while brewing in a gaiwan. Shorter infusions would also do the trick. This tea would be well suited to preparation in a western style and could easily stand up to the addition of milk or sweeteners. The Kettle Shed’s product description compares it to Indian black teas and I can certainly see that correlation. It would be a great choice for someone who wants a full bodied black tea without the kick of Assam.
Keemun Congou sample provided by The Kettle Shed Tea Company.