Chinese Black Teas.

Chinese Black Teas

In China there are many varieties of Black Teas being grown and sold. Usually name of black tea type comes from the place, where it was historically produced.

Ones of the most famous chinese black teas are: Lapsang souchong, Jin Jun Mei, Keemun and others. Lapsang is distinct from all other types of tea because lapsang leaves are traditionally smoke-dried over pinewood fires, taking on a distinctive smoky flavour. According to some sources, Lapsang souchong is the first black tea in history, even earlier than Keemun tea that was first produced in late 19th century.

Keemun quickly became popular in the West and is still used for a number of classic blends. It is a light tea with characteristic stone fruit and slightly smoky notes in the aroma and a gentle, malty, non-astringent taste reminiscent of unsweetened cocoa.

Kin Jun Mei is made from two small shoots plucked in early spring from the plant's stem which are subsequently fully oxidised and then smoked to giving a tea that has a sweet, fruity and flowery flavour with a long lasting sweet after-taste. The brew is bright reddish in colour.

DID YOU KNOW?

Lapsang Souchong. "Souchong" refers to the fourth and fifth leaves of the tea plant, further away from the more highly prized bud of the tea plant. These leaves are coarser than the leaves closer to the bud and have fewer aromatic compounds. Smoking provides a way to create a marketable product from these less desirable leaves

Tibeti. This is a unique post-fermented tea that originated in Yaan. It has been long been traded as a tea brick between China and Tibet. The tea is packed in Kangting (city name) and shipped over the caravan routes by yak.

Jin Jun Mei. One of the most prestigious of all teas. In his classic treatise on tea "Way of Tea", Ka Xing describes "it is a tea for the media rituals, also is considered to be self-cultivation a way through the tea and enjoy tea, tea, enhance friendship, Maxim virtue, learning etiquette, it is beneficialone kind and beauty ceremony."