Anhui Province, China

Keemun is a small tea-growing district in Qimen County of Anhui Province, China. The Keemun hills extend southwest from the high mountains of the Huang Shan, and form a portion of the southern border of the central Yangtze valley.

It is a beautiful region, as shown in Mary Lou’s photo.

One of the most legendary tea producing regions of China, Keemun was a prominent black tea (hong cha) manufacturing center during the time of the historic China Tea Trade. This followed its long tenure as one of the principal green tea producing regions of China.

Keemuns have a taste profile that is lean and crisp. They feature winey characteristics and a distinctive charcoal-fired, cocoa-like dryness with a lingering chocolate aftertaste. Keemuns share a flavor profile in common and have distinctive flavor characteristics contributed by their terroir. But these teas can also vary depending upon the time of the spring pluck and the location of the tea gardens in the Keemun hills.

Black tea steeping instructions