Black China Tea

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World-Class China Black Teas!

Enjoy the teas from the ancient birthplace of tea!

Most commonly used in North American tea bags, black tea is made from leaves that have been fully oxidized, producing a hearty deep rich flavour in a coloured amber brew.

It is the oxidation process, oxygen coming into contact with the enzymes in the tea leaf, that distinguishes black teas from green. The oxidation process is also known as fermentation.

Golden Heaven ~ Keemun Panda ~ Golden Monkey ~ Lapsang Souchong ~ Lichee Congou Emperor ~ Rose Congou Emperor

Tremendous Tea!

Golden Heaven Tea Rare China Black Loose Leaf Tea

Tremendous Tea!

Top quality Stylish Tea with distinctive golden yellow buds & a brisk and lingering fragrant aroma with toasty lovely notes!

Loose Leaf - 2oz. for $7.69 or 4oz. for $12.79

Cup Characteristics: Full bodied tending astringent (brisk) with a heady bouquet. Full malty and a hint a lovely ‘jammy’ tea flavor that is outstanding with milk. Reminiscent of a top 2nd flush Assam.

Origin: CHINA Yunnan Province - Fengqing County

Information: Golden Heaven is one of most stylish teas that is commercially available. Stylish means very visually appealing typified by tippy, neat, wiry and well made leaves . This tea is characterized by its fine shape (black lustre and distinctive golden yellow buds), varnished color, fragrant aroma, malty taste and top quality. It is a distinctive specialty tea, so much so that when it was first exported to London it commanded a title as a ‘special species of tea’. When steeped, the essential elements of the leaf infuse giving a bright reddish liquor with a brisk and lingering fragrant aroma with toasty lovely notes.

Yunnan is in an ideal location to grow tea. This is characterized by:

a) annual average temperature of 15 degrees C
b) annual accumulated precipitation of 45 inches
c) relative humidity of 75% during the tea growing period
d) an average soil pH value of 4.5 - 6.5
e) mean altitude of 4000 - 6500 feet above sea level

This tea is one of the top qualities available from Yunnan Province. It is only made during the last two weeks of March and the first two weeks of April, when the new season growth flushes in a particular manner that gives a high percentage of golden tip. Drink this tea and you treat yourself to one of the world’s great teas.

Infusion: Very bright and golden coppery colour.

Keemun Panda Tea #1 Grade 1 China Black Loose Leaf Tea

One of the finest teas in the World!

Panda #1 is one of the finest teas in the world with a complex aromatic & penetrating character compared to burgundy wines!

Loose Leaf - 2oz. for $2.99 ~ 4oz. for $4.79 ~ 8oz. for $7.69

Cup Characteristics: A complex and subtle flavour. Aromatic and penetrating without being lush or floral. The flavour is best brought outwith the use of milk.

Origin: CHINA Qimen County, Anhui Province - Best known of all the China black teas available.

Information: Of all the China black teas available Keemun Panda #1 is probably one of the best known. Keemun is one of the congou-type teas; meaning it requires a great deal of gongfu, (disciplined skill) to make into fine taut strips without breaking the leaves. Interestingly the characters in the written Chinese script for time and labor are the same as those used for ‘gongfu’. It is often said that a properly produced Keemun such as Panda #1 is on of the finest teas in the world with a complex aromatic and penetrating character often compared to burgundy wines. Traditionally keemuns were used in English Breakfast tea.

In the early 1800’s tea was such the rage in England there was a danger that the British treasury would be drained because all the silver was being used to pay the Chinese for tea. The Chinese did not need textiles, one of Britain’s main exports- so what to do??? India and Burma produced significant quantities of opium and in due course China became a major market. The economic circle that evolved was as follows: : Opium from India was sent to the British merchants stationed in Canton, China. The Chinese paid for this in silver and the merchants received credits against debts in England. This silver was then used to pay the Chinese for their tea. This practice lead to wars between England and China - called The Opium Wars. The last war was won by the British in 1860 which led to opium being a legal commodity in China until 1908 when it was finally outlawed.

Keemun black tea was only produced after 1875 - against the grain of the Chinese practice of producing green teas. But, the English palate was finely attuned to fine black tea and with virtually unrestricted trade with opium and tea. Keemun rapidly became an English staple, notwithstanding that keemuns were particularly flavorful and full bodied. Perhaps this interest in keemun also came about as some have described the taste and aroma of keemun’s as reminiscent of toast hot from the oven - another British tradition. Keemun is one the best-keeping black teas. Fine specimens will keep for years if stored properly and take on a mellow winey character.

Infusion: Bright tending reddish.

Golden Monkey Tea Rare China Black Loose Leaf Tea

Full malty tea flavor that is simply outstanding with milk.

Golden Monkey is noted for its rich aroma, sweet taste, golden colour and well twisted tippy leaf!

Loose Leaf - 2oz. for $6.25 or 4oz. for $10.75

Cup Characteristics: Full bodied tending astringent (brisk) with a heady bouquet. Full malty tea flavor that is simply outstanding with milk. Tremendous Tea! Reminiscent of a top 2nd flush Assam.

Origin: CHINAFujian Province - Shounin County - King of Panyong Congou Black Tea

Information: Golden Monkey is sometimes referred to by the grower (because this tea is so good) as King of Panyong Congou. After a painstakingly labor intensive production process, this tea is hand sorted to ensure a beautiful leaf appearance. The leaves are curly, wiry and well twisted with a high percentage of tip evident. ‘Tip’ is the tip of the new shoots and during the manufacturing process these tips turn a gold brown. ‘Tippy tea’ is a leading indicator of exceptional quality, highly selective grading and usually only available in the first few weeks of the new season (New season teas have the most flavor, rarest and most eagerly sought by tea connoisseurs).

Panyong Congou Teas are mainly produced in the mountainous region of Fu’an County and Shounin County. The finished teas are made from a local variety of tea bush that is noted for its rich aroma, sweet taste, golden color and well twisted tippy leaf.

In earlier times Golden Monkey was the tea of saipans and local overlords. They claimed that the secret for this tea was that it had to be plucked by the golden monkey which centuries ago inhabited the forests of Fujian Province. This special tea was very rare and the Taipans demanded every ounce of tea because they claimed that it gave them ‘the agility and sexual prowess of the patriarch of a golden monkey troop’. {Obviously stiff competition from the monkey} Today the plucking process has changed somewhat but it is fascinating to know the tradition behind this marvelous tea.

Infusion: Very bright and golden coppery colour.

Lapsang Souchong Tea China Black Loose Leaf Tea

A smooth crisp character with a remarkable heady aroma of a pine and oak wood fire.

A special smoked tea with distinct aroma and flavor!

Loose Leaf -2oz. for $2.99 ~ 4oz. for $4.79 ~ 8oz. for $7.69

Cup Characteristics: A smooth crisp character with the remarkable and heady aroma of a pine and oak wood fire.

Origin: CHINA Fujian province, Xingchun region (China Special Black Tea)

Information: This special smoked tea has a distinctive flavor sometimes referred to as tarry, and is a special tea from Fujian province. The Fukienese word ‘souchong’ means subvariety - that is a subvariety of other black teas from the Wuyi mountains of Fujian. When Lapsang Souchong was first exported to western European countries and became famous on the international markets - it was no doubt due to the distinct aroma and flavor. Interestingly the best Lapsang is produced in the nature preserve located in the Wuyi mountains where the high mountains with thick pine forests and heavy mist provide the ideal environment for growing top quality tea.

Legend claims that the smoking process was discovered by accident. During the Qing dynasty, an army unit passing through Xingcun (Star Village) camped in a tea factory filled with fresh leaves awaiting processing. When the soldiers left and the workers could get back into the premises, they realized that to arrive at market in time, it was too late to dry the leaves in the usual way. So they lit open fires of pine wood to hasten the drying. Not only did the tea reach the market in time, but the smoked pine flavor created a sensation!

The method of production is as follows: The leaves are first withered over fires of pine or cypress wood. After pan-frying and rolling, they are presses into wooden barrels and covered with cloth to ferment until they give off a pleasant fragrance. The leaves are fired again and rolled into taut strips. Then they are placed in bamboo baskets and hung on wooden racks over smoking pine fires to dry and absorb the smoke flavor. When finished they are thick, glossy black strips, and produce a dark red beverage with a unique aroma and taste. It is generally consumed with sugar or milk. Depending upon one’s palate the taste can be light and intriguing or it can be heavy and overpowering. Lapsang Souchong is best described as an acquired taste.

Infusion: Tending bright with reddish hues.

Rose Congou Emperor Tea China Black Loose Leaf Tea

Light liquoring with refreshing hint of roses.

A delightfully attractive tea accented with rose petals to give the refreshing cleansing flavour of roses!

Loose Leaf -2oz. for $2.99 ~ 4oz. for $4.79 ~ 8oz. for $7.69

Cup Characteristics: Light liquoring with refreshing hint of roses.

Origin: CHINA Fujian Province (Black Tea)

Information: Scented teas have been around for a long time and are produced according to ancestral recipes. Before the advent of essential oil extracts one of the easiest scents to duplicate was ‘Rose’. The plantations would literally cut the rose blossoms from the plants bordering fields and pathways and sprinkle these into the tea. The result was a delicate but finely flavoured tea. Today the practice remains virtually the same, but essential oils are used to speed up the scenting process and freshly cut flowers are added to the tea for visual effects. The result is a delightfully attractive leaf accented with rose petals combined with the refreshing cleansing flavour of roses. The next time a guest drops by, why not offer a truly special cup of hospitality accented with the scent and petals of roses.

Infusion: Light with touch of coppery colour.

Lichee Congou Emperor Tea China Black Loose Leaf Tea

Light liquoring with refreshing flavour of Lichee fruit.

A delicate and finely flavoured tea with scents of Lichee fruit!

Loose Leaf -2oz. for $2.99 ~ 4oz. for $4.79 ~ 8oz. for $7.69

Cup Characteristics: Light liquoring with refreshing flavour of Lichee fruit.

Origin: CHINA Fujian Province F.O.P. (Flowery Orange Pekoe)

Information: Tea was reportedly discovered in China around 2737 B.C. by The Emperor Chen Nung when a tea leaf fell into his bowl of hot water. This tradition of tea drinking became a integral part of society and was the preferred beverage for all walks of life; from monks and mandarins to the nomadic tribesmen who traded horses for bricks of tea. The Japanese may have transformed tea drinking into a sacred ceremony, however, the Chinese are credited with initiating the time honored ritual of offering a guest a cup of tea as a sign of hospitality.

Scented teas have been around for a long time and are produced according to ancestral recipes. Before the advent of essential oil extracts one of the easiest scents to duplicate was Lichee - a fruit that plays an important part in Chinese life. The plantations would squeeze Lichee fruits plucked from the trees which grew in the area. The result was a delicate and finely flavoured tea. Today the practice remains virtually the same, but essential oils are purchased in huge drums and used to scent the tea to meet the high volume demands from the global market. The next time a guest drops by, why not offer a truly special cup of hospitality.

Infusion: Light with touch of coppery colour.

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