Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
Keemun Black tea
ValleyGreenTea

Keemun Black tea

$20.90 AUD
  • 50g
  • 100g
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Keemun Black Tea — The "Queen of Black Teas"

Also known as: Keemun, Qimen Hong Cha, Qimen Black Tea, Keemun Congou, 祁门红茶


Keemun black tea is one of the most celebrated black teas on earth — and one of the few Chinese teas the West has loved for over a century.

It's ranked among the world's three great aromatic black teas, alongside India's Darjeeling and Sri Lanka's Ceylon Uva — and many would put it first.

In China it's called the "Queen of Black Teas", famous for a fragrance so distinctive it has its own name: the "Keemun fragrance".


What Is Keemun Black Tea?

Keemun Black Tea takes its name from its birthplace — Qimen county in Anhui, eastern China — just as so many Chinese teas do.

 It remains the benchmark for fine Chinese congou black tea.


What Is the "Keemun Fragrance"?

This is what sets Keemun apart.

Great Keemun has a layered, unmistakable aroma the Chinese simply call *Keemun xiang* — the "Keemun fragrance".

It's floral and fruity and honeyed all at once, often described as orchid and rose, with hints of ripe apple, mellow plum and a whisper of pinewood underneath.


What Keemun Tastes Like

First the aroma wins you over; then the taste keeps you.

Keemun is smooth, mellow and gently sweet, with a silky body and a long, rounded finish. It's refined rather than heavy — elegant, aromatic, and endlessly drinkable.

It's also famously good with milk: the aroma and body hold up beautifully, which is exactly why Keemun became the backbone of so many classic English breakfast-style blends. Take it straight to savour the fragrance, or with a splash of milk for a proper afternoon cup.


Where Keemun Sits in the World of Chinese Black Tea

Four of our most-loved Chinese black teas — see the difference in the cup:

 

Modern varieties recently created, and much loved

Variety Origin Aroma Taste Our teas
Jin Jun Mei
Golden Eyebrow · 2005
 Wu-Yi, Fujian Delicate honey and fruit, like lychee and longan Refined, full and smooth; golden cup Jin Jun Mei
Ying Hong No.9
bred 1988
 Guangdong Rich, high and fragrant Mellow and smooth, low astringency; deep red Ying Hong No.9

Traditional classics

Variety Origin Aroma Taste Our teas
Lapsang Souchong
the original black tea
 Wu-Yi, Fujian Smoky pinewood, flower and date Bold, warming, longan-sweet; deep amber Smoked · Unsmoked
This tea
Keemun
world's top three
 Anhui Orchid and rose "Keemun fragrance" Silky, gently sweet; bright red Keemun (this tea)
Dian Hong
Yunnan red, golden-tipped
 Yunnan Honey, ripe fruit Full, smooth, honey-sweet; orange-red Yunnan Golden Snail · Gu Shu Dian Hong


The Perfect Match: A Yixing Zisha Teapot

An aromatic black tea like Keemun is lovely in a Yixing Zisha teapot.

The unglazed clay holds the heat and gathers up all that layered floral-and-fruit fragrance — a warmer, rounder cup than porcelain can give. (A white gaiwan works well too, if you'd like to admire the bright red liquor and its golden ring.)

 

Brew this Keemun black tea the right way

— check out our professional Brewing Guide, Storage Care and The Origins below 👇
🍵 Brewing Guide

How to Brew Keemun Black Tea

Keemun is all about aroma, so the aim is to coax out that famous fragrance without turning the cup harsh.

The Vessel: Zisha Pot, Gaiwan or Glass?

  • Our Recommendation: a Yixing Zisha teapot, which holds the heat and rounds out Keemun's floral depth.
  • The Gaiwan: the traditional all-rounder — a white one lets you admire the red liquor and golden ring.
  • The Glass Tea Infuser: all glass, to watch the bright colour build.

Follow this ritual for the perfect cup:

  • Temperature: 90–95°C. Don't pour fully boiling water straight on — it can scald the leaf and turn the cup sour, losing the floral-fruit fragrance. Let boiled water settle briefly.
  • Leaf to water: about 5g to 250ml (roughly 1:50) for a classic cup, or more leaf in a gaiwan for shorter infusions.
  • Step 1 – Warm the Vessel: Rinse with hot water and discard.
  • Step 2 – The Inhale: Add the tea, shake gently, and breathe in the honeyed fragrance.
  • Step 3 – The Awakening: A quick rinse to wake the leaves, then pour off.
  • Step 4 – The Infusion: Pour the hot water high to release the aroma, then cover.
  • Step 5 – Timing:

    1st brew: about 10–15 seconds.
    Each brew after: add about 5–10 seconds. A good Keemun gives 3–5 steeps.

Master's Tip: Keemun is one of the classic black teas to take with milk — but try your first cup straight, to catch the "Keemun fragrance" before you add anything.

📦 Storage & Care

Storage Care for Keemun Black Tea

Keemun keeps well and is easy to look after.

  • Room temperature is best. Keep it somewhere cool, dry and dark. No need to refrigerate.
  • Keep it sealed. Store it airtight, away from air and moisture, to hold its delicate fragrance. A Tea Bag Sealer is handy for resealing between sessions.
  • Away from light and smells. An opaque tin or sealed jar protects it best. Keep it clear of coffee, spices and anything strongly scented.

🌿 The Origins

The Origins of Keemun Black Tea

  • Home — Qimen, Anhui: Grown in Qimen (Keemun) county in Anhui, eastern China — a lush, forested, misty region around 600m up, ideal for slow-grown, aromatic tea.
  • A World-Famous Tea: One of the world's three great aromatic black teas and the only black tea on China's "top ten famous teas" list — a gold medallist at the 1915 Panama-Pacific World's Fair.
  • The "Keemun Fragrance": Made from the local Qimen varietal as a fine congou black tea, giving its signature orchid-rose-and-fruit aroma.
  • VGT Sourcing: For 18 years, Valley Green Tea has been a trusted place to buy authentic loose leaf Chinese tea online in Australia. Our Keemun is premium, new-season stock, air-freighted fresh to Sydney. Explore the rest of our black tea collection.
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