Complex Qi Men Hong Cha (Keemun) from Tea Drunk

Complex Qi Men Hong Cha (Keemun) from Tea Drunk

by | Feb 23, 2024 | Black Tea

A complex journey of flavors, from syrupy passion fruit cake to bold cocoa beans, this Qi Men Hong Cha does not disappoint.

Preparation

Temperature
212℉

Tea to Water
5g to 5oz

Steep Time
1m, then 30s

Number of Steeps
4

Attributes

Brand
Tea Drunk

Season
Spring

Year
2019

Elevation
n/a

Family
Red

Country
China

Region
Anhui

Mood
Bright

Flavors

Astringency
Dry

Body
Thin

Strength
Strong

Rating
4 out of 5

Dry Leaves
Passion fruit cake

Wet Leaves
Cocoa beans

Tea Aroma
Honeyed Roses

Tea Flavor
Floral citrus

The dry, loose leaves of Qi Men Hong Cha from Tea Drunk in a gaiwan.
The dry, loose leaves of Qi Men Hong Cha from Tea Drunk in a gaiwan.

The complexity of this Qi Men Hong Cha

What a delicious tea! It is so interesting to smell the leaves and the tea, and compare that with the taste of the tea. Our olfactory system is pretty amazing, especially when it is pared with our ability to taste. This Qi Men Hong Cha smells rich and syrupy, like a dense, tart passion fruit cake. As the tea brews, it transforms from notes of cocoa to blooming flowers. Yet, sipping the tea, the flavor is light and citrusy. Delicious, and beautiful to look at, too!

The brewed liquid from Qi Men Hong Cha from Tea Drunk in a glass fairness pitcher.
The brewed liquid from Qi Men Hong Cha from Tea Drunk in a glass fairness pitcher.

What is Qi Men Hong Cha?

So, what is this tea? Qi Men Hong Cha, or Keemun, is a red (black) tea. It originated in Qimen County of Huangshan, which is where the name “Keemun” came from. Furthermore, it is one of the most commonly produced teas in the world. A good-quality Keemun will be incredibly complex in flavor, ranging from floral and sweet to rich and chocolaty.

The wet leaves from Qi Men Hong Cha from Tea Drunk in a glass gaiwan.
The wet leaves from Qi Men Hong Cha from Tea Drunk in a glass gaiwan.

About Tea Drunk

Tea Drunk is one of my absolute favorite tea shops. They have such a wealth of knowledge and choose delectable teas to sell. In fact, one of my all-time favorite teas is Semi-Handmade Huo Qing from Tea Drunk. They are a great example of a company that champions tea knowledge, tea quality, and tea farmers.

Purchase
Formosa Red Assam from Red Blossom Tea Company

Formosa Red Assam from Red Blossom Tea Company

by | Aug 26, 2021 | Black Tea

This Formosa Red Assam from Red Blossom is an almost perfect balance of deep and rich flavors, mixing notes of dark chocolate with bursts of bright orange.

Astringency
Juicy

Body
Medium

Strength
Strong

Rating
5 out of 5

Family
Black/Red

Country
Taiwan

Region
Yuchi

Mood
Bright

Brand
Red Blossom

Season
Spring

Year
n/a

Elevation
n/a

Dry leaves
Dense forest

Wet leaves
Wine
Stewed carrots

Tea aroma
Chocolate

Tea flavor
Cocoa powder
Orange peel

The Tea: Formosa Red Assam

I’m always looking for impressive black teas. Green and oolong teas are my go-tos, but when you sip a complex, balanced, high-quality black tea, it’s a wonderful experience. This is one of those teas. It’s deep and rich in flavor, mixing notes of dark chocolate with bursts of bright orange.

Black teas with similar flavor profiles tend to be pretty bitter and astringent; the chocolate notes are more like cocoa nibs and the citrus notes are more like orange rind. These can be exquisite teas in their own way, but it’s not what I’m looking for. This Formosa Red Assam from Red Blossom is an almost perfect balance of flavors.

The Name

Formosa tea comes from Taiwan, where it gets its name. Formosa was a short-lived republic on the island known today as Taiwan in the late 1800s. Assam is also a tea growing region located in India, where the Assam tea varietal comes from. This particular tea was grown in Taiwan (Formosa) and comes from Assam tea plants. It’s a very worldly tea.

The Terroir

According to Red Blossom, Assam teas grown in their native India are usually quite astringent. The growing conditions in Taiwan where this tea was grown removes some of that astringency. The tea growers also allowed this tea to be bitten by aphids, creating an even sweeter brewing experience.

Purchase