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This tea from the eastern part of the Chinese Province of Fujian, also called "Black Pearls", is carefully processed by hand and according to tradition by experienced tea experts. It presents a pleasantly aromatic, mild and full-bodied taste with a slight smoky note. The leaf has been rolled to pearls and has a shining anthracite color. The infusion is medium-dark, the bouquet aromatic and round.
The trend towards organically produced foods has also reached the world of teas. Today, almost all cultivation areas offer organically produced tea, and the Keemun region is no exception. Our organic version comes from the Chinese province of Anhui and is a mild, finely-aromatic and very light tea with a beautifully structured Sinensis leaf. The cup color is a shining red-brown and the bouquet is sweet and spicy with a hint of smokiness.
Located in south-western China, Yunnan is the home of this exceptional black tea. This tea is plucked only between the end of March and mid-April, depending on the weather, and produced according to a special method. This tea is cultivated at altitudes ranging between 5,900 and 6,900 feet (1,800 and 2,100 m), in an area with a cool climate and natural woodland. The big, finely worked, tobacco-like leaf with many golden tips yields a copper-colored cup and a strong, spicy, malty flavor combined with the typically soft, earthy Yunnan character.
For this tea, the Souchong leaf, which is the riper, larger leaf from the lower parts of the tea bushes, is plucked. (This is in contrast to other teas where the longest leaves and a bud are harvested.) After fermentation, these leaves are put on hot iron pans and roasted for a short time. Then the tea is smoked over pinewood rich in resin. The smoking time differs for each type, Lapsang Souchong, Tarry Lapsang Souchong or Lapsang Souchong Crocodile. Our Lapsang Souchong has a large, open, slightly grayish leaf with a sharp smoky note.
This tea belongs to the classical “scented teas”. In China, it is also known as Meigui Hongcha. The tea is processed in a traditional way: red rose petals and the tea leaves are layered during the production process, and after the right quality has been achieved, they are separated by sieving. Chinese Rose Tea is thus given its typically sweet, flowery flavor. Connoisseurs enhance its note with a dash of cream or milk.