During his visit to Anhui, Roy cupped countless Keemuns from dozens of different factories and farms. Working with the best local producers, he help produced the Imperial Keemun and is extremely proud of it. The tightly rolled leaves have an almost oily sheen. Roy calls this characteristic "Bao Guang" or "treasured luster" in his book, Great Teas of China. "Bao Guang" is a rarity in today's lightly oxidized black teas from China.

The bright, jovial red liquor and the multitude of complex flavors and textures are mind numbing for some of us who have been doing without a true “traditional” Keemun for many years. However, the wait is finally over thanks to the Imperial Keemun. With commitment and hard work, we feel that we can continue to bring you high quality Keemuns of this kind in the future.

Also available in our Keemun Sampler

Preparation Notes:

As always, good water is essential to a good tea experience, so please choose water of high quality to brew your favorite tea. We cupped this tea with nearly boiling (208º F) water using 3 grams per 4 oz. of water. However, we think that 3 grams in a 6 oz. gaiwan will most likely bring the best result. Of the three Keemuns, this one will work best when enjoyed with the typical English style preparation.