TeaChat

So, although I have drank quite a bit of Chinese black tea I still get pretty confused as to the name and types.

One of my favorite black teas is the Hong Tao Mao Feng from Silk Road Teas.
http://www.silkroadteas.com/servlet/the ... s=64261d52
So when I saw "Mao Feng" on Camellia Sinensis I bought it. This is called Qimen Mao Feng.
http://camellia-sinensis.com/tea/fiche/ ... n+Mao+Feng

Both of these teas are just outstanding.

I guess what I am asking is it all just Keemun but different grades and different processing?

mao feng is 2 leaves and a bud, not necessarily intact. That's all it means, I believe. Camellia Sinesis does it correctly, 'cause there are other mao fengs out there even if most people mean the green kind and the keemun kind.

Thanks! OK, so aside from the green - you are saying there are Mao Feng black teas that are not Keenums?

Mao Feng blacks tend to be longer and wirey leaves compared to the often very small or short leaved types of Keemun ... AKA Qimen.

Comparing it to for instance a Keemun Hao Ya is like night and day. The flavor in my experience, Mao Feng tend to be mellower, smoother, and not as intense as the smaller leaved types.

Also the names Keemun and Mao Feng have been rather diluted over time as more growers, sellers, vendors come into the mix. You almost have to ask if it is not listed on the site. There is Keemun from Keemun, and there is Keemun from other growing areas which gets really confusing.

So, like Dong Ding from Taiwan, it is starting to describe a type or style versus origin. Some vendors stick with the strictest nomenclature however.

I may be totally wrong here but-isn't 'mao feng' just the name for the leaf shape in this case?

I am more confused now!! LOL

Are both of my teas considered Keemun?

Technically and IMHO, likely not. The Qimen is from Qimen (county) should be also Keemun.

The Hong Tao is likely not from Qimen or they would likely say it was and would call it Keemun, so it is likely not true Keemun. It is from Anhui however, the province where Qimen is located. It is a Mao Feng style like Keemun Mao Feng.

Perhaps asking them would shed some light on the subject. But it seems to me that the name Keemun is in a state of flux, much like Dong Ding from Taiwan. Ask 10 people in the know and get 10 different answers.

But my interpretation of events may be completely off.

This thread is very timely! I've been looking at these two Mao Fengs:

http://www.taooftea.com/detail1640-Maofeng_Noir.html

http://teasource.com/merchant2/merchant ... ct_Count=7

But they both say they are from Hunan province. Has anyone tried these two, and how were they?

No, but they both look good. I say try them both eventually.

shah82 wrote:mao feng is 2 leaves and a bud, not necessarily intact. That's all it means, I believe. Camellia Sinesis does it correctly, 'cause there are other mao fengs out there even if most people mean the green kind and the keemun kind.

I think Shah´s answer makes the most sense considering I´ve seen both black and green teas labeled as Mao Feng and within the black teas some Mao Feng are definitely Keemun while others are definitely other types of Chinese black tea.

Thanks everyone!

And thanks Chip, I see what you mean now about it being like Dong Ding, lots of different variations and names.

I have had Keemuns before, but never any that struck me like these two.
I will always keep a good Mao Feng on hand.

Shut up and drink your tea, all of you.

Ummm, yes sir