Keemun Black Tea

[Chip]

In a word, no.

Some of the finer ones are marketed as having this cocoa nuance. Smokiness is another character that is not in all of them. I tend to not like smokiness and look for ones that are not smokey.

[Chip]

Yes, many styles and grades and flavor profiles. And occasionally a special offering will come around. Keemun also seems to vary from year to year due to growing conditions and other factors.

Sometimes, a single farmer's crop is even offered all by itself...similar to a single estate Darjeeling. But the info shared is so much more vague coming out of China and the tea often has to pass through at least several hands til the final consumer gets it. It can get frustrating.

[omegapd]

It can get frustrating.

Ain't that the truth. I remember reading the latest Upton's catalog and they're having a time getting good China Blacks- like Keemun and Yunnan.

[hop_goblin]

Try making Keemum iced tea! GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

[Thirsty Daruma]

hop,

That's good to know! That'll be my first foray into iced tea brewing, I think.

As for Keemun and cocoa - can you tell whether its SWEET cocoa, or DRY cocoa? I've found that cocoa has two very different sides to it, in both beer and tea drinking. I'd think the dry cocoa part would be expected, but yeah, sweet cocoa in a Keemun tea (for whatever descriptive value that's worth) would be a little bit of a shock.

[Teaman2]

I love Keemun teas, particularly a good Keemun Hao Ya "A" type. I am REAL particular on the standard I have in my mind for a good Keemun flavor. I don't know if I'd call it cocoa but not smokey. There is a subtle flavor I can't identify or compare to any other flavor so I have labeled it for myself as the "keemun" flavor. I find this really great flavor in these teas:

Tao of Tea - Keemun Hao Ya (out of stock at the moment)
http://www.taooftea.com/detail2355-Keemun_Hao_Ya.html
A replacement that is similar is this one:
Tao of Tea - Grand Qimen
http://www.taooftea.com/detail93-Grand_Qimen.html

Teevana - Keemun Imperial
http://www.teavana.com/The-Teas/Black-T ... ck-Tea.axd
I have had this one once that was a poor batch but two other times it was great. So your mileage may vary given they are a chain and may not have consistent care or sourcing.

For a great Keemun with cocoa notes, try this Keemun Hao Ya "B"
http://teasource.com/merchant2/merchant ... ct_Count=3

(Notice: Watch for URL wrap on all links provided above.)

[Salsero]

Wow, I'm surprised to see that TeaSource has a Keemun you rank so high. I order from them occassionally and have added the Keemun to my list for next time. Have you had their Handmade Nilgiri? That one has been making the rounds of TeaChatters lately. It's quite a good, oolong-like black.

[Teaman2]

No I had not ventured into their other teas. They have some really nice Assams that I've been enjoying. I love a good malty Assam and they have some that are as good as any I've found. These include the Special Reserve Assam, the Mokalbarie Estate Assam, and Satrupa Estate, TGFBOP.

I communicate with Bill Waddington (the owner) for his recommendations on his shipments there and after telling him what I like, he makes recommendations to me. He claims the Duflating Estate is maybe even better than the Mokalbarie so I'll be ordering some shortly. He also recommended the new Panitola Assam.

I'd like to check out that Nilgiri you suggest. Sounds very interesting. Is it the Nilgiri Glendale Estate Handmade?

[Salsero]

Is it the Nilgiri Glendale Estate Handmade?

Yes, that's the one. Not even very expensive.

I have also enjoyed their Blink Bonnie Green, which seems to me more like a yellow tea than a green, but what the heck. I did a sort of mini review of it in TeaDay a couple days ago: http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?p= ... reen#55837

Thanks for the other suggestions. I have had some of the Assams you mention, but they are just not doing it for me these days. Russian Soul shared a bit of her award winning Assam Marangi from TeaGschwendner lately and it is fairly good, but I just have trouble really swooning at any Assam.

[cherryking]

I've recently got hold of some Keemun tea (from funalliance) and it's the first Keemun I'm drinking.. It has a smokiness and a lot of cacao flavor in it, I really like it.. Definately a unique black tea. I just wonder if all Keemun usually has that cacao taste?

No, Keemun Black Tea taste in my eyes just like sweet baked potato, very sweet, and smooth with fruity flavor. Keemun Black Tea belong to Chu Ye bush, and grows in Qimen county region. Tea's taste will be very different from different soil, climate and process way. It very different to Yunnan Black Tea that has large leave. but Keemun black tea leave is small, and taste is less strong than Yunnan, but has its special taste --- sweet baked potato flaver.

[Chip]

I've recently got hold of some Keemun tea (from funalliance) and it's the first Keemun I'm drinking.. It has a smokiness and a lot of cacao flavor in it, I really like it.. Definately a unique black tea. I just wonder if all Keemun usually has that cacao taste?

No, Keemun Black Tea taste in my eyes just like sweet baked potato, very sweet, and smooth with fruity flavor. Keemun Black Tea belong to Chu Ye bush, and grows in Qimen county region. Tea's taste will be very different from different soil, climate and process way. It very different to Yunnan Black Tea that has large leave. but Keemun black tea leave is small, and taste is less strong than Yunnan, but has its special taste --- sweet baked potato flaver.

Here in the USA, there is a trend towards Keemuns to not always being from Qimen County. Technically, making most Keemuns NOT Keemun at all. Some of these are smokey, some cocoa, some nutty, some even fruity. Very diverse. But the nomenclature has become muddied and oft confusing. Upton does so many Keemun and last I looked, very few were from Qimen.

Sweet potato, sounds very tasty!

[cherryking]

I've recently got hold of some Keemun tea (from funalliance) and it's the first Keemun I'm drinking.. It has a smokiness and a lot of cacao flavor in it, I really like it.. Definately a unique black tea. I just wonder if all Keemun usually has that cacao taste?

No, Keemun Black Tea taste in my eyes just like sweet baked potato, very sweet, and smooth with fruity flavor. Keemun Black Tea belong to Chu Ye bush, and grows in Qimen county region. Tea's taste will be very different from different soil, climate and process way. It very different to Yunnan Black Tea that has large leave. but Keemun black tea leave is small, and taste is less strong than Yunnan, but has its special taste --- sweet baked potato flaver.

Here in the USA, there is a trend towards Keemuns to not always being from Qimen County. Technically, making most Keemuns NOT Keemun at all. Some of these are smokey, some cocoa, some nutty, some even fruity. Very diverse. But the nomenclature has become muddied and oft confusing. Upton does so many Keemun and last I looked, very few were from Qimen.

Sweet potato, sounds very tasty!

Oh, you mentioned it just like blending, importer or trader blend many black tea according to planed proportion. Blending will be done by professional tea taster. I am wondering what taste would be for this blending Keemun black tea in final comsuption country, and that should be called" Keemun Blending Tea".