Black

China hong cha

Chinese black tea (hong cha) is the classical tradition from which the rest of the world's black-tea culture derives, and it reads very differently from its descendants. Keemun carries a distinctive wine-and-floral note that no other black tea produces; Dianhong from Yunnan is golden-tipped and malty in a way that resembles but outclasses cheap Assam; Jin Jun Mei is bud-only and expensive enough to separate it from most comparisons. If you are tracking hong cha to contrast it with India & Himalayan or Africa, expect less astringency and more aromatic complexity across the range.

teabert, the tealytics teapot, keeper of the kettle

This is where black tea was born, and it still drinks like the original rather than a copy. I love how gentle and aromatic it is next to its punchier descendants: less grip on the tongue, more perfume in the nose.

Styles in this family

Dianhong (Yunnan)

Dianhong's character follows directly from its raw material: the large-leaf assamica cultivars grown in Yunnan province, the same botanical source as Yunnan…

Keemun

Top-grade black tea with the signature wine-like fragrance, subtle floral notes, and a long, clean finish with no bitterness.

Lapsang Souchong

Lapsang Souchong has two distinct identities sharing a name but not a product: the traditional unsmoked Zhengshan Xiaozhong from Tongmu village in the Wuyi…

Jin Jun Mei

Ultra-premium black tea made from only golden buds, featuring a rich, mellow sweetness with honey, chocolate, and fruit notes.

Golden Monkey (Jin Hou)

Luxurious Chinese black tea of golden and dark twisted buds with a sweet, mellow, and slightly fruity flavor.

Yunnan Golden Tips

All-gold bud black tea with a delicate sweetness, honey aroma, and velvety mouthfeel characteristic of premium tippy Dianhong.

Bai Lin Gong Fu

Elegant Fujian gongfu black tea with a gentle sweetness, fruity floral aroma, and a clean, mellow finish without bitterness.

Yingde Hong Cha

Guangdong black tea with a rich, cocoa-like sweetness and bold body, made from the Yingde No. 9 cultivar.

Tanyang Gong Fu

Historic Fujian gongfu black tea with a pleasantly sweet aroma, full body, and amber liquor, one of three Fujian red tea classics.

Laoshan Black

Laoshan Black is a China hong cha Black tea.

Zhenghe Gong Fu

Zhenghe Gong Fu is a China hong cha Black tea.

Yunnan Purple Black (Zi Ya Hong Cha)

Yunnan Purple Black (Zi Ya Hong Cha) is a China hong cha Black tea.