Stash China Keemun
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Stash China Keemun

For hundreds of years, Anhui province in central China produced only green tea. Tea plants grew well in the warm, moist climate and well drained soil of the province, but most of the tea produced was of mediocre character.

However, in the 1870's, Yu Quianchen, a plucky young man with a failed civil service career, decided to try his luck at making black tea from these same leaves. He traveled to Fujian province to learn black tea manufacturing techniques and upon his return set up three factories. Much to everyone's surprise and delight the new black tea he produced was of excellent character.

Keemun tea, named after Qimen County in southern Anhui province, soon was a big hit in England and became a key component in English Breakfast tea blends. Its popularity spread rapidly and eventually surpassed India's Darjeeling tea as the favorite black tea in the world's tea markets. In 1915, it was awarded the gold medal at the Monde Selection in Panama as the world's finest black tea.

Stash China Keemun OP has narrow, tightly twisted black leaves that brew a brilliant reddish-brown cup with a full-bodied, light, toasty flavor. Keemun tastes wonderful with or without milk or sugar, and goes exceptionally well with baked goods like breads, cakes and muffins. Try a steaming hot cup of Keemun in the afternoon and you will discover a special pleasure that could easily become habit-forming.