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ARIEL Keemun Superior

Ingredients: Whole leaf black tea
Formats: 100 g loose leaf tin, 1 kg loose leaf bulk bag
Certifications: Kosher
Foundation: Humaniterra Foundation
Type: Black tea, loose leaf

Black Tea

A classic single-origin Chinese black tea from the Qimen region of Anhui Province, served unflavoured to let the leaf carry the cup. Available in 100 g loose leaf tins for shelf programs and in 1 kg loose leaf bulk for foodservice operations running by the cup. Keemun is one of the Ten Famous Chinese Teas and was the leading export black tea from China for most of the 19th and early 20th centuries – a credible cornerstone position for any tea program with a serious black tea offering.

Tasting Notes

The cup pours a deep amber-red with a complex, layered aroma. Cocoa and malt lead, with orchid and dried-fruit notes through the middle and a soft pine or wood undertone on the finish. Naturally sweet and full-bodied, with low astringency for an unblended black tea. Holds up to milk but reads best served unaccompanied – the layered character is what distinguishes a quality Keemun from a standard Chinese black tea.

Origin

Keemun (祁门, Qimen in pinyin) refers to a county in southern Anhui Province where this tea is exclusively produced. The tradition began around 1875 and is sometimes attributed to Hu Yuanlong, a local tea producer credited with adapting Fujianese black tea techniques to the Anhui region. Keemun's signature is its leaf cut: thin, tightly twisted, almost wiry – a result of careful rolling that distinguishes it visually from the broader Yunnan and Fujian black teas. The tea won gold medals at major international exhibitions in the early 20th century, and was a staple of British breakfast blends before Indian tea production scaled.

Brewing

Steep 2.5 g per 250 ml at 95 °C for 3 minutes. Black tea is the most thermally tolerant of the true teas; full boil is appropriate. At commercial scale, a 1 kg bag yields approximately 400 portions at 2.5 g per cup. Each 250 ml serving contains zero calories.