origin Wuyi Mountains, Fujian

craft twisted

flavor notes cacao nibs, floral, smoke

origin Wuyi Mountains, Fujian

craft twisted

flavor notes cacao nibs, floral, smoke

Invented inTongmu Villagea secludedWuyi Mountaintown renowned as the birthplace of black tea Jin Jun Mei (translated as”Golden Stallion Eyebrows”) has only been produced since 2005, yethas quickly become one of Chinas most revered black teas.

Named for its wispy golden leaf buds, Jin Jun Mei is a painstaking tea to craft. Each batch is meticulously hand-harvested from unopened leaf buds and the adjoining first leaf, a process that takes a team of skilled tea pickers many hours to complete but yields the sweetest and most aromatictaste. Next, the harvested tea leaves are withered and fully oxidized, producing hallmark notes of dried fruit and cacao nibs, after which they are roasted in the traditional style, imparting a delicately smoky finish.

The result is a tea with truly impressive texture, aromatic complexity, and balance a fantastic premium alternative to its cousins Golden Monkey First Pick, Golden Monkey, andLapsang Souchong, as well asother classic breakfast black teas. For the best taste, prepare Jin Jun Meigongfu styleusing our suggestions in the “brewing guide” tab.

Deviating slightly from our other black teas, we find that Jin Jun Mei offers its best flavor when brewed at a lower ratio of 1g of tea leaves per 2oz of water. Since this tea is so concentrated in flavor, alower ratio highlights aromaticcomplexity while ensuring a balanced and satisfying infusion.

Learn the fundamentals of tea brewing and master your technique here.