First Flush

What the West calls "Black Tea," China calls Hong Cha (红茶 – Red Tea) – named for the warm, coppery-red color of the brewed liquor, not the dark dry leaf. It is one of the most diverse tea categories in China, ranging from the smoky to the honey-sweet and floral. And while Indian and Sri Lankan black teas dominate the global market, Chinese Hong Cha is a different world entirely: complex, varied, and best to use without milk or sugar.

Our collection focuses on Chinese loose-leaf black teas – selected across the major producing regions and styles. 

Types of Chinese Black Tea

Dian Hong (滇红 – Yunnan Red Tea) Dian Hong is currently among the most popular black teas in China, prized for its thick, robust character and warm floral finish. It comes from Yunnan province – the home of pu-erh, where large-leaf assamica tea trees produce a fuller, more golden-tipped leaf than most other black tea regions. Our Dian Hong selection spans several styles: the award-winning Jin Ya (金芽 – Golden Buds), the needle-shaped Song Zhen (松针 – Pine Needle), the GuShu "Honeydew", the Ji Pin "China Red" (极品中国红), and the sun-dried wild Shai Hong (晒红) – a less common style where the leaf is dried in sunlight rather than heat-processed, producing a softer, earthier character.

Lapsang Souchong (正山小种 – Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong) Lapsang Souchong is widely considered the first black tea, originating in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian province – one of China's most storied tea-producing regions. Farmers dry the tea leaves in unique smoking houses called Qing Lou Gan (青楼干燥), using pine-wood smoke to produce a bold, unmistakable flavor: deeply smoky, with pronounced pine notes and a pleasant underlying sweetness that persists across multiple steeps. For those who prefer their Wuyi black tea without the smoke, we also carry Non-Smoky Lapsang Souchong – the same wild leaves, without the smoking step, revealing a clean, chocolate-lychee sweetness.

Jin Jun Mei (金骏眉 – Golden Eyebrows) Jin Jun Mei was created in 2005 in Tongmu Village, Wuyishan, Fujian (home of Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong), and sparked a renaissance in Chinese black tea appreciation. Made entirely from hand-picked tea buds, it requires a large quantity of buds per 500g of finished tea, making it one of the more labor-intensive Chinese teas to produce and resulting in a golden-yellow liquor with a sweet, refreshing entry and a signature floral fragrance.

Keemun (祁门红茶 – Qi Men Hong Cha) Keemun (also romanized as Qimen) is one of China's most celebrated black teas and one of the world's four most fragrant black teas. It comes from Qimen county in Anhui province, where a cooler climate and distinctive local cultivar produce a tea with an intense floral and fruity fragrance – notes of orchid, rose, and dried fruit, with a smooth finish.

Lychee Black Tea (荔枝红茶) Gong Fu Lychee Black Tea originates in Southern China, primarily Guangdong and Fujian. Fresh and dried lychee are smoked at low temperatures during production, with Gong Fu black tea leaves present to absorb the lychee's mellow aroma and natural sweetness. The result is a tropical, deeply fragrant cup – bold enough to stand on its own, sweet enough to need nothing added.

Processing – How Chinese Black Tea Is Made

The goal of black tea processing is full oxidation – transforming fresh green leaves into the dark, coppery leaf that brews a red-amber liquor. The steps:

• Picking (Cai Cha – 采茶) – fresh leaves and buds are harvested, with the grade of the pluck (bud only, bud + one leaf, bud + two leaves) directly determining the quality and character of the finished tea.

• Withering (Wei Diao – 萎凋) – leaves are shade-dried or sun-dried to reduce moisture and soften the cell structure.

• Rolling (Rou Nian – 揉捻) – leaves are rolled to break cell walls, release enzymes and natural oils, and initiate oxidation.

• Oxidation (Fa Jiao – 发酵) – leaves are left to oxidize, from several hours to over a day, depending on the desired flavor profile; this is the step that turns the leaf from green to copper-red.

• Drying (Hong Bei – 烘焙) – heat halts oxidation and locks in the tea's aroma.

At peak oxidation, Hong Cha turns sweet. Quality Chinese black tea carries bright notes of honey, malt, chocolate, and stone fruit – no milk or sugar needed.

How to Brew Chinese Black Tea

Most Hong Cha brews best at 90°C (195°F). Boiling water can flatten the more delicate floral notes, particularly in Jin Jun Mei and Keemun. For Gong Fu Cha (工夫茶), use a gaiwan or small teapot and short infusion times. Chinese black teas respond well to multiple steeps and reveal different layers with each one.

How Long Does Black Tea Last?

Hong Cha is best consumed within two years of harvest. Unlike pu-erh or white tea, it does not benefit from extended aging – the floral and honey notes that define quality Chinese black tea fade over time. Store airtight, away from light, heat, and strong odors.

Is Black Tea Acidic?

The pH of black tea is around 5, which is mildly acidic. Green tea is slightly less acidic, with a pH closer to 6. Both are considered alkaline-forming after digestion.

A Note on Black Tea from India, Kenya & Sri Lanka

China produces around 43% of the world's tea, but is not the largest producer of black tea – India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka dominate global black tea volume. These are grown in hot climates optimized for yield and typically produce bold, astringent teas designed to be drunk with milk and sugar. Chinese Hong Cha developed along an entirely different path: smaller farms, more diverse cultivars, more varied processing, and a flavor tradition that needs nothing added. If your only reference for black tea is a breakfast blend or a bagged tea, Chinese Hong Cha will be a revelation.