Name: Keemun
Brand: Teas Etc
(Check out my interview with Beth Johnston, owner of Teas Etc.)
Type: Black tea
Form: Loose leaf
Cost: $5.95 for a 1 ounce tin, quantity discounts available
Review: I do love me some Keemun. You can keep your English breakfast blends, I want some rich, wine-y, Keemun to clear my palate of my bacon and eggs (or bacon and peanut better on white toast…breakfast of champions!).
Yes, I know that some folks think that Keemun is wimpy, and that the Brits swapped out their morning Keemun for Assam (or various African blends) many moons ago. But while I sometimes want a tea that packs a punch, I like a bit of refinement too. Plus, as most of my readers know by now, I don’t want to have to add milk and sugar to make my tea palatable.
Teas Etc has sourced a good Keemun here. The dry leaf is pretty, with muted brown, thin twisty leaves. The nose is also muted, with some mild spice and floral notes. The tea infuses to a light-medium amber, with notes of honey in the nose.
The tea is more aggressive on the palate than I thought it would be. It certainly has the red-wine characteristics that I expect, some hints of bitterness, with a smooth, but moderately astringent finish. Bit of black currant there, too. Yummy, and a perfect food tea.
(Not bad on its own, either, but may be a bit intense for some.)
Recommended for those who want a more intense Keemun.
Affiliate Links in this Post?: Yes
Sample Provided by Manufacturer?: Yes
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