Jiu Qu Hong Mei

AROMA

Floral and fruit scent

TASTE

The sweet, molasses-like first note gives way to a soft, plum-like, floral-fruity fragrance. A deep, layered, complex flavour, slightly astringent but well balanced and pleasant tea.

COMPLEMENTS
Cheese.

CONDIMENTS
Drink Plain.

Jiu Qu Hong Mei Red Plum is the only black tea in Zhejiang Province, China and was first developed in 1926. There are 28 famous teas in Zhejiang, 27 of which are green teas. The leaves are long and slender and the taste is sweet with dried fruit notes. This black tea has a bright light blue colour, a wonderfully fruity flavour and a refreshing taste. The appearance of the tea leaves is tight like fish hooks and shiny black in colour, which turns bright red when hot water is poured over it, giving off a fresh aroma and looking like a red plum, with a smooth aftertaste, hence the name Red Plum (Hong Mei).

Jiu Qu Hong Mei is also known as 'Jiu Qu Oolong'. It has a medium amber colour, clear and smooth on the tongue. The bright red infused tea has an appetising honey-sweet aroma and a wonderfully smooth taste. This is a carefully selected fresh black tea with delicate notes of pine, orchid and apple, and an indescribable flavour with a rich, floral sweet undertone. It does not have the volatile flavour of Darjeeling First Flush or Nilgiri Frost Tea, and it is likely that you will appreciate this tea if you drink it at some stage in your understanding of Chinese teas.

The preferred brewing method is in a Yixing teapot or Gaiwan. After boiling the water, rinse the tea pot or Gaiwan once. Running the water through the teaware also helps to keep it clean and create the optimum heat conditions for tea brewing; for a good cup, 2g 180ml of water for 2 minutes is recommended. For continuous enjoyment of several cups, a short brewing time of 30 seconds with 5-7 g of tea leaves in 150 ml of hot water is also recommended. However, this is based on personal preference rather than scientific evidence.