View source for Keemun

[[Image:Qimen.webpp|thumb|Keemun]]

'''Keemun''' is a black Chinese tea with a winy and fruity taste, designated as a [[China Famous Tea]]. 
==History==

Keemun is produced in the Qimen County of Huangshan City, in Anhui (Anhwei) province. ("Keemun" has been the English spelling for "Qimen" since the colonial era.) 

Keemun has a relatively short history. It was first produced in 1875 by a failed civil servant, Yu Quianchen, after he traveled to Fujian province to learn the secrets of black tea production.  Prior to that, only [[green tea]] was made in Anhui. The result exceeded his expectations, and the excellent Keemun tea quickly gained popularity in England, and became the most prominent ingredient of the [[English Breakfast tea]] blend.

==Tasting and brewing==
The aroma of Keemun is fruity, with hints of pine, dried plum and floweriness (but not at all as floral as [[Darjeeling tea]]) which creates the very distinctive and balanced taste. It also displays a hint of orchid fragrance and the so-called  "China tea sweetness." The tea can have a more bitter taste and the smokiness can be more defined depending on the variety and how it was processed.

In China, Keemun is typically drunk without milk or sugar.

==Varieties==

*'''Keemun Gongfu or Congou''' (祁門功夫) - Made with careful skill ("gongfu") to produce thin, tight strips without breaking the leaves.
*'''Keemun Mao Feng''' (祁門毛峰) - A variety, where ''Mao Feng'' means Fur Peak, which is made of only slightly twisted leaf buds and is sometimes noted for a smoother and different flavor. Many people prefer to brew a smaller quantity of this tea for a longer time than usual, up to 7 minutes, to bring out more interesting tones in the tea.
*'''Keemun Xin Ya''' (祁門新芽) - The early bud variety, said to have less bitterness.
*'''Keemun Hao Ya''' (祁門毫芽) - A variety known for its fine buds, sometimes showing prominent amounts of silver tips, and generally the highest grade. Hao Ya is sometimes graded into A and B, where A is the better grade.
*'''Hubei Keemun''' (湖北祁門) - ''Not a true Keemun'', a variety that comes from the Hubei Province west of [[Anhui]], said to have similar qualities to the Anhui Keemun.

[[Category:Black tea]]
[[Category:Chinese tea]]
[[Category:China famous tea]]

[[de:Qimen]]
[[fr:Keemun]]