Qi Men Hong Cha "A" (Red Tea from Qi Men County)

A red tea from Qi Men County, in southern Anhui Province. Better known outside of China as Keemun, it is harvested from the Qi Men bush, which has fairly small leaves. Keemun has spent most of its history favoring the Western tea market, so it is more suitable for steeping than many other Chinese reds.

An excellent balanced red from Anhui. Pine sweetness and slightly smoky astringency flow into a lemon aftertaste. Moderately strong and dense, it retains a clean, transparent texture without a rough-terry admixture. A little black currant and bread crust for a snack, and we have a worthy version of the classic red teas.
 
Don't expect anything supernatural from this tea, it's like a session musician - it plays its part well and doesn't waste time on anything else. Laconic, in a word.