How do Anhui tea brands, Qimen black tea, and huang coffee compare?

Anhui, an inland province in eastern China with a population above 63 million, produces several celebrated teas, among them Keemun Black Tea and Taiping Houkui. The province's top ten famous tea brands differ in craft and flavor, and Keemun prices per catty vary with grade and plucking standard. Huangshan, in southern Anhui, is the province's signature scenic and tea-growing area, and the local huang coffee tradition shares its mountain terroir.

Keemun is made in the Qimen mountain area, where visitors have long toured the gardens and watched leaves being processed by hand. Taiping Houkui is crafted near Taiping Lake in Hougang Village. Huangshan itself is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for granite peaks, aged pines, hot springs, and the sea of clouds that has drawn painters and filmmakers for decades.

Anhui, an inland province located in eastern China, is not only famous worldwide for its Huangshan cloud seas and peculiar pines, but also nurtures numerous world-class teas. This article takes you into the Anhui tea region, reviewing the unique flavors and crafting techniques of famous teas such as Keemun Black Tea and Taiping Houkui, sorting out Anhui's top ten famous tea brands, and answering the question of how much Keemun Black Tea costs per catty. The text retains Front Street brand's recommendations for Haoya A, Qimen Xiangluo, and other products, suitable for every reader who loves coffee and tea to savor carefully.

Stepping into Anhui Province in eastern China, that visit years ago remains unforgettable to this day. This province may not be China's largest or most economically developed region, yet it possesses world-class mountain and water scenery and globally renowned tea. As an inland province, Anhui has a permanent population of over 63 million, ranking eighth nationwide. The capital Hefei is the political center, while Huangshan is the trump card attraction drawing countless tourists.

In 1996, when Mike first came to China, he briefly stayed on this land, and the memories then were as hazy as Anhui's tea gardens. In 2007, Brigitte joined him, and the two toured Qimen Mountain together. By their last trip in 2016, they came to Hougang Village by the shores of Taiping Lake, witnessing with their own eyes the exquisite crafting process of Taiping Houkui, and afterward stayed at a resort on Huangshan.

Huangshan

This mountain range in southern Anhui is world-famous for its steep granite peaks, Huangshan pines, magnificent sunsets, hot springs, and the moist swirling mist known as the "sea of clouds." It appears repeatedly in Chinese painting and literature and has been captured by countless lenses. It is said that the inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountains in the 2009 film Avatar came from here, and director James Cameron's designs referenced these wonders. Huangshan is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Huangshan pines are a symbol of strength, not only because of their size and peculiar shapes, but also because they tenaciously grow from crevices in the rock. It is quite common for many pines to be over a hundred years old, and some famous pines even have their own names, such as the Guest-Greeting Pine, believed to have lived for over 1,500 years.

Some say a trip to Huangshan without seeing the sunrise is incomplete. An optical phenomenon known as "Buddha's Light" appears every month and is said to be very worth experiencing firsthand. In addition, the local hot springs are not only relaxing but their high carbonate concentration is also quite beneficial to health.

Although all this is already enough to leave a deep impression of Anhui, what we focus on today is the tea here, among which the finest quality belongs to the Huangshan production area. Anhui's tea, like its place of origin, is admirable.

Keemun Black Tea

Keemun Black Tea is one of China's oldest and most prestigious black teas. This tea is produced in the area around the small town, located between Huangshan and the Yangtze River. The region's average annual temperature is suitable and rainfall abundant, making it an ideal environment for tea plant growth. The rolling flatlands sometimes become quite steep, while the small hills are short and plump, far from the dramatic peaks of Darjeeling and also far from the terraces of Wuyi Mountain, the hometown of Lapsang Souchong. Keemun Black Tea has a fascinating quality reminiscent of unsweetened cocoa, yet without any bitterness.

Keemun tea is made from eight different types of tea plants. The finest quality Keemun tea is picked in spring. These elegant tea leaves can range in color from deep black to black with a soft matte gray.

Anhui is famous for Keemun Black Tea, but it also produces delicious green teas, including the special Taiping Houkui—large leaves laid on gauze and compressed, processed in a way completely different from other green teas. We invite you to taste some good teas from Anhui:

Haoya A is the most intense Keemun Black Tea, with faint notes of chocolate and roasted aroma. Keemun Black Tea is considered one of China's best black teas.

When brewing Keemun Black Tea, the best grade is Haoya A, followed by Haoya B. This tea is made in late spring, offering both good taste and value. It is not as intense as Haoya A, with warm roasted aroma and chocolate notes.

Qimen Xiangluo Black Tea. For some of our old customers, you may remember Jin Xiangluo, a tea that drove us crazy with its wonderful taste and aroma. We have been searching for something that reminds us of that cup, and this tea does that very well! Although its liquor is smoother and darker than most of our other Keemun black teas, it truly has that distinctive Keemun flavor.

Xiuning, Anhui

Songluo. It is made near Qimen, so it shares many similar flavors. However, they handle the tea leaves slightly differently, rolling the leaves into small curls that are quite glossy. Songluo Mountain is located between Qimen (also known as Keemun) and Huangshan in southern Anhui. They ensure the oxidation process is slow and controlled, allowing the deliciousness to develop over several hours. To achieve the shiny curled appearance, high temperatures are needed during the fixation process, while avoiding any burnt or smoky flavors.

English Breakfast. There is something you may not know: our British breakfast tea is 100% Keemun Black Tea, just as the British drank in the 19th century.

Taiping Houkui. This is one of China's best green teas. When we visited the lakeside village where this special tea is made, it was wonderful to see the ladies rolling the large leaves by hand and then pressing them flat. Taiping Houkui is now mostly machine-made, so it is a good thing to have this traditionally handcrafted green tea.

Once again, we are delighted to share our experiences and teas from China's most famous tea regions: Fujian, Hunan, Zhejiang, Yunnan, and finally but certainly not least, Anhui. If you have drunk these special teas or visited Huangshan, please share your experiences in the comments below.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.