Keemum Black Tea

Origin
Keemun County is in the southern part of Anhui Province, west of Huangshan Mountain. It has a long history of growing Keemun tea, and has long been regarded as the hometown of Chinese Keemun black tea. Mountainous terrain covers 90% of its total area, with an average elevation of around 600 meters. Tea gardens are focused mainly in the valleys between these mountains, at elevations between 100 and 350 meters; of these valleys, forests occupy around 80% of the area. The temperatures here between day and night vary greatly, and this accompanied by the cloudy climate and short daylight hours result in a suitable environment for growing tea.
History
Keemun has a short (by Chinese standards) history, beginning in 1875 in Qimen. An unsuccessful bureaucrat by the name of Yu Gancheng decided to quit working for the government and instead try his hand at making tea. Due to the great demand and high prices for black teas at the time, he travelled to Fujian to learn how to make them; after returning to Anhui he introduced black teas to the area, which up until then had only produced green teas. Over the next decade or so, the processes and the teas themselves continuously improved, culminating in 1883 with what is now known as Keemun black tea. The amazing taste and aroma of this tea, combined with skillful marketing, resulted in this tea becoming an instant hit and led to it being in huge demand overseas in England and in the US. It won the international prize in the 1915 Panamanian World Expo.
Keemun black tea is the precious kind in gongfu black ta and the best of black tea in China. It has the taste of honey aroma and the top grade contains the aroma of orchid and fruit. The fragrance lasts for a long time and it is called “Keemun aorma”. Tea-lovers all over the European countries take it as supreme treasure. When Keemun goes into the market, people will hurry to buy it. It is said that the English people take tasting the Keemun black tea as an honorable thing. What’s more, the royal family takes Keemun as fashionable drinks.