Chuan Hong vs Keemun

Chuan Hong

Chuan Hong is Sichuan's classic black tea, produced inland long before Yunnan's Dianhong existed. The leaf is surprisingly large for a black tea — Sichuan's big-leaf assamica-style bushes — and the cup brews bright orange with a smooth, gently malty body, fruity sweetness, and a faint natural spice note. It is lighter and more fragrant than Dianhong, making it an easy-drinking morning tea.

Keemun

Keemun is China's most famous black tea, from Qimen county in Anhui. The cup is smooth and refined: cocoa and dark stone fruit up front, a hint of orchid florals, and a long, sweet finish with gentle smoke. It is lighter in body than Assam but more aromatic, and it forms the base of traditional English Breakfast blends.

Chuan Hong

Water temperature

90–95°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

2–3 min

Re-steep

1–2 times

Keemun

Water temperature

90–95°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

3–4 min

Re-steep

1–2 times

Chuan Hong

Medium caffeine — roughly 30–50 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Keemun

Medium caffeine — roughly 35–60 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Chuan Hong

China · Sichuan (Yibin / Ya'an)

Sichuan black tea production predates Dianhong by decades; Yibin and Ya'an remain the main producing areas.

Keemun

China · Anhui

Qimen county in southern Anhui has produced Keemun since the 1870s.