Hunan Black vs Keemun

Hunan Black

Hunan black tea, known locally as Hunan Hong Cha, comes from the hills of central-south China and is less famous internationally than Keemun or Dian Hong. The cup is smooth and sweet with notes of honey, dried fruit, and a gentle woody warmth, finishing clean with mild astringency. It is an easy everyday tea — straightforward, mellow, and forgiving across a range of brewing strengths and temperatures. A comfortable daily drinker rather than a showpiece.

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.

Hunan Black

Water temperature

90–95°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

3–4 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

Hunan Black

Medium caffeine — roughly 30–55 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.

Hunan Black

China · Hunan

Hunan province produces a range of red teas, historically traded inland as well as exported.

Keemun

China · Anhui

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