Liu Bao vs Tianjian

Liu Bao

Liu Bao is a dark tea from Wuzhou in Guangxi, traditionally piled and aged in bamboo baskets. The cup is smooth and grounding: damp earth, betel nut, and dark wood with a clean mineral finish and a natural sweetness that emerges over steeps. Aged Liu Bao develops a medicinal, cooling character prized in humid southern China.

Tianjian

Tianjian, 'heaven tips', is Anhua's premium loose-leaf dark tea, made from the tenderest buds and leaves rather than the coarse material pressed into bricks. The cup is notably smoother than brick heicha: earthy and woody but rounded, with camphor-like cooling notes, jujube sweetness, and a clean finish that builds over gongfu infusions. It is the entry point of choice for exploring Hunan dark tea beyond bricks.

Liu Bao

Water temperature

95–100°C

Leaf to water

5g / 250ml

Steep time

0.5–1 min

Re-steep

5–8 times

Tianjian

Water temperature

95–100°C

Leaf to water

5g / 250ml

Steep time

0.5–1 min

Re-steep

5–8 times

Liu Bao

Medium caffeine — roughly 30–60 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Tianjian

Medium caffeine — roughly 25–45 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Liu Bao

China · Guangxi

Liu Bao ('six castles') takes its name from the old tea markets of Wuzhou, Guangxi.

Tianjian

China · Hunan (Anhua)

Tianjian is a traditional Anhua category, historically the highest grade of loose Hunan dark tea, pressed from finer material only in modern premium lines.