Discovering Qimen Red Tea: The Soul of Earl Grey and English Breakfast
Hey tea friends! Today, I’m sipping on a cup of Qimen Red Tea — known in the West as Keemun, and famously recognized as the traditional base of Earl Grey and English Breakfast teas.
What Is Red Tea?
What we call "Black Tea" in the West, Chinese call "Red Tea" (Hong Cha 红茶.) It is rich and crisp with a sweet taste and a smoothly tannic aftertaste.
It is an excellent tea for drinkers used to Western tea blends, like Earl Grey or English Breakfast.
Qimen Red Tea
What makes this tea so special is its elegant simplicity. In the Chinese tea tradition, there’s no blending or flavoring involved — no bergamot oil, no added aroma. The goal is to find the best possible tea leaves and let their natural character shine.
When Qimen Red Tea is made well, the result is a brilliant orange liquor that’s bright and clean in the cup. The taste balances a gentle malty sweetness with that signature Qimen fragrance — a warm, slightly floral aroma that lingers long after you’ve finished your sip.
We had a lot of fun with the packaging design for this tea. It draws inspiration from old Hong Kong Chinese medicine shops — full of nostalgia, detail, and heritage. Our seal, printed on the front, is actually a digitized version of a real hand-carved jade seal — a little nod to craftsmanship and authenticity that reflects the spirit of the tea inside.
On the back of each package, you’ll find steeping instructions and tasting notes to help you brew the perfect cup.
If you’re new to Chinese teas, this is one of the best places to start. It’s familiar, comforting, and yet distinctly different from Western-style black teas — smoother, more fragrant, and full of history in every sip.