Special Lot From: Hunan Province

Organic Keemun Black

$18.50

4.9

Just $0.33/serving

Weight: 2 oz Canister

2 oz Canister 16 oz Pouch

Try free sample! Limit one per tea, please.

About Our Organic Keemun Black

One of China's Ten Famous Teas — and the tea often called the "Burgundy of blacks" for its wine-like complexity. Keemun style takes its name from Qimen County in Anhui, where this style of black tea was first developed in the 1870s. Our lot comes from Hunan, where the same processing tradition produces the same deep amber brew, the same blackcurrant and dark cherry character, the same smooth finish without a trace of bitterness.

Kirsten described it as "just enough kick to send me into my day, and never a hint of bitterness. Loveliness in a cup." DeeAnna called it her number one favorite tea she has ever tasted — no additives, nothing extra needed. Robert finds each sip "brings new delights."

A Special Lot. Not a daily workhorse black — a daily luxury one. Hunan Province, USDA Organic.

Brewing Guidelines for Organic Keemun Black

3:30 MIN

210 F

2 TSP - 2 G PER CUP

Brewing Guidelines are for one 8 oz. cup.

The best way to brew your tea is the way you like - don't let anyone tell you different. Our guidelines are configured for making your tea a cup at a time - maybe with our stainless tea filter. If making by the pot, maintain temperature and time but try with slightly less tea than the math would suggest.

For more brewing instructions, read our brewing guidelines.

Organic Keemun Black: Anhui-Style Black Tea from Hunan

Keemun — also written Qimen — is one of China's most internationally recognized black teas, first developed in the 1870s when black tea processing know-how arrived in Qimen County, Anhui Province from Fujian. Within a few decades it had become a benchmark export tea, found in English breakfast blends, served at royal tables, and earning the nickname "the Burgundy of teas" from wine-influenced Western buyers who recognized the same regional complexity in the cup. One of China's Ten Famous Teas, by official designation.

Our lot isn't from Qimen. It's Keemun style from Hunan — same processing tradition, same bud-and-leaf harvest, same full oxidation that produces the characteristic deep amber liquor and the blackcurrant and dark cherry notes the style is known for. The Hunan terroir produces a slightly different expression: a little fuller, with the same wine-like complexity and none of the astringency that cheaper versions of the style can carry.

What you get in the cup: a rich amber brew, fragrant and thick, smooth from the first sip through the last. No bitterness. Alex described it as "pure black tea heaven in every sip." Nina: "a rich amber color and a soft and round feel." Patricia reached for honey on principle and then found she didn't need it.

Brewing: 210°F water, 3 minutes 30 seconds, 2 teaspoons (2g) per 8 oz cup. Good for 4–6 infusions — the complexity holds across multiple steeps. Standard black tea approach, no special handling required.

Sourcing: Hunan Province, China. USDA Organic. Special Lot — limited availability.

What does Organic Keemun Black taste like?

Deep amber brew with notes of blackcurrant, dark cherries, and a wine-like richness. Smooth and round with no bitterness. Alex: "Its fragrant, thick liquor is pure black tea heaven in every sip." Nina finds it has "a rich amber color and a soft and round feel." Robert: "Each sip brings new delights."

What is Keemun tea and where does it come from traditionally?

Keemun (also Qimen) is a black tea style from Qimen County in Anhui Province, developed in the 1870s. It became one of China's Ten Famous Teas and one of the most recognized Chinese black teas in export markets — often described as the "Burgundy of teas" for its wine-like complexity. LRC's lot is Keemun-style from Hunan Province, using the same processing tradition.

How does this compare to other black teas?

Keemun sits in a different register from straightforward breakfast teas. It has a fruity, wine-like complexity that most black teas don't. Less brisk than an Assam, less malty than a Yunnan Black, more refined. Thomas tried it expecting to dislike Keemun (based on other vendors) and called it "a really nice tea" — it's the kind of tea that converts people who thought they didn't like the style.

How much caffeine does it have?

Around 50mg per 8 oz cup — standard for a black tea. Enough for a solid morning lift; less than a typical cup of coffee.

How many re-steeps will I get?

4–6 solid ones. The flavor holds well across multiple steeps. Use 2 teaspoons per cup and you'll have plenty of leaf to work with.

Customer Reviews for Organic Keemun Black

A Gorgeous Keemun!

Absolutely gorgeous keemun! Its fragrant, thick liquor is pure black tea heaven in every sip. Definitely a special occasions tea, because well, its so special! I love this company because they offer samples, tea can get expensive especially if you are wanting to try all the things. Loved the samples, the red & white chinese themed packaging on the shipping box & items themselves is gorgeous and the cute handwritten notes from the owner on tea themed postcards make it even more special. Thank you!

Complex flavor mix adds up to great joy

Each sip brings new delights as this Keemun Black has quickly become one of our very favorites. We can't get enough.

Wonderful

This is a wonderful tea. Great to have after meditation. Of course, you can't go wrong with any tea from Little Red Cup!!

Incredibly delicious

I ordered the Keemun black tea and am ordering it again. It is delicious and I drank multiple cups a day. It has a rich amber color and has a soft and round feel. It is my new favorite I think. It's hard to have a favorite.

Easy to drink!

This is good tea! It’s easy to drink hot or cold, and is better than I anticipated. I like the flavor a lot.

Amazing tea!

Amazing tea! Very tasty without being overpowering. Delicious!

This tea is simply fantastic.

This tea is simply fantastic. Smooth and delicious. I also absolutely love the canister it comes in. The tea is the most important thing, but I also love how Little Red Cup uses pretty packaging that is reusable. Great tea. Lovely company.

This is not my first experience with keemun tea

This is not my first experience with keemun tea. Have tried from several reputable venders, wasn't a fan. Thought I'd give it a go with Little Red Cup's free sample. Still not feeling it. It has a wonderful aroma. Pleasant mouth feel and flavor. A really nice tea. Just not my cup of tea.

Team Keemun

I am on team Keemun. This tea had me at the first sip. Just enough kick to send me into my day, and never a hint of bitterness. Loveliness in a cup.

Spectacular

This is my #1 favorite tea that I've ever tasted. I don't add anything to it as it is spectacular and perfect as it is. Thank you so much for having this tea available to us.

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Why Our Tea Is Organic

Tea is among the most heavily treated crops in conventional agriculture. When you steep tea leaves in hot water, you’re making an extraction—and that extraction doesn’t discriminate between flavor compounds and pesticide residues.Every tea we sell meets certified organic standards. Our teas are certified organic by the USDA and MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association), a leading independent organic certifier. This means no synthetic pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, and annual third-party inspections to verify it.We source from worker-owned cooperatives in rural, mountainous regions of China, where traditional growing methods align naturally with organic standards. These aren’t industrial plantations; they’re small farms where people have been growing tea the same way for generations.Healthier soil produces better tea. Plants grown without synthetic chemical inputs develop more complex flavor profiles. You can taste the difference.

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