Old Keemun

Upton has about 5 Keemuns and about 15 similar tasting teas and mixed Keemans. Their samples might help you find what's closest to your desire. Look for the buyer comments. Toci

I wouldn't necessarily throw it out. You can compare it with what you get. You might have something special. In Chinatown these days it is called QiMen or QiHong for penny/gram. You'll still see Keemun used. The websites carry the select grades which you might like better especially if you drink it straight. I stay with the cheap stuff because I don't drink it often.

Jim

PS We usually say CNNP for short.

Alan Petrillo wrote:

Wow, 35 year old Keemun... that might have other... magical properties by now or just be stale. I have actually found a fairly well sealed packet of black tea that was about 5 years old and it still brewed a pretty good cup... never 35 though. That thing went "Antique" 10 years ago.

I'd try some samples from an online source, I've found cheaper Keemun to be hit or miss with many more misses than hits. Every now and then you'll hit a winner. Uptons, teaspring, and shops like that are probably a good starting place.

- Dominic

toci wrote: [snip]

Cool, thanks.

AP

Throw it out? Good grief no! It was nectar!

Thanks for the tip.

AP

I expected it to be stale, and was thoroughly amazed when it wasn't. Or maybe just something magical had happened to it. ;->

This was in a Japanned tin that was sealed with lacquer, so that might have had something to do with it.

Thanks, Dominic.

I had a feeling that if anyone in the NG had an idea you would.

BTW: I wish you good luck in your search for fishy tasting green tea. When you find some you may have my share of it, as I can't stand the stuff. Further proof that everyone's taste is different. Wouldn't the world be so boring otherwise?

AP

I think he meant the tin, for when you go hunting for more. :)

N.

Ah. Indeed.

AP

I've had wonderful Keemun Hao Ya A from Teaspring (China), and from Imperial Tea Court and from Jing's (China). Any of these are worth the buy. Chado in Los Angeles all has a very tasty Keemun. I prefer chocaolately, malty complex flavour in this tea and any of these, although I do prefer Teaspring's, are excellent. Shen

I'll look them up, thanks.

AP

No I meant the leaf especially now since you mentioned it was sealed. You are sitting on a gold mine in the terms of comparison taste. I just tried some of my decades old stuff, some marinating in a foil line bag. Strong aroma, strong taste, bright red liquor which I think would be the give away if time ravaged. It struck me by just looking at the dried leaf if any oxidized tea could be stored in a time vault this one would be a candidate along with fermented teas. It looks more similar to my fermented black Liuan than typical dark grey oxidation.

Jim

Natarajan Krishnaswami wrote:

You owe it to us to tell us HOW nectar like it was!

I've had a hongcha of some sort that's 10 years old. Very interesting, sweet, and fruity. A strange tea, but fun.

MarshalN

That same brand of keemun is still available today from the same sources. Kam Man supermarket in NYC stocks it, for example. But as with any agricultural product, it will change from harvest to harvest.

--scott

Yeah, that's the stuff!

I'll have to try some after I work my way through the Keemun samplers I just got from Upton.

AP

Well, let's see.

It had a subtle but distinct sweetness. It's aroma was fruity, with a slightly floral aroma. It had a very strong aroma, and also a strong flavor, without being tannic. The liquor was bright red, and it always brewed out nicely clear and clean. There was a very light note of chocolate in its finish.

Very, _very_ good stuff.

We figured it out, Liz's mom has had this since they lived in Taiwan. They left Taiwan when Liz was 8, and she's now 43, so this tea was at least 35 years old. I can honestly say it was the best tea I have ever had in my life.

AP

Well, if it's still available then it's findable. Since I work for an airline I get to travel free, so it might be worth a trip to NYC to find it, if need be.

Indeed. This is the nature of truly natural products, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

AP

Sure. But at the risk of saddening you, let me say that I live in New York, and I have bought the very tea in Kam Man, though not for several years now, and it's been nothing special for the last decade or so.

/Lew

Does it resemble those tins they´re selling at teaspring [19 $/100g] ?

Shen, is this the Hao Ya you mentioned ?

Karsten [Rose Congue in tazza]

It is unlikely you will find Qimen of that quality anymore. The newer higher graded stuff goes pretty high but the quality isn't actually better.