Keemun Monkey King Spring Gold Black Tea

This exceptionally rare tea originates from Keemun county in Anhui Province, China, where spring growth produces long, tender golden buds. As one of China's celebrated Gongfu teas—crafted with extraordinary skill—each batch embodies the enlivening essence of early spring.

Only 400kg of this finest Mao Feng grade is produced annually. The leaves are hand-picked before the Qing Ming festival, then subjected to a labour-intensive process executed solely by master craftsmen. After withering and rolling, they're tossed 400 times in a bamboo tray to begin oxidation. Rather than machine-rolling, the tea master hand-rolls them in a shallow pan, repeating this process three times over. The meticulous attention reflects centuries of tradition and uncompromising quality.

The result is remarkably smooth with a honey-sweet, orchid aroma and gentle notes of sweet chocolate, malt and rose. The leaves display a striking black bloom, whilst the infusion yields a clear, brilliant red cup. This tea commands prices exceeding £170 per 100g elsewhere—a truer measure of the craftsmanship involved.

Best enjoyed in the afternoon or early evening, this tea brews beautifully for three infusions or more when taken without milk. To grasp its rarity: this annual production would satisfy merely 200,000 of the UK's yearly 60 billion cups of tea consumption. Stock is perpetually limited, so experience this extraordinary tea while available.