At a glance
Keemun Maofeng is a shaped black-tea style within the Keemun or Qimen tea context. It is distinct from Huangshan Maofeng green tea despite the shared Maofeng wording. The name describes a product style rather than one separate tea-plant cultivar or a universal rank above every other Keemun.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 祁红毛峰 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Qimen, Anhui, with a wider historical Keemun trade-area account |
| Leaf form | Fine, tight, curved strands with pointed tips and some golden hairs |
Taste and appearance
The inherited profile describes fine, tightly curved strands with pointed tips, visible hairs and dark lustrous leaf. Liquor is red and bright; fragrance is fresh and sweet, compared in the prose with fruit or orchid, and the cup is fresh, mellow and sweet. Those comparisons are not proof of added flowers or an objective claim that its aroma exceeds every traditional Keemun.
The cover is the original dry-leaf illustration. These images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of origin, grade, age, authenticity or image rights clearance.
Grade characteristics
This preserves the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table and does not grade your packet. Plant material, growing area, processing and grade are separate details. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Tight and curved, visible hairs and pointed tips, even and clean | Tight and curved, visible pointed tips, fairly even and clean | Tight and curved, some pointed tips, reasonably even and clean |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous dark leaf | Dark, fairly lustrous | Dark, reasonably lustrous |
| Liquor | Vivid red | Red and bright | Red, fairly bright |
| Aroma | High, fresh sweet fragrance | Fresh sweet fragrance | Sweet fragrance |
| Taste | Fresh, mellow and sweet | Fresh and mellow | Mellow and sweet |
| Infused leaves | Red, bright, even, soft and tender | Red, bright, tender and even | Red, bright, fairly tender and even |
These inherited sensory tiers are not the same as a type name or cultivar. No claim that all Maofeng is one uniform official grade is made.
Names and origin
The old account lists Qimen and Yixian in the Huangshan area, Dongzhi, Guichi and Shitai in the wider Anhui trade context, plus Fuliang in Jiangxi. Preserve the broad historical trade-area account without presenting every place as part of Huangshan City or as a current legally authorised Qimen origin. An identified merchant lot is from Qimen and uses Zhuyezhong material; that supports the particular lot, not the origin of every packet carrying a Maofeng name.
Everyday benefits
Brewed without added sugar, this is an ordinary tea drink that can be an alternative to sweetened drinks and contribute to fluid intake. It contains caffeine. These everyday properties do not establish that this named tea treats disease, lowers blood sugar or improves sleep. No TeaPlain clinical or brewing test is claimed here.
Who may enjoy this tea
Consider it if you want a fine-leaf, fresh-sweet Keemun black-tea style. Compare an identified packet with Keemun Gongfu or Xiangluo by flavour and form rather than assuming one style is always better.
When to take care
- Caffeine sensitivity or sleep problems: consider your total intake and timing if tea affects your sleep. A pale infusion is not a caffeine-free claim.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or medicines: ask a clinician or pharmacist about your actual product, caffeine intake and relevant medicine instructions.
- Iron supplements: follow the medicine’s instructions about separating tea from the dose. Do not use tea as treatment for anaemia.
These are product and individual considerations, not a blanket ban based on traditional “hot” or “cold” labels, age, sex or a constitution category.
How to brew
Original prose: short gaiwan infusions
The earlier Chinese prose gives a white porcelain gaiwan, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio, 95–100°C / 203–212°F water and a 5-second pour after adding water. It does not specify a tea dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are an editorial illustration of the prose, not measurements inferred from the separate graphic.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g loose Keemun Maofeng as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz, measured; 5 g at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan with room for the measured water and leaves |
| Water temperature | 95–100°C / 203–212°F |
| First infusion | 5 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling and pouring time |
| Leaves | Kept separate from the liquid after each pour |
Use your packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The earlier five-to-seven-infusion statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. The prose does not specify a leaf rinse; any rinse shown in the separate image is not added silently to this version and is not a validated disinfection step. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The original shared image gives 5 g in a nominal 110 mL gaiwan, 95–100°C / 203–212°F and about 5 seconds for each of the first three drinking infusions, then longer. Actual water is not supplied. Do not infer the prose’s 1:20 ratio from the vessel label. Preheating is not validated sterilisation; choose potable water rather than assuming a spring photograph proves safety.
For ordinary teaware options, see brew without a gaiwan. Keep each complete method together instead of selecting temperature, dose and time from different preparations.
Adjust your cup
| What you notice | One change to try |
|---|---|
| Too strong, bitter or drying | Separate the liquid from the leaves; shorten contact time or use less tea next time |
| Weak or watery | Keep the measured water fixed and try a longer infusion before changing the leaf dose |
| Later infusions become stronger | Check whether liquid was left sitting with the leaves |
| Different from a flavour description | Compare the actual product and method; a description is not a promise for every cup |
Change one variable at a time. For a fuller sequence, see fix a disappointing first cup.
How to buy
Check growing locality, maker, harvest, cultivar where stated and the product’s actual grade system. The old one-bud/one-leaf or two-leaf material description is useful context, not proof that every lot matches one exact picking. A historical trade-area list is not current GI certification.
See buy your first Chinese tea for packet comparisons.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No original brand, batch, harvest or quotation date was recorded. These are not verified current retail quotes, a market average or manufacturer-suggested retail prices.
| Chinese-edition tier | CNY per 500 g (one jin) | Equivalent CNY per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Extra grade | 650 | 130 |
| Grade 1 | 470 | 94 |
| Grade 2 | 300 | 60 |
Per 100 g is an arithmetic conversion, not a quoted packet. Do not infer a missing sensory or price tier. Compare actual growing area, style, harvest, roast, weight and channel. A currency conversion does not make a UK or US retail offer comparable to a China historical figure.
How to store
Original storage method
The earlier entry uses a sealed foil or kraft-paper pouch inside a closed, dry container such as a tin, kept cool, dry and away from light and smells. Its casual tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions: use a suitable cupboard if a shelf is sunny or near steam. Reseal the inner pouch after taking tea. Plain paper without a moisture-resistant lining is not equivalent to a sealed foil pouch.
Its historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F and below 50% relative humidity, with a 24-month general shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry date or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. The actual product label, seal and storage conditions take precedence. The earlier ordinary-storage method does not require refrigeration; follow any different instruction for your own product.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep the packet away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, direct sun and spice containers. A decorative outer tin does not replace the inner seal. Keep a small daily portion separate if that helps resealing the main supply. Do not assume a long shelf life from the tea’s dark colour. For opened-packet handling, read storing an opened packet.
Origin, processing and history
The inherited map shows fresh leaf, withering, rolling, oxidation, shaping, drying, further shape refinement and classification. It depicts a shaped black-tea style, not a separate plant variety or the green-tea Maofeng process. Exact shaping and finishing are maker-specific; the old claim of invariably higher aroma than traditional black tea is not adopted as a tested universal conclusion.
Common questions
Is Keemun Maofeng the same as Huangshan Maofeng green tea?
No. Maofeng appears in more than one tea name. This guide covers a Keemun black-tea style; the green tea has its own page and process. Read the full tea name, actual origin and maker instead of using the shared word to choose a recipe.
Can I move one number from this recipe into a different vessel?
Keep leaf form, measured dose and actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Nominal capacity or a fill fraction is not a measured ratio.
Compare Keemun Xiangluo, or browse the black tea overview.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. Valid original descriptions, sensory comparisons, prose and image methods, storage handling, China price figures and usable pictures are retained with their scope. Doubtful medical, ranking and exact historical claims are revised or omitted. Current full grade clauses and historical prices are not certified. Original Chinese-labelled graphics have English reading notes; no TeaPlain tasting or brewing test is claimed. Internal research and image audits record the decisions.