Chinese Black Tea Sampler

A Journey Through China's Black Teas | 4 Teas from Fujian & Zhejiang

Tongmu Village is the birthplace of black tea, and this sampler brings together four of my favorite finds from my recent sourcing trip. From the traditional tea mountains of Tongmu Village to the lesser-known black tea-making regions of Zhenghe and Zhejiang, each tea offers a different glimpse into the wonderful diversity of Chinese black tea.

There's something for everyone to enjoy. Discover the deep, mellow richness of Gongfu Red, the refreshing fruit and floral notes of Abandoned Garden, the warming campfire aromas of Traditional Lapsang, and the indulgent sweetness of Nine Bend Plum. These four teas showcase just how varied and exciting Chinese black tea can be.

Whether you're already a black tea enthusiast or looking to explore beyond the familiar, this is a lovely place to start. Four teas, four distinct personalities, and plenty to discover in every cup.

Limited availability — only 20 sets in total. Order while supplies last!

Included in this sampler:

1. Gongfu Red

Black tea from Zhenghe, Fujian, China
Made from the local heirloom varietal, Xiao Cai Cha
Tasting Notes: Incense Wood, Rich, Mellow, Smooth
Picked: April 2024
1 x 10g pack

2. Abandoned Garden

Black tea from Zhenghe, Fujian, China
Made from semi-wild, unmanaged gardens, known as Pao Huang
Tasting Notes: Lychee, Grapefruit Juice, Rose, Refreshing
Picked: May 2026
1 x 10g pack

3. Traditional Lapsang (Pine-Smoked)

Pine-smoked black tea from Tongmu Village, Fujian, China
Tasting Notes: Campfire, Pine Wood, Dried Longan, Smooth
Picked: May 2025
1 x 10g pack

4. Nine Bend Plum (Longjing Black Tea)

Black tea from Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
Made from the Long Jing heirloom varietal
Tasting Notes: Sweet Plum Wine, Cherry Pie, Chocolate Mousse
Picked: April 2026
1 x 10g pack

Brew Instructions

All four teas are well suited to Gongfu brewing, where you can explore how their flavours develop over multiple infusions. You can certainly also brew them Western style. We've included individual gongfu brewing parameters for each tea below.

Gongfu Red (Gaiwan):

5g | 150ml | 95°C | 15 sec | +5 sec for additional brews | Can steep ~8 times

Abandoned Garden (Gaiwan):

5g | 150ml | 95°C | 15 sec | +5 sec for additional brews | Can steep ~8 times

Traditional Lapsang (Gaiwan):

5g | 150ml | 95°C | 10 sec | +5 sec for additional brews | Can steep ~8 times

Nine Bend Plum (Gaiwan):

5g | 150ml | 95°C | 20 sec | +5 sec for additional brews | Can steep ~6 times

Farm Story

This sampler brings together teas from three distinct regions, each with its own tea-making traditions and stories.

Zhenghe, Fujian — Gongfu Red & Abandoned Garden

Led by Tea Master Yang Feng, Longhe Tea Co was founded with the vision of bringing the traditional craft of white tea back to the Zhenghe region. They produce some of Zhenghe's finest white teas and are deeply committed to tea education. As a recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor, Master Yang has played an important role in preserving and advancing the region's tea-making traditions. He was also the first to develop a withering bridge for tea processing, an innovation that earned him early recognition in the tea world.

At the start of my tea journey, I had the opportunity to stay on their tea farm as a volunteer, experiencing the different stages of white tea production first-hand, from picking and withering to drying, sorting, and even planting new seedlings. Although Longhe is best known for its white teas, we were excited to discover their black teas too. Gongfu Red and Abandoned Garden are two wonderful examples of their craft, and I'm delighted to finally share them with you!

Tongmu Village, Fujian — Traditional Lapsang

Tongmu Village is widely recognised as the birthplace of Chinese black tea. During this trip, I finally had the chance to visit this historic tea-growing village after more than seven years of sourcing tea. One of the highlights was sitting down with Master Liang Jun De, a highly respected figure in the Tongmu black tea world, who is credited with inventing Jin Jun Mei in the early 2000s.

I sourced his Traditional Lapsang, which, rather amusingly, turns out to be his own daily favorite! What makes this tea particularly special is its preservation of an extra processing step known as Sha Qing (杀青), or wok-firing, which has increasingly been skipped in modern production. It's a wonderful representation of traditional Tongmu craftsmanship.

I also had the incredible opportunity to see a Qing Lou, a traditional four-story smokehouse where tea is pine-smoked throughout the production process. Unlike some heavily smoked teas that can taste overpowering or even ashy, this one is lightly and gradually smoked from start to finish. The result is a beautifully balanced tea, with warming campfire and fireplace aromas that complement rather than overwhelm the quality of the black tea. If you've previously been hesitant about smoked teas, I'd encourage you to keep an open mind and give this one a try. Think cozy evenings by the fireplace (rather than an ashtray)!

Shaoxing, Zhejiang — Nine Bend Plum

Nine Bend Plum, also referred to as Longjing Black Tea, is made from an heirloom varietal by Master Bao, a national tea-making competition champion. I was introduced to his teas through SJ, my fulfilment partner and friend, and had the pleasure of sourcing his Longjing earlier this year.

While Longjing is traditionally a green tea, this black tea offers a completely different expression of the region's tea-making heritage. Its wonderfully distinctive profile of sweet plum wine, cherry pie, and chocolate mousse was an immediate favorite, and I knew I had to include it in this sampler.