My girlfriend's mother gave us a tin of Keemun that she got when they
were living in Taiwan. It's at least 35 years old. To say it was
outstanding would be the great grandmother of all understatements, at
least for my unpracticed palate.

It's labeled as "Keemun Black Tea", and the manufacturer label is "China
National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation
Shanghai Tea Branch".

Considering what I've read about the Chinese tea industry going
downhill, should I even try to find more of this tea?

Where might I find a particularly good Keemun?


Thanks in advance,
AP

On Jun 8, 5:36 am, Alan Petrillo wrote:
My girlfriend's mother gave us a tin of Keemun that she got when they
were living in Taiwan. It's at least 35 years old. To say it was
outstanding would be the great grandmother of all understatements, at
least for my unpracticed palate.

It's labeled as "Keemun Black Tea", and the manufacturer label is "China
National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation
Shanghai Tea Branch".

Considering what I've read about the Chinese tea industry going
downhill, should I even try to find more of this tea?

Where might I find a particularly good Keemun?

Thanks in advance,
AP

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:
My girlfriend's mother gave us a tin of Keemun that she got when they
were living in Taiwan. It's at least 35 years old. To say it was
outstanding would be the great grandmother of all understatements, at
least for my unpracticed palate.

It's labeled as "Keemun Black Tea", and the manufacturer label is "China
National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation
Shanghai Tea Branch".

Considering what I've read about the Chinese tea industry going
downhill, should I even try to find more of this tea?

Where might I find a particularly good Keemun?


Thanks in advance,
AP

On Jun 8, 6:36 am, Alan Petrillo wrote:
My girlfriend's mother gave us a tin of Keemun that she got when they
were living in Taiwan. It's at least 35 years old. To say it was
outstanding would be the great grandmother of all understatements, at
least for my unpracticed palate.

It's labeled as "Keemun Black Tea", and the manufacturer label is "China
National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation
Shanghai Tea Branch".

Considering what I've read about the Chinese tea industry going
downhill, should I even try to find more of this tea?

Where might I find a particularly good Keemun?

Thanks in advance,
AP

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]
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


Cool, thanks.


AP

Space Cowboy wrote:
I wouldn't necessarily throw it out.

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

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.

Thanks for the tip.


AP

Dominic T. wrote:
On Jun 8, 6:36 am, Alan Petrillo wrote:
My girlfriend's mother gave us a tin of Keemun that she got when they
were living in Taiwan. It's at least 35 years old. To say it was
outstanding would be the great grandmother of all understatements, at
least for my unpracticed palate.

It's labeled as "Keemun Black Tea", and the manufacturer label is "China
National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation
Shanghai Tea Branch".

Considering what I've read about the Chinese tea industry going
downhill, should I even try to find more of this tea?

Where might I find a particularly good Keemun?

Thanks in advance,
AP

Wow, 35 year old Keemun... that might have other... magical properties
by now or just be stale.

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

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.

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

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

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

On 2007-06-08, Alan Petrillo wrote:
Space Cowboy wrote:
I wouldn't necessarily throw it out.

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

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


N.

Natarajan Krishnaswami wrote:
On 2007-06-08, Alan Petrillo wrote:
Space Cowboy wrote:
I wouldn't necessarily throw it out.
Throw it out? Good grief no! It was nectar!

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

Ah. Indeed.


AP

On Jun 8, 3:36 am, Alan Petrillo wrote:
My girlfriend's mother gave us a tin of Keemun that she got when they
were living in Taiwan. It's at least 35 years old. To say it was
outstanding would be the great grandmother of all understatements, at
least for my unpracticed palate.

It's labeled as "Keemun Black Tea", and the manufacturer label is "China
National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation
Shanghai Tea Branch".

Considering what I've read about the Chinese tea industry going
downhill, should I even try to find more of this tea?

Where might I find a particularly good Keemun?

Thanks in advance,
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

Shen wrote:
On Jun 8, 3:36 am, Alan Petrillo wrote:
My girlfriend's mother gave us a tin of Keemun that she got when they
were living in Taiwan. It's at least 35 years old. To say it was
outstanding would be the great grandmother of all understatements, at
least for my unpracticed palate.

It's labeled as "Keemun Black Tea", and the manufacturer label is "China
National Native Produce & Animal By-Products Import & Export Corporation
Shanghai Tea Branch".

Considering what I've read about the Chinese tea industry going
downhill, should I even try to find more of this tea?

Where might I find a particularly good Keemun?

Thanks in advance,
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:
On 2007-06-08, Alan Petrillo wrote:
Space Cowboy wrote:
I wouldn't necessarily throw it out.

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

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


N.

On Jun 9, 3:35 am, Alan Petrillo wrote:
Space Cowboy wrote:
I wouldn't necessarily throw it out.

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


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
http://www.xanga.com/MarshalN

Alan Petrillo wrote:
Space Cowboy wrote:
I wouldn't necessarily throw it out.

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

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
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Space Cowboy wrote:
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.

Yeah, that's the stuff!

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.

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


AP

Jim

Natarajan Krishnaswami wrote:
On 2007-06-08, Alan Petrillo wrote:
Space Cowboy wrote:
I wouldn't necessarily throw it out.
Throw it out? Good grief no! It was nectar!
I think he meant the tin, for when you go hunting for more.


N.