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Have You Tried the Six Most Fragrant Teas in China?

Tea News · Aug 27, 2025

 

 

Among all fragrances, only Keemun aroma stands out (Keemun Black Tea)

Keemun Black Tea is a famous historical tea in China. A premium black tea variety, abbreviated as Keemun, it is mainly produced in Qimen County, Anhui Province. The "Keemun aroma" is the characteristic feature of Keemun tea. Its meticulous harvesting and processing, known as "Kung Fu," result in a natural fragrance that is internationally recognized as the finest high-aroma tea. The Japanese describe its scent as rosy, while the British call it "Keemun aroma." Keemun tea is celebrated as one of the world's three great high-aroma teas, alongside Sri Lanka's Uva and India's Darjeeling teas. Keemun is particularly unique, with only Darjeeling tea comparable in quality.

 


 

Keemun Black Tea features tightly rolled, slender leaves with a dark, glossy appearance and golden tips. The brew is bright red, offering a rich, mellow taste and a lasting fragrance reminiscent of flowers, fruit, and honey. This distinctive "Keemun aroma" is world-renowned, ranking first among the three great high-aroma teas.

The Astonishing Fragrance of Biluochun

Dongting Biluochun is a treasure among Chinese teas, famous for its four defining qualities: beautiful shape, vibrant color, rich aroma, and mellow taste. Produced in Dongting Mountain, Lake Tai, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, it is a type of green tea. Biluochun tea dates back to the Ming Dynasty and was originally called "Astonishing Fragrance." During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi inspected and tasted this tea, noting its green hue and spiral shape. He greatly admired it but found the name "Astonishing Fragrance" inelegant, so he renamed it "Biluochun."

 


 

In fact, Biluochun's aroma is not particularly strong, but it is distinctive for its fruity notes. In Dongshan, Suzhou, where Biluochun is produced, citrus and bayberry trees are grown alongside tea plants, resulting in a subtle fruity fragrance in the tea. Another characteristic of Biluochun is its tenderness. While it typically takes 30,000 buds to produce 500 grams of tea, Biluochun requires 50,000 to 60,000 buds due to their delicacy, making it exceptional among teas.

The Lasting Aroma of Tieguanyin

Tieguanyin is the finest variety of oolong tea. Its qualities include tightly curled, sturdy leaves, evenly weighted and dark green in color. The overall shape resembles a dragonfly's head, spiral body, and frog's legs. When brewed, the tea yields a golden amber liquor with a natural, rich orchid fragrance. The taste is mellow, sweet, and refreshing, with a lasting sweetness known as "Yin Yun" (lingering charm). Tieguanyin's aroma remains potent even after multiple infusions, earning it the description "fragrant even after seven brews."

 


 

The most captivating aspect of Tieguanyin is its prominent orchid-like aroma, which leaves a deep impression. Recent studies show that Anxi Tieguanyin contains the richest variety of aromatic compounds among oolong teas, with a higher proportion of mid and low-boiling-point aroma components. This unique fragrance is enchanting; upon opening the lid of a brewed cup, the aroma immediately fills the room.

The Unmatched Beauty and Aroma of Phoenix Dan Cong

Phoenix Dan Cong tea belongs to the oolong tea category and originated in the Ming Dynasty. It is named after the practice of harvesting and processing leaves from single bushes (Dan Cong) in Wudong Mountain, Phoenix Town, Chao'an. Chao'an Phoenix tea was a tribute tea in ancient times and was listed among China's famous teas during the Qing Dynasty. The quality grades of Phoenix tea are Dan Cong, Lang Cai, and Shui Xian, each with several sub-levels.

 


 

Phoenix Dan Cong is the finest among Phoenix teas, renowned for its four virtues: beautiful shape, emerald color, floral aroma, and sweet taste. Its leaves are straight, plump, and glossy, with an elegant natural floral fragrance. The brew offers a rich, sweet, and refreshing taste with a unique honey-like mountain charm. The liquor is clear and bright orange-yellow, while the brewed leaves show green with red edges. It is highly resistant to multiple infusions, embodying the unique color, aroma, and taste of Phoenix Dan Cong tea.

No Aroma Rivals Rougui, No Mellow Taste Matches Shui Xian (Wuyi Rougui)

Wuyi Rock Tea is often described as "no aroma rivals Rougui, no mellow taste matches Shui Xian." Shui Xian and Rougui are the cornerstone varieties of Rock Tea. Rougui tea is made from the Rougui tea plant using Wuyi Rock Tea processing methods, resulting in a high-aroma oolong tea. Its unique charm lies in its extraordinary aroma, with a bitter note complemented by a caramel-like sweetness, creating a bold and sharp fragrance. In contrast, Shui Xian offers a clean, refreshing mellow taste that is subtle yet lasting.

 


 

Rougui tea features tightly rolled, dark green leaves with a glossy sand-green color. Its aroma is rich and sharp, reminiscent of cinnamon, while the taste is mellow, sweet, and slightly stimulating. The liquor ranges from orange to golden yellow and is clear and bright. The brewed leaves show green with red edges. The tea leaves a sweet aftertaste and a lingering fragrance. The traditional variety is heavily fermented and roasted, highlighting the inherent aroma of Wuyi Rougui. The brewed tea is light yellow in color with a profound aroma.

More Fragrant Than Roses, with a Green Tea Base (Jasmine Tea)

Jasmine Tea, also known as Jasmine-scented tea, is a type of scented tea. It is made by blending tea leaves with jasmine flowers, combining the aromas of both. Jasmine tea is a renowned variety among scented teas. It is named after the process of scenting tea leaves with jasmine flowers. High-quality Jasmine Tea features tightly rolled, dark brown leaves with a glossy appearance. When brewed, it offers a fresh, lasting floral aroma, a yellow-green liquor, tender and soft brewed leaves, and a rich, refreshing taste.

 


 

Jasmine Tea is the best-selling variety among floral teas. The fragrance of jasmine is beloved by drinkers and is considered superior to other scented teas like rose,蔷薇, and orchid. The Song Dynasty poet Jiang Kui praised it in his poem "Jasmine": "If I were to rank flowers in the future, I would place jasmine as the foremost fragrance in the world."

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