At a glance
Longquan Black Tea is a regional black-tea reference from Longquan in Zhejiang. Longquan Hong is also used as a regional public brand. Neither the place nor brand wording proves that every packet is wild tea or uses one cultivar.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 龙泉红茶 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Longquan, Lishui, Zhejiang; the old account includes Yanzhang |
| Leaf form | Tight, substantial dark strands with visible golden hairs |
Taste and appearance
The earlier comparison describes tight, substantial strands, lustrous dark leaf with golden hairs, bright orange-yellow liquor and an abundant floral and fruity fragrance. The cup is sweet, lively and fresh, with soft, tender, bright copper-coloured infused leaves. These descriptions preserve the old regional profile rather than promising an identical flavour from every maker.
The original liquor and infused-leaf photograph is withheld because identical pixels were assigned to another tea name. Its named identity could not be confirmed; the original file is preserved.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Tight, substantial strands, visible golden hairs | Fairly tight, substantial strands, visible golden hairs |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous dark leaf | Fairly lustrous dark leaf |
| Liquor | Orange-yellow and bright | Orange-yellow and clear |
| Aroma | Abundant floral and fruity fragrance | Abundant floral fragrance |
| Taste | Sweet, lively and fresh | Sweet, lively and fairly mellow |
| Infused leaves | Tender, soft, bright and copper coloured | Soft and copper coloured |
Only two sensory columns were supplied. The separate original Grade 2 price is retained below without inventing a missing Grade 2 sensory specification.
Names and origin
The original names Yanzhang and other Longquan townships. It discusses naturally growing or formerly planted, subsequently unmanaged tea bushes. A local standard-drafting account discusses such resources, while an independent field report also describes introduced cultivars and several producers. Keep abandoned or lightly managed gardens separate from a claim that all Longquan black tea is botanically wild, organically certified or free of residues.
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
It may suit someone exploring a floral or fruity Zhejiang black tea. A regional brand and an attractive mountain story are sourcing context, not evidence of medicinal benefits or guaranteed purity.
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 Longquan Black Tea 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 graphic 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 given; this does not verify the prose’s 1:20 ratio. Preheating is not validated sterilisation and a spring image is not a water-safety test.
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
Ask for maker, actual township, cultivar, picking and harvest. If the seller claims wild or old-bush material, ask what that means for this garden. Verify any organic certification separately. The old source has only two sensory-grade columns even though its price section lists three tiers.
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 | 600 | 120 |
| Grade 1 | 400 | 80 |
| Grade 2 | 280 | 56 |
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.
The original price list includes Grade 2, but its sensory comparison supplies only Extra grade and Grade 1. No missing sensory column has been invented.
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 retained map shows picking, withering, rolling, oxidation and drying. It is a simplified black-tea route, not a complete specification for all Longquan producers or a wild-tea authentication method. Regional development includes introduced cultivars and training in black-tea making; historical unmanaged-garden accounts should not define every packet.
Common questions
Does Longquan Black Tea always mean wild tea?
No universal wild status is established by the regional name. The area includes products with different cultivars and management histories. Ask for the actual garden and sourcing description; an old unmanaged garden is not automatically a different wild species or an organic certificate.
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 Jiuqu Hongmei, 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.