Gunpowder Green Tea - thick and strong, a little soft honey,  with a smokey flavor

As a famous tea in the world, Gunpowder tea (珠茶; Chinese pinyin: zhū chá), a kind of green Chinese tea originally produced in Ping shui Town, Zhejiang Province of China ( another production area is from Fuding, Fujian) in which each leaf has been rolled into a small round pellet, which is believed to get the English name from the fact that the tea resembles grains of gun black powder. It is also known as “green pearl” tea in other areas in China,This rolling method of shaping tea is most often applied either to dried green tea (the most commonly encountered variety outside China) or Oolong tea.Rolling renders the leaves less susceptible to physical damage and breakage and allows them to retain more of their flavor and aroma. In addition, it allows certain types of oolong teas to be aged for decades if they are cared for by being occasionally roasted.

Tea Information

• Grown in Ping shui Town, Zhejiang Province
• Aroma is  fresh, soft honey with a smokey flavor
• Bright clear pale yellowish color when brewed
• Low caffeine

Tea History

Gunpowder tea production dates back to the Tang Dynasty 618–907. It was first introduced to Taiwan in the 19th century. Gunpowder tea leaves are withered, steamed, rolled, and then dried. In the peroid of Emperor Kang Xi (1661-1722 AD) of the Qing Dynasty, it became an Imperial Tribute tea.  According to historical records, the export of Gunpowder tea reached a peak between 1843 and 1894,Gunpowder Tea was one of the first teas exported out of China in the 17th Century and is currently exported to more than 40 countries. One of the largest importers of Gunpowder Tea is Morocco,blending Gunpowder tea with spearmint to create the famous 'Moroccan Mint' tea.

Tea Map

Gunpowder Tea trees is grown in Ping shui Town, Zhejiang Province