Did you know that during the early 1800's tea was so popular it actually caused wars? Keemun black tea varieties, which are grown and produced in China, were traditionally used in English Breakfast tea. During the 1800's tea was such the rage in England that there was a danger that the British Treasury would be drained because all the silver was being used to pay the Chinese for their tea. Meanwhile, India and Burma produced significant quantities of opium and in due course, the opium came into high demand in China.

What evolved economically was the following; Opium was sent from India to British merchants who were stationed in Canton, China. The Chinese bought the opium from the British merchants using silver and the merchants received credits against debts in England. The silver collected from selling the opium was then used to pay for the Chinese tea! This cycle led to a number of wars dubbed "The Opium Wars". The last war was won by the British in 1860, which led to opium becoming a legal commodity up until 1908 when it was finally outlawed. Keemun was tea first produced in 1875, despite the Chinese practice and tradition being to produce green tea. The English had developed such a taste towards Chinese black tea, that it came into incredibly high demand; and thus the Keemun variety was created and soon became the staple for English Breakfast tea.

Our Keemun variety, Keemun Panda #1, is a very full bodied and flavourful tea with a lot of depth. Very subtle fruity and wine-like notes make this tea a true delight to consume. Not only that but it takes milk very well, making it a great option as a breakfast tea or for any time of day! Visit our online shop to get yours!