Qi Lan Varietal Black Tea

Qi Lan (奇兰), or "Rare Orchid," is a fragrant tea varietal from the Wu Yi mountains of Fujian, usually made into oolong. This batch was fully oxidized and finished as black tea instead, giving it a darker, sweeter, more rounded character while keeping the varietal's signature floral aroma intact.

The dry leaves are long, slender, and wiry, with a deep, rich aroma of flowers, dark fruit, warm wood, and malt. Brewed, the liquor comes out a clear golden-orange that deepens to amber the longer you steep it.

The flavor is smooth and layered, with orchid and dried rose floating above honey, malt, baked fruit, and a touch of cacao. A light mineral and woody note underneath gives it structure and shows off its Wu Yi origins. The mouthfeel is rounded and gently coating, with almost no harshness and a sweet floral finish that lingers.

This tea really shines gongfu style. Short steeps bring out the floral lift and honeyed sweetness, while longer infusions pull out deeper malt, wood, cacao, and dried fruit notes. You can push it hard without getting bitterness or astringency, which makes it both easy to drink and genuinely complex.

The spent leaves open up into flexible reddish-brown and dark olive tones, evenly oxidized with a substantial leaf base. Across many infusions, the tea moves gradually from bright and floral toward warmer notes of honey, wood, and sweet grain.

If you love Wu Yi teas and want to try the Qi Lan varietal in a fuller, sweeter black tea form, this one's for you!

Tasting Notes
Bright amber-orange liquor with orchid, rose, honey, malt, and dark fruit aromas. Flavor opens with floral honey and baked fruit, moving into cacao, sweet wood, dried longan, and light mineral notes. Smooth, rounded mouthfeel with a persistent floral sweetness and clean, warming finish.

Brewing Guide

Gongfu (recommended)

• 5–6 grams per 100 ml
• 90–95°C
• Start with 8–10 second infusions, lengthening gradually
• Good for 7–10 infusions

Western

• 3–4 grams per 300 ml
• 90–95°C
• Steep 2½–3½ minutes
• Re-steep 2–3 times

Thermos

• 1–1.5 grams per 100 ml
• 90–95°C
  
• Steep 10-20 minutes for a rich, warming brew

In Summary

• Tea Type: Black Tea
• Varietal: Qi Lan 奇兰
• Growing Region: Wu Yi, Fujian
• Character: Floral, honeyed, malty, fruity, lightly mineral
• Liquor: Golden orange to deep amber
• Mouthfeel: Smooth, rounded, gently mouth-coating
• Recommended For: Gongfu brewing, daily drinking, and lovers of aromatic Wu Yi teas