A sip of Hangzhou's red tea heritage.

Known alongside West Lake Longjing as one of Hangzhou's red and green tea treasures, Red Plum Black Tea (Jiuqu Hongmei) is a nearly 170-year-old local tea with a delicate plum-like aroma, a rich red-gold brew, and a smooth, mellow finish.

Once celebrated overseas and even awarded a gold medal at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the tea later faced decades of decline.

Today, thanks to generations of tea makers and new ideas from younger producers, Jiuqu Hongmei is finding its way back into the spotlight.