Jin Jun Mei (金骏眉) is one of the most prestigious—and consequently one of the most expensive—Chinese teas. Its name translates as “Golden Eyebrows,” inspired by the tea’s delicate buds, which are thin and gracefully curved like the eyebrows traditionally admired in Chinese beauty.
This black tea (known as red tea in China), with a history spanning several centuries, is produced from tea bushes grown in the mountainous regions of Fujian Province.
Unlike most teas, no mature leaves are used in its production. Tea pickers harvest only the tiny, tender buds. It takes no fewer than 100,000 buds to produce just one kilogram of Jin Jun Mei, which is one of the main reasons for its exceptional value.
The buds are harvested in both spring and autumn and then undergo a long, carefully controlled fermentation process that gives the tea its refined aroma and rich, complex flavor.