Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
A grade of Keemun sold under its own name, which leads buyers to take it for a separate tea. Hao Ya A and B are the top sorted grades of the same product.
Point by point
| Dimension | Keemun Hao Ya | Keemun |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Black tea · fully oxidised | Black tea · fully oxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Strip rolling → Oxidation → Drying. bud and one leaf and spring harvest. | In order: Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. |
| Origin | China — Qimen | China — Qimen |
| Flavour | fruity, smoky, floral and chocolate. medium and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: dried plum, pine, orchid, cocoa. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. | chocolate, woody and smoky. medium and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: cocoa, pine, dried plum, orchid. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 88–93 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 4–5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 10s of 5 authored. Cold brew tea: 1.2–2 g/100 ml at 3–8 °C, first steep 21600s. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 4–5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 10s of 5 authored. Mug infuser brewing: 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 95–101 °C, first steep 180s. Flash-chilled iced tea: 2.5–3.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 150s. Cold brew tea: 1.2–2 g/100 ml at 4–10 °C, first steep 28800s. Samovar service: 3.5–6 g/100 ml at 92–98 °C, first steep 600s. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Used in The Canton System. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing and is traditionally drunk plain. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.