Jin Jun Mei: The Golden Eyebrow Red (Black) Tea from Wuyi

Jin Jun Mei (金骏眉, "Golden Steed Eyebrows", often translated "Golden Eyebrow") is a Chinese red (black) tea made only from tiny buds, from the Tongmu area of the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian, the same area that gave the world Lapsang Souchong. It's a modern tea, created in the mid-2000s, and one of the most celebrated red teas in China. It tastes sweet and delicate: honey, flowers, baked sweet potato, a little malt, with a silky texture. It's unsmoked. Brew it a little cooler than other red teas, at 85–90 °C.

I'll be honest: I was sceptical of Jin Jun Mei because of its fame. A tea that became a luxury status symbol within a few years of being invented sounded more like marketing than tea. The first cup changed my mind. It was the most delicate red tea I'd ever had: honey and wildflowers on the lid, a silky, almost creamy sweetness, and none of the heaviness I associated with black tea. I don't drink it often. It's a special-occasion tea for me, but it's earned its reputation.

Where it comes from#

Tongmu is a village area deep in the Wuyi Mountains nature reserve in northern Fujian, the home of Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong, the tea the West knows as Lapsang Souchong and the oldest red tea in the world. In the mid-2000s, tea makers there applied the red-tea craft to the finest buds of the local small-leaf bushes, and Jin Jun Mei was born. It became famous very quickly and turned into one of China's most prestigious gift teas.

The name is usually explained like this: jin (gold) for the golden down on the buds, jun (steed) for the shape of the buds and, as the story goes, the name of one of its makers, and mei (eyebrow) for the small, curved buds.

How it's made#

Only buds are picked, in early spring, and a lot of them: a small amount of finished tea takes many thousands of buds. The buds are withered, rolled, oxidized and dried like other red teas, but handled very gently. The finished leaf is tiny and tightly rolled, with a mix of gold, black and brown. No smoke is used.

How it tastes#

• Dry leaf: honey and dried flowers.
• Aroma: honey, wildflowers, sometimes a light fruitiness, like dried longan.
• Taste: sweet and delicate, baked sweet potato, a little malt; silky, almost creamy.
• Liquor: clear golden-orange with a bright rim.

How to brew Jin Jun Mei#

Gongfu#

Because it's all buds, Jin Jun Mei can turn a little sharp with boiling water. Keep it at 85–90 °C. Full chart: gongfu brewing chart.

Western#

About 2 g per 250 ml, 85–90 °C, 2–3 minutes. I wouldn't add milk; it would hide everything that makes this tea special.

My session#

5 g in a 100 ml porcelain gaiwan, water at 88 °C.

Steep 1 (10 s). Golden-orange. Honey and wildflowers on the lid. Delicate and sweet.

Steep 2 (12 s). Baked sweet potato, a creamy texture.

Steep 4 (25 s). Honey and a hint of dried longan, a long gentle finish.

Steep 7 (60 s). Light and still sweet.

Final count: 8 good steeps.

Beware of imitations#

Jin Jun Mei's fame made it one of the most imitated teas in China. "Jin Jun Mei" now appears on bud-heavy red teas from many regions, some good, some ordinary. A few tips:

• Genuine Tongmu Jin Jun Mei is scarce. A famous name on a modest listing deserves scepticism.
• Look for small, tightly rolled buds with a natural mix of gold, black and brown, not uniformly golden fluff.
• It should taste sweet and delicate, never harsh or flat.
• Buy from sellers who state the area and harvest.

The same logic applies to other famous names; I wrote about it in fake pu-erh.

How to store it#

Airtight, opaque, cool and away from smells. Red teas keep well, up to about three years, but Jin Jun Mei's delicate aroma is best in the first year.

Myths about Jin Jun Mei#

"It's an ancient tea." It's from the mid-2000s, though it builds on a centuries-old red-tea tradition.

"It's smoked, like Lapsang." No. Jin Jun Mei is unsmoked.

"More gold means better." A natural mix of gold, black and brown is normal. Uniformly golden, very fluffy leaf can be a different style entirely.

My honest take#

Jin Jun Mei deserves its reputation, but not every tea with the name does. If you want to try it, buy a small amount from a seller who can tell you where it's from, brew it at 88 °C in a porcelain gaiwan, and give it your full attention. It's a quiet tea.

The bottom line#

Jin Jun Mei is Wuyi's modern, bud-only, unsmoked red tea: honey, flowers and sweet potato, silky and delicate. Brew it at 85–90 °C, and be wary of imitations. For the whole family, see my Chinese red tea guide.