Junlian Black Tea

Junlian Black Tea

Junlian black tea is a protected geographical indication product.

Junlian black tea is a protected geographical indication certification trademark.

Junlian black tea is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Junlian black tea has a long cultivation history. According to *The General History of Chinese Tea*, “The long history of tea production in Junlian can be traced back over two thousand years to the Qin and Han dynasties, and it was one of the key tea-producing areas in Sichuan as early as the Tang Dynasty.” The *Junlian County Annals* also record that: “In the 30th year of the Daoguang reign during the Qing Dynasty (1850), tea tax was levied via tea trade licenses. From the first year of the Republic of China (1912) to the 25th year (1936), the highest annual output reached 350 tons. The tea was renowned across southern Sichuan for its excellent color and flavor and was sold to provinces such as Shaanxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou. In 1947, the county’s total tea output value amounted to 979 million yuan (in fiat currency), making it one of the largest sources of rural income.” Junlian black tea is of premium quality. As early as the 1950s, it gained nationwide fame and earned the international reputation of being the “rival of Keemun Black Tea.” In 1955, the Shanghai Tea Company praised Junlian black tea as having “an elegant appearance, tightly twisted strips, visible tips, glossy dark color, bright red liquor, evenly red leaves, high aroma, and mellow taste.” In 1956, the state invested 200,000 yuan to build an electric black tea primary processing factory in Junlian for refining black tea. In the spring of 1957, Soviet tea experts stationed in China visited Junlian specifically to observe the black tea production process and were highly satisfied with the tea’s quality. In September 1959, Junlian tea workers picked and processed 1.5 kilograms of Bai Lu sprout tea as a gift for Chairman Mao to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Central Office sent a letter to express their gratitude. By 1959, the county’s tea planting area had reached 11,000 mu, more than eight times that of the early years of the PRC, and a total of 2,000 tons of black tea were exported, selling well in countries such as the Soviet Union, Poland, West Germany, and the United Kingdom. In 1974, Junlian County was listed as one of the top 100 tea base counties at the National Tea Conference. In recent years, the county Party committee and government have assessed new changes in the international and domestic black tea markets, adapted to circumstances, and focused on restoring and developing the black tea industry. While maintaining its original color, aroma, and taste, Junlian black tea has continuously innovated in production methods, resulting in a product with tightly twisted, elegant strips, a fresh and mellow taste, and a long-lasting aftertaste. From 2009 to 2013, Junlian black tea won the International Tea Expo Gold Award five consecutive times. Since 2012, it has also received the Gold Award at the 1st to 3rd China (Sichuan) International Tea Expos. In 2013, the total tea plantation area in the county was 176,900 mu (including 90,000 mu of black tea), with a total tea output of 5,413 tons (including 2,017 tons of black tea), and a total tea output value of 200 million yuan (including 97 million yuan from black tea). Among the county’s 18 townships, five had plantations exceeding 10,000 mu, four had annual tea outputs exceeding 100 tons, and nine had outputs exceeding 200 tons. There were a total of 68 primary and refined tea processing enterprises, including two provincial-level leading enterprises, three municipal-level leading enterprises, two provincial-level demonstration cooperatives (one applying for national-level status), and three municipal-level demonstration cooperatives, with over 1,250 sets of tea processing machinery. The Agricultural Brand Research Center of Zhejiang University estimated the regional brand value of Junlian black tea at 381 million yuan. The per capita income of tea farmers was 1,058 yuan, with tea contributing 13.5% to farmers’ net income. Junlian black tea has become one of the pillar industries driving agricultural efficiency and increasing farmers' incomes in the county.

　　Distinctive Qualities

　　It features tightly twisted, elegant strips with golden tips; it offers a rich, lingering aroma with natural floral and fruity notes, a fresh and mellow taste, and a long aftertaste, showcasing a strong regional character.

　　Cultural Anecdotes

　　As early as the 1980s, black tea produced in Junlian was exported to countries such as the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan. In 1959, the county produced a golden-colored black tea with uniformly shaped buds and leaves called “Golden White Dew,” which was offered as a gift to Chairman Mao. In 1985, Junlian black tea won its first gold award at the Panama International Food Expo.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic indication area for Junlian black tea (as an agricultural geographical indication product) includes 18 towns (townships) and 243 villages within Junlian County: Junlian Town, Tengda Town, Xunsi Town, Haoba Town, Shuangteng Town, Mu’ai Town, Weixin Town, Zhenzhou Town, Daxueshan Town, Wude Township, Tangba Township, Longzhen Township, Kongque Township, Leyi Township, Gaokan Township, Tuancun Township, Lianhe Township, and Gaoping Township. It lies between 104°17′45″–104°47′20″ east longitude and 27°50′37″–28°14′08″ north latitude, covering a protected area of 9,200 hectares with an annual output of 5,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) Sensory Quality Characteristics: Junlian black tea has tightly twisted, glossy dark strips that are uniform in appearance, a sweet and rich aroma that lingers, bright red liquor with a golden rim, a fresh and mellow taste with a sweet aftertaste, and evenly red, bright leaves. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Junlian black tea contains ≥9% tea polyphenols and ≥35% water extractables. (3) Safety Requirements: Junlian black tea complies with relevant national legal standards.