Xiaogan Black Tea

When it comes to tea, provinces like Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian, Yunnan, and Anhui immediately come to mind for those new to tea. However, many people don’t realize that Hubei Province is also a major tea-producing region, and its tea output is no small feat.

Hubei is a major tea province, producing all six major types of tea—“green, black, dark, white, yellow, and oolong.” Its tea cultivation area and output rank fourth in the nation. Whether in terms of tea yield or planted area, Hubei's tea industry holds the fourth position nationwide, which reflects its macro-level standing within China’s broader tea landscape.

The seven major regional public tea brands of Hubei are: Enshi Selenium Tea, Xiangyang High-Aroma Tea, Wudang Mountain Tea, Yingshan Cloud Mist Tea, Yichang Yihong Tea, Chibi Green Brick Tea, and Xiaogan Black Tea.

In the past, Xiaogan did not produce black tea. Traditionally, only spring tea was harvested there. Autumn tea was considered inferior in quality, fetched lower prices, and involved higher harvesting costs. Later, Russian merchants pointed out this waste and, as they had a preference for black tea, helped open up overseas markets through Russia, leading to the birth of Xiaogan Black Tea. In July 2019, “Xiaogan Red” black tea passed the on-site review for agricultural product geographical indication status.

The main tea-producing areas of Xiaogan are located in Dawu County and Xiaochang County, with production ranking fourth in Hubei. Among them, Dawu County has been awarded titles such as “China’s Famous Tea Township” and one of the top ten national model counties for tea industry development. Tea has become a leading industry in Dawu for boosting the local economy and improving livelihoods.

Xiaogan Black Tea has reached overseas markets along the national “Belt and Road” initiative. Closer markets include Russia, while farther ones encompass Arab nations. Hubei tea enjoys high recognition. As a black tea enthusiast myself, I highly recommend everyone to try the flavor of Xiaogan Black Tea.