Black Gunpowder

$5 ~~$10~~ In stock

Tasting Notes: honey, toasted bread, caramel

Description: Gunpowder tea, Zhu Cha, is so named for the visual appearance of the tightly rolled balls of tea that resemble gunpowder pellets. An intoxicating black tea with complex notes that unfurl with each sip. Hints of earth, enticing sweetness, and little to none astringency are present in this bestselling black tea that is produced by hand in Fujian province China.

Called "Black Pearls" or "Black Gunpowder" this tea has golden tips and long leaves that are hand rolled into a spiral shape to resemble gunpowder. A rich tea that features a dark infusion and enchanting aromatic qualities with flavorful notes of honey, toasted bread, caramel, orange, and soft hints of smoke. One of our most popular black teas.

Ingredients: black tea from the eastern parts of the Fujian province of China

Steep Directions: steep 1 heaping teaspoon of tea per 8 oz boiling water, 205-212°F, for 3-5 minutes

Customer Reviews (4.6 / 5 · 5 reviews)

Brian H. ★★★★★ Sep 2, 2026

Those tightly rolled pellets unfold into a deep amber brew that really does carry that toasted bread warmth, and the caramel sweetness lingers pleasantly on the finish. I've been brewing it Gongfu style and each steep keeps giving, which makes it a solid daily driver for the price.

Owen ★★★★★ Sep 1, 2026

The honey note comes through right at the front, but it's the toasted bread finish that keeps me coming back for another cup. Those tightly rolled pellets unfurl beautifully over three steeps, and the caramel sweetness gets more pronounced each time.

Isabella ★★★★★ Aug 30, 2026

I’ve been brewing these tiny rolled pellets in my gaiwan all week, and the honey note really comes through on the first steep, followed by that toasted bread warmth. It holds its flavor surprisingly well for three infusions, which makes it easy to justify the price.