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Make time for a little tea, just for you. Enjoy 15% off eligible teas with code TREAT15, from now through November 30, 2026 (Anywhere on Earth, UTC−12).

More tea to enjoy

  • Spend US$100: a full box of Golden Flower White Tea — 10 individually packed 3g portions, 30g total.
  • Spend US$150: the white tea box, plus one 100g Yunnan Red Glow ripe Pu-erh cake.
  • Spend US$200: both gifts above, plus one 100g The Little Brick — 2018 Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea.

Your first order also comes with a complimentary tea towel. No minimum spend or code is required for this welcome gift, and it can be enjoyed alongside the tea gifts above.

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  • Gift thresholds are based on the amount paid for eligible merchandise after discounts, excluding shipping, taxes and gift value. Discovery Boxes and teaware count toward gift thresholds but are excluded from the 15% discount. K KOU electric kettles are excluded from both the discount and gift thresholds.
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  • The same offer continues through Singles’ Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

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Taiping Houkui Green Tea – Special & First Grade Pre-Guyu Harvest from Huangshan

Taiping Houkui is available in Premium (特级) and First Grade (一级) , each offering a distinct experience.

Price:
Regular price $7.15
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Tea profile

  • Tea type: Green Tea (Taiping Houkui – Special & First Grade)
  • Origin: Huangshan, Anhui Province, China (Taiping Core Region: Houkeng, Hougang, Yanjia Source)
  • Harvest: Early Spring, around Gu Yu (late April – early May)
  • Grade: Special & First Grade, Early Spring Harvest
  • Appearance: Wide, flat, and straight leaves with visible white tips; leaves are well-shaped and visually striking, reflecting traditional “One Knife, Two Swords” handcrafting.
  • Packaging: Sealed foil pouch to ensure long-lasting freshness
  • Storage: Keep in a cool, dry place away from light and strong odors; best consumed within 18 months of opening
  • Brewing: See our guide to brewing green tea perfectly
  • Form: Loose
  • Oxidation / fermentation: Non-fermented

About this tea

  • Authentic High-Mountain Origin: Sourced from the core production areas of Taiping, Huangshan, China, where high elevation, abundant mist, and large day-night temperature differences create exceptional tea quality.
  • Handcrafted “One Knife, Two Swords (一刀两剑)” Technique: Each leaf is hand-picked and carefully shaped using the traditional method to ensure wide, flat, and straight tea leaves with visible white tips.
  • Rare Early Spring Harvest: Picked around the Gu Yu period, only a few weeks in spring produce the tender one-bud-two-leaf shoots, ensuring optimal aroma and taste.
  • Distinctive Flavor Profile: Elegant orchid aroma with subtle chestnut and bean notes, refreshing and smooth, with a lasting sweet aftertaste and clear, bright yellow-green liquor.
  • Cultural & Collectible Value: Not only a premium daily tea but also a collectible with rich historical significance dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1890–1908).

Born in the misty highlands of Huangshan during the Qing Dynasty, Taiping Houkui (Taiping Monkey King Tea, 太平猴魁) has been treasured by tea enthusiasts for over a century. Passed down through generations of skilled tea farmers from the Zhang, Liu, and Yan families, each leaf is carefully hand-picked in early spring, meticulously processed through pan-firing, shaping, and low-temperature roasting. The traditional “One Knife, Two Swords” shaping technique ensures leaves remain broad, straight, and aromatic, delivering a visually striking and flavorful brew.

Grade Comparison – Taiping Houkui

Taiping Houkui is available in Premium (特级) and First Grade (一级), each offering a distinct experience.

  • Premium Grade features exceptionally wide, flat, and straight leaves with prominent white tips, shaped meticulously using the traditional “One Knife, Two Swords” technique. Its flavor is highly refined, with elegant and long-lasting orchid fragrance, a smooth mellow taste, subtle chestnut and bean notes, and a pronounced sweet aftertaste, making it rare and highly collectible.
  • First Grade, while still hand-picked from tender one-bud-two-leaf shoots during the Gu Yu period, has slightly narrower and less uniform leaves with a gentler orchid aroma, a smooth and refreshing taste, and a light sweet aftertaste, offering an authentic high-mountain tea experience that is more accessible for daily drinking or gifting.
Feature / Grade Premium (特级) First Grade (一级)
Appearance Exceptionally wide, flat, straight leaves; prominent white tips Slightly narrower, less uniform; visible white tips
Aroma Elegant, long-lasting orchid fragrance Noticeable but milder orchid fragrance
Flavor Smooth, mellow, layered with chestnut & bean notes; pronounced sweet aftertaste Smooth, refreshing; gentle sweet aftertaste; light nutty undertones
Harvest & Rarity Early spring Gu Yu shoots; extremely limited, collectible Early spring Gu Yu shoots; more abundant, suitable for daily drinking
Experience High-end tea connoisseurs; premium gifting, or collecting Daily enjoyment, gifting, or collectors seeking quality tea

Sourced from the core production areas of Taiping, Huangshan—including Houkeng, Hougang, and Yanjia Source—our Taiping Houkui is produced by Ruikui Tea Factory 瑞魁茶厂, a family-run workshop with three generations of tea-making history. The factory is located in Huangshan’s prime high-mountain tea region, where abundant mist and large day-night temperature differences create ideal conditions for high-quality tea. Each leaf is hand-picked by experienced tea artisans, shaped using the traditional “One Knife, Two Swords” technique, and carefully roasted to preserve its natural orchid aroma and smooth, mellow flavor. We have collaborated with Ruikui Tea Factory for over 8 years, ensuring every batch maintains the authentic high-mountain quality, wide and flat leaves, visible white tips, and rich, layered taste. Compared to ordinary Taiping Houkui, our tea delivers superior appearance, aroma, flavor, and cultural authenticity, making it perfect for daily enjoyment, gifting, or collecting.

👉 Indulge in the legendary taste of authentic Taiping Houkui Green Tea —experience its refined aroma, smooth flavor, and historical legacy.

Explore Green tea →

Tasting notes

Flavor: Fresh and mellow with a smooth, sweet aftertaste; elegant orchid aroma with subtle chestnut and bean notes; tea liquor is clear, bright yellow-green, and retains flavor over multiple infusions.

Brewing guide

Tea Amount
Use 3 to 4 grams of green tea for every 150ml of water. Adjust slightly for taste preference but avoid overloading, as too much tea will become bitter.

Teaware Use a glass or porcelain gaiwan or teapot.

Water Temperature
Heat water to 75–85°C. Avoid boiling water as it can burn the leaves and release bitterness. Use filtered or spring water for the best flavor.

Brewing Steps Place the measured tea leaves into the pre-warmed vessel. Optional: rinse the leaves with a small amount of hot water for 3–5 seconds and discard to awaken the leaves. Pour in hot water to cover the leaves and steep for 20–30 seconds, then pour the tea into a cup or fairness pitcher immediately. Repeat for 2–4 more infusions, gradually extending the steeping time by 5–10 seconds for each subsequent infusion. Serve immediately while hot to enjoy the fresh aroma and flavor.

For detailed instructions on how to brew your green tea perfectly, please see our full brewing guide here

Packaging & use

Scan the QR code on the label for tea details and brewing instructions.

Session estimates use a fresh portion of dry tea each time. Each portion can be infused repeatedly.

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