How to Buy Chinese Loose-Leaf Tea in the US

Chinese loose-leaf tea is easier to buy well than it looks. You don't need a vocabulary list or a tasting certificate—just a few questions to ask before you order: Where is it from? When was it picked? How will it be stored and shipped? This guide walks through each one, using our own teas as examples.

Start with origin: where the leaf grows

Most classic Chinese teas are tied to a place. The name on the bag often tells you the region, and the region shapes the leaf—climate, soil, elevation, and local craft all show up in the cup.

A few examples from our shelf:

• LongJing (Dragon Well) green tea — Hangzhou Longjing, from Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Our X grade comes from West Lake (西湖) in Hangzhou.
• BiLuoChun green tea — Dongting Mountain (Suzhou, Jiangsu).
• Keemun (Qimen) black tea — Qimen County, Huangshan, Anhui.
• FengQing Dian Hong black tea — Fengqing, Yunnan, made from big-leaf tea trees.
• TieGuanYin oolong — Anxi, Fujian.
• Taiju chrysanthemum buds (fetal chrysanthemum) — Tongxiang, Zhejiang.

A good seller names the origin clearly and stays consistent across the label, the product page, and the packaging. If the origin is vague, ask.

Picking season: why "spring tea" matters

For many green and black teas, the first flush of spring is the most prized. After winter dormancy, the tea plant puts out tender buds and young leaves with a fuller, sweeter cup.

At Cha Wu, our LongJing, BiLuoChun, and Keemun (XiangLuo) black tea product pages state that they are made from spring tea only. Our Keemun KongFu is a spring and summer blend. Our FengQing Dian Hong is mostly spring tea. Chrysanthemum is different: it is a flower, and Taiju buds are a seasonal autumn harvest, picked early while still closed.

When you shop, look for the season on the page. "Spring tea" is a useful signal for greens. For oolongs like TieGuanYin, both spring and autumn harvests are traditional, and each has its own character — check the product page for what that lot lists.

Read the label: grade, weight, and brewing notes

Before you add to cart, check three things:

1. Grade. Grades vary from seller to seller. Read how each shop defines its grades (ours is explained below).
2. Weight. Our loose-leaf teas mostly come in 100 g (3.5 oz) and 250 g (8.8 oz) bags; our Keemun KongFu comes in 170 g (6 oz) and 340 g (12 oz). With a cup brew of about 3 g, a 100 g bag makes roughly 30 cups before resteeping.
3. Brewing notes. Good loose-leaf comes with real numbers: water temperature, leaf amount, steep time. Green teas like LongJing and BiLuoChun want gentler water (80–85°C / 176–185°F). Keemun black tea brews at 90°C / 194°F.

How grading works at Cha Wu (Tea-Feel Fullness)

At Cha Wu (茶武), we grade every tea on one thing: Tea-Feel Fullness (茶感饱满度). It means how complete and lasting the feel of the tea is in your mouth: round, sweet-returning, comfortable, and how far it travels from the front of the mouth toward the throat.

Our grades run C · B · A · S · X. Flavor notes such as floral, malty, or roasted-bean describe what a tea tastes like. They do not set the grade. A grade tells you how full the cup feels, not which flavor you'll like.

You'll also see AA on some teas, such as TieGuanYin. AA sits within grade A: it has the same A-level Tea-Feel Fullness, with stronger supporting factors such as aroma.

Read more: Cha Wu Grade Standard.

Storing loose-leaf tea at home

Tea picks up moisture, light, heat, and nearby smells easily. A few habits keep it tasting the way it should:

• Keep it dry, sealed, and out of sunlight. Every Cha Wu bag comes with a sealing clip for after you open it.
• Green tea and chrysanthemum: cold storage helps. Our product pages suggest the refrigerator or freezer (around −18°C) for LongJing, BiLuoChun, and Taiju chrysanthemum. Keep the bag well sealed. Before opening a cold bag, let it come to room temperature so moisture doesn't condense on the leaf.
• Black tea and oolong: keep them cool, dry, and away from strong odors. Refrigeration is optional, and our pages note it's "the better" choice for long storage.
• Buy what you'll drink. For green tea, choose a bag size you'll finish in a reasonable window after opening — keep it sealed and refrigerated once opened.

Our teas are kept in professional cold storage in China before they ship.

Shipping from China to the US: what to expect

Cha Wu ships directly from China. Here is what our current shipping policy says:

• Order processing: 1–2 business days after payment is confirmed.
• Standard shipping (default): HuaHan logistics or China Post, typically 15–30 days to arrive. You'll get a tracking number once your order ships.
• Express shipping: UPS or DHL, available on request. Email service@cha-wu.cn. Transit time and cost depend on the carrier quote for your address — see the shipping policy; we do not list fixed express days or prices here.
• Customs and import duties: international orders may be subject to import duties and taxes, which the buyer pays.
• Lost or damaged packages: contact us within 30 days of delivery and we'll resolve it under our refund policy.

Full details: Shipping policy · Refund policy.

Buying in the US through Amazon

Many of our teas are also available in the Cha Wu WarmSun store on Amazon US: amazon.com/chawuwarmsun. Delivery options and dates for each listing are shown on Amazon at checkout. A few direct links:

• LongJing on Amazon
• BiLuoChun on Amazon
• Keemun KongFu on Amazon
• FengQing Dian Hong on Amazon
• Fragrant TieGuanYin on Amazon
• Tongxiang Taiju chrysanthemum on Amazon

A simple way to start

If you're new to Chinese loose leaf, pick one tea and brew it a few times before you branch out. A green tea like LongJing shows how much craft and season matter. A black tea like Keemun KongFu is forgiving and warming. Look at the dry leaf, smell it, then brew it and pay attention to how the cup feels.

---

FAQ

Where should I buy Chinese loose-leaf tea in the US?
Buy from a seller who clearly lists each tea's origin, picking season, grade, and brewing parameters, and who explains how the tea is stored and shipped. Cha Wu WarmSun lists these on every product page and ships directly from China.

How long does tea shipped from China take to reach the US?
With Cha Wu's standard shipping (HuaHan logistics or China Post), orders typically arrive in 15–30 days, after 1–2 business days of processing. Express shipping by UPS or DHL is available on request at service@cha-wu.cn.

Will I pay import duties on tea from China?
You might. International orders may be subject to import duties and taxes, and the buyer pays them under Cha Wu's shipping policy.

What does "spring tea" mean?
Spring tea is made from the first tender buds and leaves picked in spring after winter dormancy, and it usually gives a fuller, sweeter cup. Cha Wu's LongJing, BiLuoChun, and Keemun (XiangLuo) are made from spring tea only.

How should I store loose-leaf tea?
Keep loose-leaf tea sealed, dry, and away from light and strong smells. For green tea and chrysanthemum, Cha Wu suggests the refrigerator or freezer (around −18°C), and letting the sealed bag warm to room temperature before you open it.

How does Cha Wu grade its tea?
Cha Wu grades every tea by Tea-Feel Fullness (茶感饱满度): how complete and lasting the feel of the cup is, from the front of the mouth toward the throat. Grades run C · B · A · S · X. Flavor describes taste only and does not set the grade.

How much tea do I use per cup?
For a simple cup brew, Cha Wu suggests about 3 g of green tea in 300–350 ml of water at 80–85°C / 176–185°F. Check each product page for its own numbers. Keemun, for example, brews at 90°C / 194°F.

Can I buy Cha Wu tea on Amazon in the US?
Yes. Many Cha Wu teas are sold in the Cha Wu WarmSun store on Amazon US (amazon.com/chawuwarmsun), alongside cha-wu.com, which ships from China.

What does an AA grade mean at Cha Wu?
AA sits within Cha Wu grade A. It has the same A-level Tea-Feel Fullness, with stronger supporting factors such as aroma.