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Pu-erh & dark tea · Anhui dark tea

Liu An Basket Tea

六安篮茶, Lu'an basket tea, Liu An heicha

6.2/10 editor's score

A Chinese dark tea from Anhui, listed as "Anhui Lu'an basket tea". It is sold loose, in baskets, and dark teas like it are often aged in bamboo baskets.

Dark teaAgedAnhui
↓ Jump to brew guideAbout this teaCompare

Based on published sources, not yet tasted.

Dry leaf of Liu An Basket Tea, top-down

What you need

4 g leafLiu An Basket Tea
300 ml water100°C
Steep 1:003 steeps
LiquorDeep red-brown
Served inTeapot and cup

At a glance

A Chinese dark tea from Anhui, listed as "Anhui Lu'an basket tea".

CaffeineMedium~25 to 50 mg, our estimate
Beginner fit6.0 / 10From the editor's score
HarvestSpring leaf, agedLeaf picked.
Pairs withRich food, Nuts, MooncakesLess good with delicate desserts
Grown atAnhui hillsLu'an, Anhui
Served inTeapot and cupA general choice

About Liu An Basket Tea

What sources say about the taste

Sources describe how it is packed and aged; the taste depends on age and storage.

01 · Aroma

First sip

Lift the cup and smell before you drink.

02 · Taste

Middle

Let it sit on the tongue for a moment.

03 · Finish

Finish

What stays after you swallow.

Hover or tap a noteBigger image and more dots mean a stronger note.

Notes and intensities are an editor's summary of published tasting notes, not our own tasting.

Where it grows

Lu'anAnhuiCHINA
Province
Anhui 1
Form
Loose, in baskets 1
Ageing
Dark tea is often aged in bamboo baskets 1
Type
Dark tea 1

More from Lu'an and China.

History and culture

It is one of China's regional dark teas, alongside Guangxi's Liu Bao 1.

Editor's score

6.2/10

Weighted across six criteria: flavour 30%, heritage 20%, availability 15%, value 15%, beginners 10%, versatility 10%.

Based on published sources, not yet tasted. Rates the tea style, not a brand. How we score →

1086Flavour & complexity: 6.5Origin & heritage: 7.0Availability: 4.5Value: 6.5Beginner-friendliness: 6.0Versatility: 6.0Flavour 6.5Heritage 7.0Availability 4.5Value 6.5Beginners 6.0Versatility 6.0
Taste profile and caffeine

Profile is an editor's summary of published tasting notes, not a lab measurement or our own tasting.

Caffeine

Brewed coffee~95 mg
Black tea (average)~47 mg
Liu An Basket Tea~25 to 50 mg
Green tea (average)~28 mg

Our estimate. Per 8 fl oz (240 ml) cup. Coffee and tea averages from Mayo ClinicC.

Harvest calendar

Our general guide; the tea is then aged. Tap a month or a season.

Cultivars and plant

Camellia sinensis grown in Anhui.

How it is made
01Steaming

Steamed.

02Packing

Packed into baskets 1.

03Ageing

Aged in bamboo baskets 1.

Dry leaf and liquor
Dry leafDark, flat aged leaf.
LiquorDeep red-brown.
After steeping
Wet leafDark brown leaf.

The colour swatch is an approximate guide, not a photograph.

Food pairings and storage

Works well

  • Rich food
  • Nuts
  • Mooncakes

Best avoided

  • Delicate desserts

Pairings are general suggestions from the tea's style, not tested matches.

Storage

  • Store in a clean, odour-free place with some airflow and steady, moderate humidity.
  • Keep cakes in their paper wrappers, away from sunlight and strong smells.
  • Unlike most teas, many pu-erh and dark teas are kept for years and change as they age.
Grades and fakes

Graded by age and storage.

How to spot a poor or fake one

  1. Store dry and away from smells.
  2. Note the year on the basket.
FAQ
Why a basket?

Dark teas are often aged in bamboo baskets 1.

Find it inPu-erh & dark teasTeas from ChinaLu'anDark teaAgedAnhui

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, "Fermented tea". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermented_tea
  2. Mayo Clinic, "Caffeine content for coffee, tea, soda and more". www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20049372

Scores and content updated 30 Oct 2026.