Citadel Grace, Black Tea

At Ivy Hermit, we speak of black tea and dark tea not as the same, but as a dialogue: is black tea darker, or is dark tea blacker? In English, “black tea” refers to fully oxidized hong cha (紅茶, red tea). But in Chinese, hei cha (黑茶, dark tea) is something different — a family of post-fermented teas, aged and transformed over time.

Citadel Grace is our answer to that riddle. Built on a 1995 aged Liu Bao hei cha from Guangxi Province, balanced with 2003 jasmine blossoms, it embodies the paradox: depth and darkness lifted by grace and light. Hei cha is rarely cold-brewed, its character meant for warmth and time. But at Ivy Hermit, where time is the ingredient, we reimagine even the most difficult teas. Through patience, we make the impossible possible — black tea, brewed cold, yet fully alive.

Flavor & Aroma

The vintage Liu Bao brings rich layers of earth, aged wood, cocoa, and wet stone. Woven into this foundation, the jasmine flowers offer a faint perfume — delicate, faded, and balancing. Together, they create a sensory harmony: dark yet fragrant, strong yet softened, like candlelight flickering against ancient walls.

Mouthfeel

Dense and grounding, the liquor is full-bodied but unexpectedly smooth. Instead of harsh tannins, you find a quiet roundness. Each sip settles deeply, leaving a sweet echo that lingers like incense in a temple corridor.

Origin & Craft

From Guangxi Province, Liu Bao has been aged in baskets for centuries, valued for its grounding, medicinal qualities. The 1995 vintage in Citadel Grace carries nearly three decades of slow fermentation, while the 2003 jasmine flowers lend subtle elegance.

Hei cha, or black tea resists cold water extraction — but Ivy Hermit’s careful process coaxes its complexity into clarity. It is not just an innovation, but a conversation between categories: black, red, dark. Where East and West, language and taste, converge in the cup.

Mood & Experience

To drink Citadel Grace is to sit within a citadel — strong stone surrounding you, jasmine drifting on the breeze. The tea feels both eternal and fleeting: grounded in history, yet reimagined for today.

It is a tea that asks questions instead of giving answers. Is black tea darker, or is dark tea blacker? With each sip, you feel that the truth lies not in choosing, but in the balance between them.