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 bal