Golden Monkey
Black tea
4.6/5 · FindMeTea score
About this tea
Golden Monkey (Jin Hou) is a prized Chinese black tea distinguished by its abundance of golden, downy tips that curl into shapes said to resemble a monkey's paw. Hand-plucked from a high proportion of tender buds and young leaves in Fujian and Yunnan, it brews into a smooth, amber-gold cup with very little bitterness. The flavor leans toward honey and cocoa, layered with a gentle peppery edge and a lingering malty sweetness. Considered one of China's most refined black teas, Golden Monkey rewards careful brewing with a mellow, naturally sweet character that makes it an inviting morning cup.
How to brew: 90°C, 3 min, 3 g per cup.
Caffeine
Medium
How to brew
Flavor notes
sweet, spiced, smooth, full-bodied
Often associated with
Moderate energy, Gentle wake-up
Best time to enjoy
Morning, Mid-morning
Tags
Where to find it in United States
Where to find it in United StatesNear Columbus
- North Market SpicesOther Black tea
Columbus · North Market, downtown
Lapsang Souchong
from US$ 11· 2 oz
In storeOnline59 Spruce Street, Columbus, OH 43215See the shop → - Posh Teatime Co.Other Black tea
Columbus · Franklinton, West Broad Street
English Breakfast Tea Sachets
from US$ 9.95· 10 sachets
In storeOnline1273 W Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43222See the shop → - Fusion TeasThis tea
McKinney · University Business Drive, north McKinney off US 75
Golden Monkey Black Tea
US$ 23· 4 oz
In storeOnline1905 University Business Dr, Suite 604, McKinney, TX 75071See the shop → - The Path of TeaThis tea
Houston · Upper Kirby / Montrose (W Alabama St)
Organic Black Spiral
US$ 12· 2 oz
In storeOnline2340 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77098See the shop → - Happy Lucky's TeahouseThis tea
Fort Collins · Old Town
China Golden Monkey
US$ 6.45· 1 oz
In storeOnline236 Walnut St, Fort Collins, CO 80524See the shop →
Origin & Production
Golden Monkey is produced primarily in the mountainous tea regions of Fujian Province, with a related style also made in Yunnan in southwestern China. The cool, misty highlands and well-drained acidic soils of these areas favor slow growth and a high concentration of golden buds. The name 'Jin Hou' refers to the curved, golden-tipped leaves that resemble a monkey's paw or claw. Because the tea relies on a generous proportion of tips and unopened buds, it is almost always hand-plucked by skilled pickers during a narrow spring window, making it a labor-intensive specialty rather than a bulk-produced black tea.
Production process
Hand-plucking buds and tips
Pickers select a high proportion of tender buds and the first young leaf in early spring, when the golden downy tips are most plentiful. Careful selection at this stage defines the tea's quality.
Withering
The fresh leaves are spread out and gently withered to reduce moisture and soften the buds, preparing them for shaping without breaking the delicate golden tips.
Rolling & shaping
Withered leaves are hand-rolled to curl them into the characteristic curved, claw-like form and to gently bruise the cells, which begins the oxidation that develops the honey and cocoa notes.
Oxidation
The rolled leaves are left to fully oxidize in a warm, humid environment. As a black tea, Golden Monkey is oxidized completely, deepening its color and rounding out any sharpness into smooth malt and chocolate tones.
Drying & sorting
The leaves are dried with controlled heat to lock in the flavor, then carefully sorted so that the finest batches show the highest ratio of golden tips to darker leaf.
- Free
- Sundays
- 2 min
Drink better tea, one Sunday at a time.
A fact for the table·A shop worth the trip·A better cup·Ritual & kit of the week·Tea fun facts
History & Tradition
Golden Monkey belongs to the long lineage of Chinese black teas (hong cha) that emerged in Fujian Province, the historic birthplace of black tea, and gained renown for their smooth, naturally sweet character on both domestic and export markets.
Birth of Chinese black tea
Fully oxidized black teas first developed in the Wuyi area of Fujian Province, establishing the region as the origin of the styles that would later include golden-tipped teas like Golden Monkey.
Export to the West
Chinese black teas became highly sought after in Europe and the Americas. Tip-rich, golden styles were prized for their smoothness and commanded premium prices among discerning buyers.
Jin Hou takes shape
The distinctive 'Golden Monkey' style became recognized for its curled, claw-like leaves and high bud content, a name evoking the paw of a monkey reaching through the foliage.
Specialty revival
As global interest in single-origin and artisanal teas grew, Golden Monkey gained a following among specialty drinkers seeking a smooth, low-bitterness Chinese black tea.
Modern appreciation
Today Golden Monkey is celebrated as one of China's finer black teas, valued for its honeyed cocoa profile and the visual beauty of its golden tips in dry leaf and brewed cup alike.
What's in the cup
Moderate caffeine, by the catalog
Golden Monkey sits at level 2 of 3 on our caffeine scale — a step below Assam and English Breakfast, which sit at 3. It is the morning cup the grades below describe, and a lighter one than a breakfast blend.
Brew it cooler than most black teas
The catalog steeps Golden Monkey at 90 °C for 3 minutes with 3 g of leaf per cup — five degrees under the 95 °C of an Assam. The buds are delicate: pushed hotter or longer they give up tannin and the honey note flattens, while a gentler cup stays amber, round and sweet.
Honey, cocoa and a peppery edge
The flavor the catalog lists — sweet, spiced, smooth, full-bodied — comes from the high share of golden buds and full oxidation: honey and cocoa up front, a faint pepper behind, and a malty sweetness that lingers. It needs no milk and no sugar to taste finished.
A comforting ritual
Golden Monkey is a tea for drinking slowly: tippy, low in tannin and sweet enough on its own that it rewards a quiet first cup of the morning, before the day gets loud. It is the kind of tea people make a small morning ritual of.
Low bitterness
Its high proportion of buds and careful processing give Golden Monkey a notably smooth, low-tannin character, so it is gentle on the palate and pleasant to drink without milk or sugar.
- Free
- Sundays
- 2 min
Drink better tea, one Sunday at a time.
A fact for the table·A shop worth the trip·A better cup·Ritual & kit of the week·Brew better
Grades & Varieties
Tippy Golden Monkey
The top grade, showing a very high ratio of golden, downy buds to darker leaf. It brews a bright amber cup with pronounced honey and cocoa notes and an exceptionally smooth, low-bitterness finish.
Best for
- ✓Slow morning sipping
- ✓Drinking plain without additives
- ✓Appreciating fine Chinese black tea
Standard Golden Monkey
A balanced grade with a good mix of golden tips and mature leaf. It offers the signature malty sweetness and peppery edge at a more everyday level, with a slightly fuller body.
Best for
- ✓Daily morning cup
- ✓A robust black tea base
- ✓Everyday enjoyment
Yunnan-style golden tips
A related golden-tipped black tea from Yunnan, often a touch maltier and earthier than the Fujian style, with the same generous showing of golden buds and a warm, rounded sweetness.
Best for
- ✓Lovers of maltier black teas
- ✓Cooler-weather mornings
- ✓Pairing with breakfast foods
Did you know?
The name 'Golden Monkey' (Jin Hou) comes from the way its curved, golden-tipped leaves are said to resemble a monkey's paw reaching through the foliage.
Foods with this tea
What to Eat with Golden Monkey Tea
Golden Monkey's honey-and-cocoa smoothness pairs beautifully with breakfast pastries, dark chocolate, and gently spiced dishes that echo its mellow malty sweetness.
Golden Monkey Tea-Glazed Roast Chicken
Roast chicken brushed with a honey and Golden Monkey tea glaze, where the tea's cocoa and peppery notes deepen the savory crust over crisp golden skin.
Golden Monkey Honey-Cocoa Pots de Crème
Silky little chocolate custards infused with Golden Monkey tea, where the cocoa-honey notes of the tea melt seamlessly into a rich, gently spiced dessert.
- Free
- Sundays
- 2 min
Drink better tea, one Sunday at a time.
A fact for the table·A shop worth the trip·A better cup·Ritual & kit of the week·Tea recipes & drinks
Drinks with this tea
Golden Monkey with Ginger, Honey and Lemon
Golden Monkey steeped at 90°C with fresh ginger, a spoonful of honey and a squeeze of lemon: honey-cocoa body, a warm spicy edge and a bright finish for the morning.
Iced Golden Monkey with Orange and Honey
A smooth iced black tea that lets Golden Monkey's honey-cocoa sweetness shine, brightened with fresh orange and just a touch of honey over plenty of ice.
Golden Monkey Honey Whiskey Sour
A smooth, autumnal whiskey sour built on Golden Monkey-infused honey syrup, where the tea's cocoa and peppery notes deepen the spirit into something warm and complex.