Green tea, for centuries the beverage of choice in Asia, is rapidly gaining popularity in the western world. Its natural aroma and widely acclaimed health benefits make green tea appealing to both the tea lover and previously non-tea drinker. The aroma of some green teas surpasses even the best black teas in subtlety and complexity.
Green tea is as varied and unique as wines. Their uniqueness depends upon the growing region, the season's weather, time of harvesting and type of processing. Many varieties are available in multiple grades.
The styles of green tea include: gunpowder, tea rolled into balls, Young Hyson, tea made into long twisted leaves, Imperial, similar to gunpowder but not as tightly rolled, and Hyson, made from older leaves than Young Hyson.
Chunmee green tea is produced in China and is also referred to as Zhenmei or Precious Eyebrows. The leaves are carefully hand rolled to the eye-brow shape with great skill. The color is jade green and yields a liquor which is pale yellow.Chun Mee green tea is known for its plum-like sweetness and smoothness. This special grade yields a more smooth and complex tasting tea than the standard grades
Emerald Petals is grown in Lu'An county located in the Dabie Mountains of Western Anhui province.Emerald Petals is known as "LU AN GUA PIAN" in Chinese and is one of the "Ten Famous Teas" of China. Emerald Petals has a largish flat & broad, emerald green leaf, which produces a generously flavoured & coloured beverage with a refreshing, slightly floral aroma. Emerald Petals may be drunk with food or at any time during the day. It is a very good value yet high quality green tea.
Huoshan Yellow Sprouting in know in China as "HUO SHAN HUANG YA".This rare green tea (In China,it is taken as a yellow tea)comes from southwest Anhui province.It is grown in the Huo Mountains in an environment of pure air and water. Huoshan Yellow Sprouting is a revelation, exhibiting a strong lychee (wine gum like) aroma in the dry leaf with a decidedly rich & complex flavour in the beverage. It brews a golden liquor with astringent aftertaste.
Gunpowder tea is so-called because it is rolled into small balls, reminding someone of old-time gunpowder. Some of our customers have asked, is all gunpowder hand rolled? According to The Tea Man, it depends on the gunpowder. The higher quality grades are hand rolled. Other, lower end gunpowders are machine rolled. However, a caveat: where labor is cheaper than machinery, it is hand rolled. How to tell the difference? The difference in flavor is remarkable. Since hand rolled generally represents a higher quality, the flavor is much more subtle, not at all harsh; very smooth foretaste and long, long delightful aftertaste. Hand rolled has a more grayish appearance and is of a smaller (pinhead) size, since it is usually composed of only the first three leaves. The higher the quality (and price), the smaller the pinhead size. Imperial Gunpowder is the largest, often 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter. Pinhead is actually a grading and is 3/16 to as small as 1/6 inch in diameter. The larger the size, the looser the roll. The looser the roll, the larger the leaf. The larger the leaf, the lower the leaf position on the branch leg. The lower the leaf position, the older the leaf. The older the leaf, the harsher the flavor. The harsher the flavor, the less expensive the tea. The less expensive the tea, the more common the tea is.
Gunpowder green (called "Zhucha" in China) - also known as "pearl" tea, Gunpowder green is produced in the Ning Bo region of China. These tightly rolled balls of leaves resemble gunpowder pellets. This state allows gunpowder tea to be kept longer than most other greens. Once infused in water, leaves unfurl to give a strong, slightly pungent flavor with a long aftertaste. Color is a coppery green. Gunpowder is said to be high in fluoride.
Jade Fire is called "YONG XI HUO QING" in China. Jade Fire is grown in the mountains of eastern China's Anhui province.It's rare,uniquely fragrant,deep green tea. Its tightly rolled, dark, glossy leaves unfurl in the cup to produce a lovely scene like flowers floating in a golden pool. The distinctively rich and smooth floral flavor presents a pleasant balance of astringency and sweetness with a long finish and refreshing aftertaste
Jun Shan Silver Needle is a rare Chinese green tea produced in the Mount Jun area in Hunan province.It was revered enough to be presented to emperors as a tribute. Only the buds are used to make this tea: they are picked according to The Nine "Don't Pick" rules established around 1100. Silver Needle tea has a sweet, earthy fragrance and sweet, mellow taste. The yellow-silver color and needle-shaped leaf give this tea its name.
Lung Ching tea, also called "Dragon's Well," grows near the beautiful West Lake of Hangzhou on the only true tea "plantation" in China. A government-run business, the Lung Ching Tea Plantation is a popular tourist destination. The teas are described as being "...meticulously manufactured from the youngling buds and the tenderest leaves sprouting in the spring season." (Though, of course, tea is picked there at many times of the year.) There are many grades of Lung Ching tea, but all are distinguished by their flat, smooth appearance; emerald green color; fresh, fragrant aroma; and mellow, slightly sweet taste.
Special Preparation Instructions:
Add 3/4 teaspoon of dry tea to a clear tea glass or a porcelain cup. Bring fresh, cold water to a boil, keeping it boiling for about 5 seconds. Allow the temperature to fall to approximately 185 degrees (check with a thermometer, if possible; otherwise, wait about five minutes) and fill the cup with hot water. Steep for 2-3 minutes. Sip slowly and enjoy. When the tea water goes down to one-third of the glass or cup, add hot water again for a delicious second infusion. Or, prepare by the potful...the tea leaves may be steeped several times (at least three), depending on the quality grade of the tea. Take time to enjoy this delicious China green tea.
One of the ten famous teas, this one is from Jiangxi province, home of the Lu Mountains. It produces a clean, clear liquor with a refreshing taste. The tea is at its best with water temperature below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.
An old saying claims this tea increases longevity. The same mountains that make Mt. Lu Shan one of the most beautiful peaks in China, and a celebrated resort, make the area good tea country. Lu Shan is located in Jiangsi province in a cleft between the Yangtze River and Lake Poyang, both of which help provide water for the mist and clouds that wreathe its peaks.
Much anticipation this year has surrounded the legendary Lu Shan Yuen Wu. One of the most famous of the world's green tea treasures,The distinctive characteristics of Lu Shan's "Cloud and Mist" tea are immediately apparent: large elegantly twisted silver buds and small, delicate jade green leaves present a hearty, sweet aroma and an utterly unique and subtly textured flavor that's both savory and almost sugary in its sweetness, with a long, distinctively nutty finish. A must for the green tea aficionado.
Huangshan Maofeng Tea, formerly Huangshan Cloud & Mist Tea, is a masterwork well known to the world. Plucked very young at the stage of only a bud and a single unfolding leaf,the tea leaves look like tongues of birds with silver floss all about them, and are in the bright color of yellowish peak green; when infused in hot water, foggy steam with fresh fragrance is floating over the water. After being made, the liquor is clear and tastes fresheningly sweet with something of a bit bitterness. The tea drinkers have a saying about Huangshan Maofeng:"the first cup is most fragrant, the second sweetest, the third strongest"
Mao Jian features attractive large leaves and plentiful silver tips which brew up to a pretty light yellow infusion in the cup. Its flavor is full and crisp and a refreshing choice for everyday drinking or as an accompaniment to milder foods.
Duyun Maojian: Produced at Duyun Mountain,Guizhou
Xinyang Maojian: Produced at Xinyang, Henan.
Mountain Gorge green tea is named: "DING GU DA FANG" Mountain Gorge is a flat & shiny dark green tea, somewhat similar in shape to Long Jing. Mountain Gorge in dry leaf has an enticing "nutty" aroma. It produces a generous, slightly sweet golden green beverage suitable for drinking at any time either with or without food.
Pi Lo Chun (Bi Luo Chun, Bi Lu Chun) in Chinese means "Spring Green Snail".Pi lo Chun is also known as "Spiral of Spring Jade" or " Green Snail Spring".It is one of Chinese rare green teas of exceptional quality known all over the world. Pi Lo Chun from Dongting in Suzhou province,is still the best quality Pi Lo Chun
The leaf of Pi lo Chun is tiny and comes out spiral shaped; the brew is clear and golden and of exceeding delicacy.In the cup its skillfully hand-crafted, downy leaves unfold to produce a delicate, aromatic, light golden liquor which opens with a fresh, crisp astringency and develops into a well-rounded sweetness with a lingering, mellow, slightly buttery, finish. A unique, superior tea with much in it to discover and appreciate.
Preperation: We recommend a covered steeping cup. Preheat the cup with hot water and fill with 1-2 teaspoons of leaf. Cover with relatively cool water, 55-65C, 131-149F and infuse for 2 or 3 minutes. To serve, pour into a pitcher or directly into warmed tasting cups and enjoy. Bi Luo Chun may be reinfused several times by gradually increasing steeping time and water temperature
Purple Bamboo green tea is rare.It comes from Zhejiang province which is famous for the purplish bamboo grown there to make fine bamboo brushes. Its fragrant open leaves are accompanied by shimmering silver buds and its infusion is rich, smooth and nutty tasting.
Tai Ping Monkey King is known as the best of Anhui province's pointed green teas Tai Ping Monkey King is grown in ideal conditions on the northern slopes of the Huangshan Mountains range, surrounded by lakes.Tai Ping Hou Kui Green has very long bud sets, straight, taunt and heavy, that unfurl like colorful floating flowers when infused.
Huoshan Yellow Sprouting, which comes from Anhui province, is grown in the Huo Mountains in an environment of pure air and water. This rare tea is made from Large lovingly hand-crafted leaves and downy silver buds. This tea with bright green budsets brews a golden liquor with astringent aftertaste.
Young Hyson,which means "before the rains" in Chinese, is prepared using young leaves twisted in a long, thin style. The flavor is more full-bodied and pungent that other green teas. It has a golden liquor with a hint of sweetness.
Young Hyson has a more delicate taste than Gunpowder - mellow, smooth and aromatic.
