West Lake Longjing Tea
West Lake Longjing Tea Attributes
Leaf Shape
Flat, straight, smooth and even
Liquor Color
Emerald green with a yellowish tint, brown beige
Fragrance
Elegant and noble, with the fragrance of "orchid beans"
Taste
Sweet, fresh and mellow
Brewed Tea Leaves
Light green, evenly spaced
Table of Contents
Learn More about West Lake Longjing Tea
West Lake Longjing Tea Introduction
West Lake Longjing tea is a famous historical tea. It is famous for its four unique characteristics: “green color, rich aroma, mellow taste and beautiful shape”. It enjoys the reputation of “the first of 100 teas” and “the queen of green tea”. According to relevant regulations on the protection of geographical indication products, only Longjing tea grown, picked and processed in the 168 square kilometers of the West Lake Scenic Area and the surrounding West Lake District can be called “West Lake Longjing Tea”.
West Lake Longjing Tea History
West Lake Longjing was first produced in the late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, it was classified as top grade, and in the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong classified it as a tribute tea. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, West Lake Longjing was selected as a “National Gift Tea” and ranks first among China’s top ten famous teas.
West Lake Longjing Tea Origin
Longjing Village (Shifeng Mountain), Shuangfeng Village, Maojiabu Village, Manjuelong Village, Meijiawu, Longwu, Wengjiashan, Yangmeiling, Jiuxi and other places in Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province
West Lake Longjing Tea Production Process
Picking Longjing tea requires “first, early picking, second, tender picking (the standard for picking premium tea is fresh tender buds and leaves with one bud and one leaf or one bud and two leaves just beginning to unfold), and third, diligence (tea farmers pick buds and leaves in four times according to grade)”. The earliest picked tea three days before Qingming is called “Qianqian Tea” (a tender bud just beginning to burst out looks like a lotus heart, so it is also called “lotus heart”). Since the picking amount is not large, it is extremely precious and has the best quality; the tea picked before Guyu is also called “Qianqian Tea” (one bud and one leaf, the leaf is like a flag, and the bud is slightly longer and looks like a gun, so it is also called “flag gun”), with a relatively large yield and good quality. Pick Sanchun tea before the beginning of summer, pick fresh leaves with one bud and two leaves just beginning to unfold, which look like sparrow tongues, so it is called “sparrow tongue”. After picking, it is made through processes such as spreading, frying in a green pan, rehydration, screening, glazing, screening and sorting (removing yellow flakes and tea powder), collecting ash and storing. Special-grade (or traditional) West Lake Longjing tea is all hand-roasted, using ten major techniques: grabbing, shaking, placing, spreading, pressing, pushing, buckling, throwing, grinding and pressing.
West Lake Longjing Tea Purchase Guide
Longjing tea in the West Lake area is divided into three categories: “Shifeng Longjing”, “Meiwu Longjing” and “West Lake Longjing”. It is generally believed that “Shifeng Longjing” has the best quality. When buying, you should not only look for the “geographical origin protection mark” in the shape of a Chinese map on the outer packaging of the tea, but also recognize the brand. Old brands such as “Gongpai”, “Yupai” and “Shifengpai” generally have guaranteed quality.
West Lake Longjing Tea Quality Identification
◎ The Longjing tea produced in the West Lake area is basically traditionally hand-fried, while the Longjing tea produced in other areas is mostly machine-fried. The tea leaves are flat, spindle-shaped, and emerald green, which looks more beautiful than the West Lake Longjing tea. ◎ The genuine tea leaves have neat strips, uniform width, flat strips, tender leaves, smooth touch, brown rice color, and a fresh fragrance; the fake tea leaves have more stems, rough touch, and emerald green color. Even if the green is yellow, it feels burnt and has a grassy taste.
West Lake Longjing Tea Brewing Method
When brewing Longjing tea, people usually use a glass cup and the bottom-pouring method. First, moisten the tea with boiling water, and then brew it with boiling water at about 85℃.
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