Jade Dragon - 2011 Spring Yunnan Green Tea

This extraordinary green tea comes from Tengchong county in the Baoshan Prefecture of Yunnan. Tengchong is in the far west of Yunnan on the border with Myanmar, and is very well known as the center of the jade & jadeite trade in the region. It was grown at an altitude of approximately 8,200 ft (2,500 M) near a village known locally as “Village of the Returning Dragon.”

Our Jade Dragon is a traditional Yunnan green tea, which is characterized by a quick, high temperature wok firing step in processing which creates a unique look, penetrating aroma and distinctive flavor.

This tea is comprised of a mix of very tender young leaves and buds. The dry tea really looks frosted or perhaps “dusty,” and the aroma of the dry leaves is fruity and “toasty” at the same time. When infused, the liquor is quite aromatic when compared to green teas that are fired in a lower temperature wok, and the assertively toasty and fruity notes balance nicely with the grassy, more typically “green tea” type aroma. The flavor of this tea is nutty with toasty & fruity undertones balanced with the grassy, pleasantly bitter flavors typical of other green teas. It has a great and assertive Hui Gan (bittersweet aftertaste) that becomes apparent quickly after tasting.

The flavor of this tea is more assertive than other green teas, and can become overly bitter if steeped at too high a temperature or for too long. To start out, I would recommend steeping this tea at 160 to 170 Fahrenheit (slightly lower than normal for Chinese green tea) for about 3 minutes. As with all teas, adjust the time and temperature to your own personal taste (if you like a stronger tasting green tea, use more tea and/or a higher temperature, etc).