Zhu Ye Qing, meaning bamboo leaf green, is the quintessential tea of Sichuan Province. Picked late March 2015 on Emei Shan at 1100 meters above sea level, this tea consists of the first sprouts to emerge in early spring. Only the finest buds were plucked – opened, hollow or discolored leaves were eschewed.
The leaf buds were withered indoors on woven bamboo mats then separated into small batches of only a few ounces. Each batch was given a 5… Read more
Zhu Ye Qing, meaning bamboo leaf green, is the quintessential tea of Sichuan Province. Picked late March 2015 on Emei Shan at 1100 meters above sea level, this tea consists of the first sprouts to emerge in early spring. Only the finest buds were plucked – opened, hollow or discolored leaves were eschewed.
The leaf buds were withered indoors on woven bamboo mats then separated into small batches of only a few ounces. Each batch was given a 5 minute roast at 100-120C, deactivating enzymes that discolor and oxidize leaves. Temperature was then reduced to 80C and leaves were skillfully pressed by hand.
Once finished, the tea was sorted again so that each of the approximate 40,000 buds in each 500g of tea is perfectly and consistently beautiful. Round, waxy blade-like leaf buds of even size and shape, standing up vertically upon steeping as they turn from dark green to a muted chartreuse.
The source garden is small by modern standards, and because of cool temperatures pest control is not much of an issue. While not certified organic, this garden practices a no-spray policy for their teas.
Brewing:
4 grams 150 ml 175° F 1 min
Zhu Ye Qing perfectly balances delicate florals with intense, almost resinous, notes of snow peas. With 1 minute as the guide, we’ve experimented with slightly longer steeps to highlight this tea’s resinous notes, and shorter steeps for sweetness.
Be exact with brew temperature. We suggest pre-warming the tea brewing vessel, but avoid rinsing the leaves themselves. Instead, slowly pour water onto the leaves to ensure that each leaf is properly pre-moistened.
Notes of snow peas, eucalyptus, and chestnuts.
