I am lucky enough to have two friends who frequently travel between China and the U.S. and they bring me back the most wonderful teas, most recently, this one. It came in a tin with a vacuum-sealed bag inside. Not a scrap of English all over the whole tin except where it says “Ten Fu’s Tea” and “LongJing,” so I can only hope this is the right tea page to post this note on. It has a light green-yellow body when brewed, very clear. The leaves are long and “needle”-like and open into delicate leaflets when brewed. The smell of the dry leaf is very fresh and outdoorsy, but with a warm roasted note before you brew it. After it’s brewed you can smell roasted barley and something like cooked spinach or asparagus—very vegetal—with a buttery richness. The taste is very smooth and grounding, only lightly astringent. It has a long, languid finish with lasting flavor. It makes you feel very leisurely and relaxed, like you have to take your time and appreciate it, which honestly is my favorite thing about drinking tea in general. I love this tea! I don’t know where you can get it in the U.S., though. I would recommend it to absolutely anyone who loves green tea.
Flavors: Asparagus, Butter, Roasted Barley, Smooth, Spinach, Vegetal, Wet Earth
