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“Name: An Ji Bai Cha Organic Type: Green Region: Zhejiang Province, China Method: Gaiwan, ~100ml Water: Filtered tap Temperature: 175 Fahrenheit Amount: 3.5g Time: ~20 sec. Setting: Commute to...” Read full tasting note
Green tea is an unoxidized tea originating in China and has the longest history of any tea. It has been praised for centuries for its healing and soothing properties. Ming Qian An Ji Bai Cha is a famous green tea from Zhejiang Province.
An Ji Bai Cha has become the most sought after green tea today due to its limited production and its history with famous Song Dynasty emperor, Song Hui Zhong. As a great artist and passionate tea lover, he wrote a book about tea and devoted a whole chapter to Bai Cha, though he did not mention the source. Lu Yu, the famous tea sage during the Tang Dynasty, described the An Ji area as a treasure of tea, but did not mention the tea. It took 900 years for tea scholars and tea masters to put the two together and discover an ancient Bai Cha bush. It has taken since 1980 to propagate enough bushes to have a commercial crop. Take time to appreciate the clean, green tea liquor and high fragrance. The skinny, flat tea buds and leaves are rich in amino acids creating a mild and slightly sweet flavor that gives you an overall calming feeling.
Note: “Ming Qian” refers to the first tea picking before the Qing Ming festival
Tea Origin: Zhejiang Province, China
Tea Bush: Bai Ye #1 (White Leaves #1)
Tea Master: Chang Mei
Harvest Time: early April
Picking Standard: 1 bud to 1 tender leaf
Seven Cups is an American tea company based in Tucson, Arizona. We source traditional, handmade Chinese teas directly from the growers and tea masters who make them, and we bring those teas back from China to share with people everywhere.
Name: An Ji Bai Cha Organic
Type: Green
Region: Zhejiang Province, China
Method: Gaiwan, ~100ml
Water: Filtered tap
Temperature: 175 Fahrenheit
Amount: 3.5g
Time: ~20 sec.
Setting: Commute to work
Music: Jazz (Lee Morgan – I’m a fool to want you)
This was my first time preparing/drinking this tea. I decided to brew it 5 times and blend it all in a larger to go mug for my drive. Each infusion went well. The color appeared to be consistent with others’ reviews – a light golden yellow tint. The smell of the dry tea was more grassy than some other green teas I’ve had and very delicate. I’m curious to see how my multiple infusions blended together differ from one big western style infusion.
The first sip definitely met and exceeded my expectations. I usually like to get a sense of the mouth feel initially, and the result was great. It had a similar silkiness that I usually find with a tieguanyin and that familiar green tea after taste that lingered nicely. Unfortunately, I was drinking from a plastic to go mug so the flavors were somewhat muddled by my container, and the after taste was definitely the strongest aspect. Reminiscent of fields of tea plants after a morning shower, lifting the fragrance up, into the air, blending with the smells of the earth. A sweet taste though, no bitterness. I kept getting a chocolate vibe the entire time but would dismiss it. I am now sure there is a slight chocolate characteristic in the after taste, but maybe that’s just me.
The effect of sipping a great historical tea (see “Treatise on Tea” if you haven’t already) amidst the morning commuting traffic with Lee Morgan conducting the theme music was quite extraordinary. Was it the theanine? I think so. Since I’ve been drinking tea and meditating I’ve developed my senses to tune into slight changes in perception and state of mind. The tea, combined with the setting provided a wonderful contemplative state and before I knew it, I was at work still pondering why some people get up every morning and “fight” their way through traffic while mindlessly arguing on the phone, displaying their displeasure through their obvious body motions. I don’t get it. But that’s another topic.
Overall, I bought 50g of this tea and plan on experimenting with my brewing method and explore what else this tea has to offer.
Thanks,
Alexander
