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“I’ve had this tea for well over a year and I still don’t know what I think about it. I’ve had it gong fu and western, and I think it’s too drying when I do it wrong. It’s rich and floral and stemmy...” Read full tasting note
Easily one of the most renowned teas in China, Dragonwell (longjing 明前龍井) from the West Lake (Xi Hu) protected area has a recorded history going back over a thousand years. The unique microclimate and pure spring water running into the tea fields help to create one of the most clear and mineral rich brews available in the tea world. Almost always processed into a green tea, this rare and very high grade black Dragonwell was masterfully withered for hours in order to encourage oxidation in the leaves to make it into a black tea. As a black, this tea loses nothing in terms of complexity. We taste complex floral and herbaceous flavors atop a base of sweet malts and lychee fruit.
This tea was made from the world-renowned Qunti cultivar, the original cultivar from which Dragonwell was historically made. It was crafted by a tea maker with over 30 years of experience creating Dragonwell. This is a rare and exquisite tea with an authentic pedigree, we recommend this highly.
Origin – Xi Hu, Zhejiang, China
Location – Luowen Tip Mountain, Dongmuwu Village
Harvest – March 31st-April 4th, 2022
Cultivar- Qunti
Tea Maker – Jin GuanQuan
Tastes Like – Lychee, Floral Malts, Chrysanthemum
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I’ve had this tea for well over a year and I still don’t know what I think about it. I’ve had it gong fu and western, and I think it’s too drying when I do it wrong. It’s rich and floral and stemmy for a black tea, heavy in the malt, chrysanthemum, and lychee departments. Of course it’s body is viscous and incredibly, but the chrysanthemum note throws me off and hedges on bitter. It’s more dehydrating compared to my other black teas, which is surprising because this one is described as a smoother tea overall by other reviewers on instagram and by the site. I contemplated sending a sample of this one to Derk and Leafhopper, yet it’s so finicky. I finally nailed down making it in my mug western for about 2-3 minutes, light on leaves no more than 3-4 grams.
Flavors: Chrysanthemum, Dried Fruit, Drying, Floral, Lychee, Malt, Plum, Tannin, Twigs
