Gu Zhang Mao Jian Organic (ZG54)

I know I haven’t been reviewing as many teas lately, but I’ve been trying to drink teas in my stash & finish swap samples. This green tea was received just a few days ago & is from the 2011 season.

It is still very fresh. The dry leaf aroma is somewhat vegetal, and it smells really creamy! So inticing and delicious smelling. I used about 2 tsp for my 8-9 oz cup, in my glass press. The steeping liqour smelled like spinach, and reminded me somewhat of a sencha. The surface of the steeping liquid had a white foam on top, giving it a brothy charactristic of a sencha. Again a creamy aroma greeted my nose. The wet tea leaves smelled great-vegetal, with a mild smokey character. They are also tender, if that makes any sense?

In the cup, the medium yellow liqour had that vegetal spinachy aroma, again with a creamy sweetness, and I didn’t notice any smokey aroma in the cup. The flavor was very full with a really creamy sweet, mildly vegetal goodness on my palate. Guess what? Are you ready?…….Now, are you ready?? OK….OK…There is no astringency (ie bitterness) that is associated with most senchas-not as prepared below! BRB…….Ok, where was I? Oh yeah-there is no cupped bitterness or smokiness that I noticed in the wet leaf aroma. I really liked this great cup of tea.

Sometimes, I resteep the leaves (which I did here), but added another tsp of tea for the second cup. Steeped at 180 for 4 minutes. Still a good cup…vegetal….but the tea lost most of the creamy sweetness of the first cup. Still minimal astringency….I’d say it had a moderate “pucker” factor, but not overly astringent-and not bitter!

The next night, I had two more cups. The first one steeped at around 185 for3 minutes. This cup was much the same-mild smoke in the wet leaves, vegetal (spinachy) and creamy. In short, it was quite delicious. :)) I must not have used quite as much leaf though, because I wasn’t getting the brothy character from the first cup the night before. I steeped a second cup around 180 for 3 minutes adding another tsp to the wet leaves. Again it was very similar-vegetal & delicious, less creamy, and less “pucker” due to the reduced steep time. This second cup was better for that reason.

I’ve been trying to drink more green teas-especially at night. This tea is so good-and at a good price! :)) It is nearly (or may be) sold out. :// I hope Upton’s is able to restock it, because at the rate I’m drinking it, my Gu Zhang will not last long at all! :// As a matter of fact, I’m going to go have a couple more cups right now! Peace fellow Steepies. :))

Cupped: Thursday & Friday, May 3-4, 2012.

Reviewed: Sunday, May 6, 2012.

I’ve actually ordered this a couple of times because it has more flavor and substance than most green teas I’ve encountered from China. Delicious chestnut and honey flavor with a barley/malt base.