Author: Char Hu

(Sometimes called Jade Fire); C. sinensis, var. yongxi liuyezhong (Yongxi Willow-leaf varietal); Producer Hu Chuansi, Yongxi Village, Jing County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, 700m; Spring (April) 2021, bud and two leaves, pan fried, green tea process, ball rolled (pin head). #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

Dark green ball rolled leaves with pale yellowish highlights and smell of baked biscuits, pale malt. The wet leaves are sage-green with yellowish cast, and have a vegetal aroma like steamed green vegetables, or cooked green beans.

5.5g of dry leaves (1 tsp per person + 1 for the pot) was infused in 200ml of water for 30sec@85-95deg. C rendering a pale yellow brewed tea liquor, with a faint steamed snow pea, and honey aroma. In the mouth it has a creamy texture, mildly peppery, a light bitterness, and astringency, followed by a lingering mouthwatering sweetness, and mineral finish. It’s taste is sweet, malty, honeyish, and milky, with a long, lingering anise bitterness on the tip of the tongue.

I’m in my happy place… la, la-la, la-la…

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The following video in Chinese (with English subtitles), explains where this tea comes from. It’s a fascinating watch – Uploaded to Youtube by “Tea Fairy Bao Lili.” (source from: Top Tea Life)

C. sinensis var. unknown; Jiangnan Tea Market, Nanjing County, Jiangsu Province, 20-50m; early Spring, 2021, bud and leaf, traditional hand-made tea, pine needle shaping; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

small 1-2.5 cm long, dry mostly straight leaves with a pine needle shape, are dark brown and yellowy-silver in colour and have short bread biscuit, or Danish cookie scent with a pronounced, buttery greenness. The wet leaves are uniform, vibrant green colour and have a watermelon rind aroma, with hints of Clementine segments, passionfruit, and Monstera deliciosa (Fruit Salad Plant).

3-4g of dry leaf was infused in 180ml of water for 30sec.@80-85 deg. C. The brewed tea liquor is a very pale yellow-green colour with a light, sweet, fruity scent. In the mouth it is thick, viscous, mildly stimulating and fresh, with an early sweet finish, followed by a lingering, gentle, minerality, whilst the taste is bready, biscuity, buttery, fruity, sweet, finishing with a lingering hint of liquorice.

Highly drinkable.

Enjoy the video – it was fun making this one…

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C. sinensis var. unknown; Yuhuatai, Rain Flower Terrace, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 20-50m; early Spring, 2017, immature bud and leaf, traditional hand-made tea, pine needle shaping, green tea process; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá#Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The small 1-2.5 cm long, dry leaves are relatively pine needle straight, a dark brown and greeny-silver colour and have a sour, “old,” and vaguely fruity scent. The wet leaves are uniformly yellowish-green, and open up to reveal plump small buds with one to two leaves, with a biscuity, nutty, marzipan aroma.

3-4g of dry leave was infused in a clay pot with 150ml of water for 20-30sec.@80-90 deg. C., producing a pale yellow tea liquor with a faint, sweet, honeyish scent. in the mouth it is creamy, mildly stimulating and fresh, with a sweet finish, followed by a lingering, gentle, minerality, whilst the taste is pleasant, buttery, and semi-sweet, but seems somewhat muted.

Green tea usually has a 1-2 year shelf life depending on storage. This tea is now 4 years old. It has moved from China to Europe and back. It was clear stored in Europe, and shelf stored in Shanghai. Inspire of this it has held up quite well, but perhaps is now nearing its end.

The name Yǔ Huā is from a Buddhist legend where a Zen master lectured around the area of Nanjing, declaring that if his teachings were true, flowers would rain from the heavens. When this Zen master taught his dharma, flowers rained! — Perhaps thistle would be better translated as, “Raining Flowers” Green Tea? 😜

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C. sinensis var. unknown; Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, 200m?; Spring, 2020, one bud and leaf, green tea process. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The dried leaves are a yellowy-green colour, flat and brittle, with an aromatic, fragrant, cotton candy, somewhat eggy aroma.
The wet leaves are uniformly yellowing-green with a vegetal, overcooked green beans aroma.

3g of dry leaf was infused in 150ml of water for 20 sec@80-85 deg. C., and the brewed tea liquor was a pale yellow, mostly clear color, with a mild vegetal, and faint scrambled egg scent. In the mouth it is luscious, creamy, viscous, with mild peppery tingle, and a lingering, slight astringency whilst the taste is subtly vegetal, with hints of a slow to arise lingering sweetness with late floral notes.

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C. sinensis var. #43; Hangzhou Shifeng Tea Co., Shifeng Mountain, Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 200-300 meters; Spring, 2019, 1 leaf & 1 bud, green tea process. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The dry leaves are pale green with a yellow cast, flat and brittle, with a sweet, malty, candy/caramel scent, kinda like boiled lollies. The wet leaves are mottled yellow to green colour with spongy bounce, and smell of canned green peas, cooked cooked green vegetables.

3g of dry leaf was infused in 150ml of water for 10-15sec@85deg. C., the brewed tea liquor was pale yellow with almost no noticeable aroma. In the mouth it is thin, creamy, buttery, and tastes slightly herbal/grassy, nutty, has a soft peppery or mint-like bite in the finish, and a gently sweet, lingering aftertaste, with late hints of liquorice.

Lion Peak (Shifeng) mountain is located near West Lake, in Hangzhou. The best tea bushes apparently grow in white sandy soil. Longing is widely considered to be one of the best teas in China. This tea from Lion’s is pleasant and engaging.

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C. sinensis var. unknown; Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, 200m?; Spring, 2019, one bud and leaf, green tea process. Lóng Jǐng Lǜ Chá, 龙井绿茶, Dragon Well Green Tea. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #茶, #Chá.

The dried leaves are a yellowy-green colour and disctly flat, with an aromatic, fragrant, biscuit, and caramel aroma, with a hint of chocolate. The wet leaves are similarly coloured, spongy and have a strong, vegetal scent, with hints of canned peas, broccoli, and a suggestion of dried raw egg.

3g of dried leaf was infused in 150ml of water for 15 sec@80-85 deg. C. The brewed tea liquor was pale yellow with a faint green tinge in colour, with an aroma that was soft, elusive… almost non-existent. in the mouth it presents creamy, moderately thick, with a mild peppery tingle, as well as a lingering sweetness, & astringency. The taste had subtle vegetal hints, and was mildly floral with hints of orchid and osmanthus.

This is one of those frustrating “Gift” teas that comes from locally targeted distribution. The packaging has no information whatsoever, and what little there is was gleaned from back and forth inquiries with the person who gifted the tea. It is a perfect example of the divide between science, and philosophy, between introspection and reflection, between getting to know the tea you’re drinking and simple, thought-free, hedonistic gratification.

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