This is the first tea from Sichuan Province that I’m posting about as part of this challenge. However, it won’t be the last.
Meng Shan mountains are famous with different teas. Apart from this tea, (which has been a tribute tea since the Song Dynasty), the famous Meng Ding yellow tea is also produced there.
What surprised me about this tea was, I had only 3 g of it in a sample pack (which is a very stingy sample!). I had prepared myself for very subtle tastes and aromas. But the exquisite floral fragrance was there and the beautiful thick (for a green tea) flavour really impressed me. I tasted no astringency but some sweetness alongside the most pleasing subtle vegetal notes. I’d say these are very rare for a green tea.
The tea liquor was slightly cloudy, and the seller was naming this cloudy tea heaven in Chinese. In general, cloudiness is not a desired trait. This tea is also called ‘cloud mist’. So, I am inquisitive why cloudiness was emphasised so much.
However, this was not the only odd information I got from the seller. They also advertise this tea as being made out of ‘mature leaves’. According to their claim, the younger (tender) the leaves, the higher the caffeine and polyphenol content (which may hurt the stomach). This tea does not have high levels of caffeine and polyphenol, which make it less bitter and better.
Against the odds, this was a tremendous yummy green tea. I would put it high up in my greens list.
Tea Profile:
Type: Green
Origin: Sichuan, China
Harvest time: 2020
Leaf colour: Tones of dark green
Liquor colour: Pale yellow
Tea aroma: Floral and slightly vegetal
Tea taste: Rich with floral and nutty notes
Steeping/brewing: I placed 3 g of this tea in a glass tea cup and added 100 ml water at around 85°C. I steeped for 20 seconds and increased the consecutive steeping time by 10 sec. each time.
Shelf life: 24 months