A very aromatic and comparatively rare Dragon Well, known in China as Bird or Sparrow's Tongue, made with a rich green bud shaped to resemble a bird's tongue. As it is an early spring tea, it is prized and anticipated as it celebrates the new harvest. Bird's Tongue is famous for its shape, fragrant aroma, and nuanced, refreshing flavors.
Lot Notes. Grown in limited quantities and hand-processed, the leaves are uniform, dense, and well-shaped, giving a fresh, verdant aroma reminiscent of spring vegetables.
Tea Facts. A Long Jing cultivar, our lot was harvested Pre-Qing Ming. The leaves are small and quite dense. Pluck standard is a bud. Processing is by steaming thereby preserving and enhancing the tea's natural flavors.
Taste Profile. Flavors are nuanced and lightly vegetal. We find find some flavor of artichoke and a bright, slightly tangy hint of sorrel.
Brewing Suggestions. Given this tea has layers of flavor, we suggest a lower water temperature of 165-185F for steeping. A teaspoon or 2.5 grams to 3 grams for 6-8 ounces of water. Try a steep time of 2.0 minutes and taste. Leaves will give multiple steeps.
GREEN TEA
3 grams/1 teaspoon per 6 ounces of water
170° - 195° F
2 Minutes
Full-leaf green teas will open to layered, delicate flavors. The freshly picked leaves are dehydrated to prevent oxidization and preserve their natural green color. Japanese green teas are steamed to preserve their fresh aromas and flavor notes. It is best if green tea is not brewed with boiling water.
Lower temperature water allows the leaves to steep slowly, preserving their natural sweetness. Green teas and yellow teas offer a gentle vegetal aroma. In the mouth, flavors range from spring asparagus and delicate notes of sorrel and raw vegetables to herbaceous and nutty.