China's Most popular Tea

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Outside of the tallest pagoda in China in the surrounding mountains lies the village and hillside tea gardens of Dragonwell, where China's most popular tea has been produced for hundreds of years.

The emperor's original eighteen tea bushes are on display there, remenants of the Qing dynasty.
We spent the rainy afternoon with 79 year old Dragonwell tea master Meng Shang Ye as he panfired some freshly picked dragonwell leaves and buds from the tea fields we had walked through just a few minutes before.

Mr. Meng explained Dragonwell tea is a richer tasting green tea than the most Chinese green teas. It consists of pickings of two leaves and a bud. This extra tiny leaf adds a deeper dimension to the flavor. The logo for my company, Farmers Market Tea is a classic representation of a Dragonwell tea leafn (two leaves and a bud)before it has been pan fired. Many of the lighter flavored teas use just the bud and the single leaf.

Dragonwell tea has its' own fragrance. Some people smell a roasting chestnut aroma while others think of a pleasant aroma from a country kitchen roasting beans with a charcoal kiln.

Whatever the fragrance you perceive it will take four infusions to experience the broad flavor profile of a well crafted Dragonwell. In the first infusion there will be a slight sweetness. The second, third and fourth infusion will deliver a full moith feel that you can taste down to your throat. That is the true taste of Dragonwell. A good Dragonwell will leave its flavor with you for 30 minutes.

They say it takes a few months to get to know Dragonwell; after that you have made a friend for life. The Chinese compare it to a mysterious, intelligent woman. Her finer points are not apparent to the casual observer, but her beauty develops over time to those that take the time to know her.

The most highly desired and expensive Dragonwell is picked from early April through April 20th. The second most desired Dragonwell is harvested through the first week of May.
Dragonwell picked after that time has all of the depth and mystery of flavor but it may not be as rich because of the effect of the declining rain after that time.
It keeps well for a year

Incidentally, we were interviewed for Beijing television while chatting with the wizened tea master.