Teas Etc's Dragon Well Pre-Qing Ming Green Tea

Dragon Well Pre-Qing Ming by Teas Etc

Type: Green tea

Form: Loose leaf

Review: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am no fan of Dragon Well (aka Long Jing). It just doesn’t appeal to me. However, my friends Beth and Newman at Teas Etc were kind enough to send me a sample of their Pre-Qing Ming Dragon Well, and I felt that I ought to at least give it a try.

The dry leaf looks very nice indeed, all long, flat, olive-green buds and leaves with almost no discernible scent, though some distinctly pistachio-like notes emerged after I added the leaf to a hot teapot. The liquor is a very pale yellow green, with a lightly nutty, slightly vegetal nose.

This is an unusually light Long Jing, flavor-wise, though its body is closer to medium. It isn’t strongly grassy as are many Dragon Well teas, and with careful brewing it can be remarkably sweet. The pistachio notes continue onto the palate, though are more subtle than the nose would lead you to expect.

Overall, I found this to be a fresh-tasting, unusual tea that is remarkably pleasant to drink on a hot summer afternoon. If you are a Long Jing fan, give it a try. I do want to point out, however, that this tea costs $12.95 for a one-ounce tin: If you are not a huge green tea or Long Jing fan, you may want to save your shekels for something else.

Preparation Tips: I tried preparing this tea in several different ways, but found that I got the best results from my little 100ml glass gong fu teapot. The flavors in this tea are so light, a concentrated steeping is necessary to really bring the flavors together. Watch your steep times: This tea doesn’t really get astringent, but it does get bitter if infused too long.

Sample provided by retailer?: Yes

Affiliate links in this post?: Yes
Green Tea