Meitan Jade Bud Green Tea

From its distinctly beautiful, flat and smooth leaves to its fresh floral notes that open up like a bouquet in your mouth, this Meitan Jade Bud Green Tea (湄潭翠芽) is a stunning green tea.

This tea is grown in the famous Guizhou Province, specifically from the Meitan County in the Zunyi region. The region is characterized by high-altitude terrain with benefits from a favorable climate with rich soil, which provides ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality tea.The production process involves a series of intricate steps, including pan-firing and shaping the leaves by hand using various traditional techniques. These steps, including "killing the green" (a process to stop oxidation), second frying, and final drying, are key to achieving the tea's unique flavor profile and its signature leaves that resemble sunflower seeds.

The tea has a bright golden-green color, a subtle pear aroma mixed with floral honey suckle notes, and a fresh and sweet aftertaste. This tea likes to sit in the back and sides of your mouth where it has a pleasantly smooth mouthfeel and fills up with a floral aroma that lingers in your mouth and nose long after you drank the tea. 

If you brew it at 190°F (87°C) gongfu style, the tea is more fruity and floral, having a sweeter aftertaste with a silkier mouthfeel. To achieve this taste, brew 3 grams of tea leaves in a 90ml gaiwan and steep for 30-35 seconds in the 190°F (87°C) water. 

If you brew it at 205°F (96°C) gongfu style, the nuttiness of the tea becomes more prominent, reminiscent of Japanese pumpkin, Kabocha. The mouthfeel gets slightly dryer but not dry. For people who prefer a nuttier and less sweet profile, brewing it at  this higher temperature is recommended.  Brew the same amount (3 grams) of tea leaves in a 90ml gaiwan, but only steep it for 15-20 seconds.  

One of the best parts of this tea is the versatility. Its unfussy nature allows for you to brew it at different temperatures and even continually brew it Grandpa style without it getting bitter. To brew it Grandpa Style, put 3-4 grams of tea leaves right in the glass or mug you will be drinking out of and pour 205°F (96°C) water on top, leaving enough room at the top so that you can hold the glass without burning (this is about 300ml/g of water). Not only can you enjoy the tea at all its stages as the flavor profile evolves with time, but you also don’t have to worry about over-brewing or having to babysit your tea as you brew it. 

Add this green tea to your collection that’s not only beautiful in flavor but beautiful in appearance as well. 

Alternate Name:  Meitan Jade Bud Green Tea (湄潭翠芽)

Notes: Pear, Honeysuckle, Japanese pumpkin