Tea: Emei Maofeng (峨眉山毛峰)
Type: Emei Maofeng Green Tea
Harvest: April 2024
Region: Emeishan, Sichaun
Producers: Emei Tea - Little Yan's Garden
Tasting notes: Buttered Greens, Orange Zest, Crisps, Asparagus
Emei Maofeng was the tea popular in the area before Sichuan teas began to take off. In processing, it is fairly standard curled chaoqing, but its nice dark color and lingering huigan make it stand out amongst the throng of Maofengs from Central China. In fact, it was this tea that we saw the makers and the farmers drinking in Emeishan. They weren't drinking jasmine, they weren't drinking the jinjunmei, they were drinking this simple, local green tea.
When the dry leaves are placed in a warm brewing vessel, they exude a rich buttery fragrance redolent of sauteed spinach. Smelling a little more closely reveals the slight hint of orange zest we noticed in our tasting notes. The leaves are tightly curled and sink quickly when brewed grandpa style in a tall glass, making their delicate unfurling a beautiful thing to watch as the tea oils exude from the leaves and the brew takes on texture and color.
The brew itself is very full textured, with big savory notes thick in the soup. The color is a pale green/gold, but it is not a delicate tea. There is little bitterness except when pushed, and the vegetal bouquet comes out with subsequent infusions. This tea really is a bang for the buck and one that will see a lot of rotation in our summer cold brew lineup.
