Tea: Melon Seed Green (Lu'an Guapian - 六安瓜片) Type: Anhui Green Tea Harvest: Mid April 2026 Region: Lu'an, Anhui, China Producers: Wang Family Tasting Notes: Nettle, Kale, Cabbage, Daffodil
This year we got something special from the Wang Family. Due to the general downturn in the green tea market, prices have dropped substantially. This means we were able to buy a grade of Guapian that was once 30% more expensive than the usual mid-season grade that we buy. Lighter in color and taste, this more tender pick has all the richness and power you can expect from Guapian, but with less bitterness and homeliness in shape.
Guapian is a type of green tea that has survived in roughly the same form since antiquity. These wok-fried leaves are large, natural, and a little ugly. Guapian has been one of China's top ten teas for hundreds of years, and the methodology behind this tea is very unique, featuring whisking the leaves with a hand-held straw broom in a wood-fired wok. This processing creates the iconic wabi-wabi leaf shape iconic to the Guapian, or Melon Slices.
As this tea consists of larger leaves, there is very little 'mingqian' guapian made in Luan. The tea is thick, rich, and delivers a powerful cup of tea without too much bitterness. This is a great tea for those who want a little force in their green tea selection, and are not afraid of some big ugly leaves.
The brew starts off very vegetal, but gets sweeter and creamier as the session progresses, and even positively floral by the final infusions.
We recommend brewing this tea in a gaiwan (2.5 grams to 100ml water with flash infusions) or in a tall glass grandpa style (3 grams to 8 oz of water with a death steep).
This tea is very rich, aromatic and delicious. I got it as part of a sampler and am planning to order more. Unsmoked Lapsangs are a big discovery for me. Somehow every time I drink one of One River’s Lapsangs, I feel like my consciousness is slightly altered, in a good way :) This one made my day.
Having suffered so many shou puer stuffed oranges it was a blessed relief to receive such a well flavoured tea, a perfect mandarin stuffed with a really lovely Keemun. The flavours meld so well together. Quite comforting like a hot lemon and honey when feeling under the weather. Perfect for enjoying with your afternoon treat of choice. For me, best enjoyed by the pint, to wash down the finest chocolate brownie I could lay my hands on. Best place to start with this - take the top off, quick rinse, then 100c for 30 seconds, 200ml water. Recommended for any tea stuffed orange enthusiast!
Incredible! Sweet, creamy and with a good body all white being so light. I drink mostly white teas and this is one of the best I've had this year, easily beating stuff that's $30+/100g. What a steal!
Very fragrant tea, sweet with a hint of bitterness. Even my husband, who doesn’t like most of the teas I drink, enjoyed it a lot. It’s not particularly complex, but it brews beautifully and holds up well through many infusions.