This sampler is deeply educational in many different aspects. Ultimately it is a sampler regarding different dragonwell green teas, or Long Jing. We explore a dialectic range of prices, production styles, cultivars, and production regions. The goal of this sampler is to not only educate on the differences one can find while sourcing Dragon Well Green Tea, but also to help the drinker understand their own preferences as to cultivar, production style and generally where their taste falls on the cost/value spectrum of these fine Mingqian green teas.
The box is structured as a blind tasting session between four types of Dragon Well Green Tea (enough of each tea is provided for two separate sessions). While we find blind tasting and direct experience to be the best teachers of tea quality, we also provide a codex card for the drinkers to quickly check which tea is which. Thus the four small packets of tea will be labeled simply A, B, C, and D.
In the box (not in their associated letter order):
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Whole Handmade White Crane Peak Mingqian Longjing (Cultivar #43) - 5 grams
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Half Handmade Manjuelong Mingqian Longjing (Cultivar #43) - 5 grams
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Half Handmade Manjuelong Mingqian Longjing (Cultivar Qunti Zhong) - 5 grams
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Machine Made Qiantang Mingqian Longjing (Cultivar #43) - 5 grams
The recommended brewing parameters of these teas are to use 2.5 grams in a 100ml gaiwan and brew with 85 degree Celsius water. These teas can be brewed in flash infusions for 6-8 times each.
Note: One of the teas in this box costs 60 times that of another, thus the price of the sampler at large is rather inflated by its inclusion. This however is a great opportunity to share a tea that rarely gets out of China. If the price seems a little steep, blame the Whole Handmade White Crane Peak Mingqian Longjing!
For more information, check out our brief Glossary of Dragon Well Terms
