About Longwu Dragon Well Tea (Longjing) 2025

This Longjing tea comes from Longwu, a core secondary production area within the broader West Lake region. Grown at 300–600 meters, the tea gardens are planted with traditional Qunti Zhong (heirloom group cultivar) trees—naturally propagated rather than clonal—giving the tea its layered, authentic flavour profile.

The 40-year-old bushes grow slowly in the cool, misty mountain climate, accumulating rich amino acids and aromatic compounds. Because of the higher elevation, the spring harvest begins later, typically before Guyu (Pre-Rain). The slower growth results in a sweeter, fresher taste with reduced bitterness, producing a tea with clean sweetness, gentle aroma, and a lingering finish.

Appearance & Taste

This Longwu Longjing is picked mainly as one bud with one leaf, crafted into a flat, smooth, and straight shape, with a tender green and lustrous appearance. The dry leaves exude a distinct chestnut and fresh bean fragrance. The infusion is clear and bright, showing a yellow-green hue.

On the palate, the tea liquor is delicate, smooth, and vibrant, with rapid and long-lasting hui gan (returning sweetness). The aroma is elegant and high, while the taste is refreshing, mellow, and sweet, with a clean, mountain-fresh finish.

Because group cultivar tea trees have natural varietal diversity, the tea develops a multi-layered aromatic and flavor profile: the opening is fresh and sweet, the mid-palate has a hint of brisk mountain energy, and the aftertaste is pure and transparent — evoking the sensation of “spring in the mountains.”

Taste: Chestnut, Floral, Fresh, Sweet

Brewing Guide

Tea Cup

2 teaspoon(s)

80-85°C (125ml)

1 mins

Enjoy!

Glass

4 tsp

80-85°C (250ml)

1 mins

Enjoy!

Teapot

8 tsp

80-85°C (500ml)

1 mins

Enjoy!

Kongfu Style

Tea amount: 3–4 g
Water temperature: 80–85 °C
Teaware: Around 150 ml gaiwan

Steps:

Rinse the cup with hot water to warm it, then pour the water out.
Gently place the tea leaves into the cup.
Pour in about one-third of the hot water along the wall of the cup, allowing the leaves to slowly unfurl for 15–20 seconds. Then fill the cup to about 70% full.
Steep for about 1 to 1.5 minutes for the first infusion, 2 minutes for the second, and up to 2.5 minutes for the third.
The liquor appears bright and light green, with a fresh aroma of beans and flowers, and a smooth, sweet aftertaste.

Origin

The Longwu tea gardens are located in the mountainous western part of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, within the core secondary zone of the West Lake Longjing producing region. The terrain here is undulating, with high forest coverage. Most tea gardens are found on mountain slopes between 300 and 600 meters in elevation.

During spring, Longwu is shrouded in mist, with abundant humidity and significant day–night temperature differences. These gentle natural conditions provide soft light and slow the growth rate of the tea plants compared to lower-altitude gardens. This slower development allows the leaves to accumulate more amino acids, aromatic compounds, and polyphenols, which form the foundation of Longwu Longjing’s fresh, complex, and lingering flavor.

The surrounding forests and streams contribute to the clean ecology, with little urban pollution and fewer pest problems. These natural advantages give Longwu Longjing a pure mountain character, clean and bright liquor, and lasting freshness, clearly distinct from lowland teas.

Origin: Zhejiang

Picking & Production

Longwu’s group cultivar tea gardens lie at 300–600 meters, with diverse tea plant populations dominated by traditional Longjing group cultivars. Because of the cooler high-altitude climate, the bud sprouting and harvesting occur later than in lowland areas, typically completed before Grain Rain. At this time, the buds are plump, tender, and rich in internal compounds, marking the peak quality season of the year.

Harvesting follows the “one bud with one just-opening leaf” or “one bud with two leaves” standard. All leaves are handpicked with great care to avoid damaging the delicate buds. Because group cultivar leaves vary slightly in size, skilled pickers use their experience to select tender, uniform raw material.

After picking, the fresh leaves are quickly spread for withering to reduce moisture and soften the leaf texture while allowing grassy notes to dissipate. They are then processed through the iconic Longjing pan-firing technique, typically divided into two stages:

Primary Pan-Firing (Qing Guo): High temperature is applied to fix the green, halt enzymatic activity, and lock in the fresh aroma.
Final Pan-Firing (Hui Guo): Slightly lower temperature is used while employing traditional hand movements — shaking, pressing, smoothing, and straightening — to shape the leaves into their signature flat, smooth “spear” form. This step further intensifies aroma and refines the flavor, giving the tea a mellow and silky texture.

The entire process is time-consuming and technically demanding, requiring experienced tea masters to control both temperature and technique with precision. Only then can the finished tea achieve the hallmark flat shape, jade-green color, high aroma, and refreshing sweetness of Longwu group cultivar Longjing.