West Lake Dragon Well Tea (Xihu Longjing)

Extraordinarily delicate and fresh

Appearance & Taste

West lake longjing is a premium type of tea, each leaf looks like a ‘lotus heart, or bird tongue, or flag gun’, which is flat, straight and green.

Xihu Longjing has a rich, pleasant aroma, tasting extraordinarily delicate and fresh – like the earliest spring day on the tip of the tongue. It has fruit, floral and nut flavors and a long-lasting, mellow-sweet aftertaste.

Adjust the amount of tea based on your own taste

Brewing Guide

It is best to use the Top-Drop, Mid-Drop and bottom-drop (what’s this?) brewing method.

Top-Drop Method:

1. Warm the teaware with hot water. Discard the water afterwards
2. Pour hot water (80°C) into the teaware until it is seven-tenths full
3. Add 2 teaspoons of tea for tea cup/gaiwan (125ML), 4 teaspoons for glass (250ML) and 8 teaspoons for tea pot (500ML)
4. Infuse tea for around 1 minute, if using gaiwan gongfu, the first brew can be around 10s, the second time is around 20s, then gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brewing
5. Drink until 1/3 of the tea is left before refilling
6. Repeat a total of three times
7. Gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brews

Mid-Drop Method:

1. Warm the teaware with hot water. Discard the water afterwards
2. Pour hot water (80–85°C) into the teaware until it is one-third full
3. Add 2 teaspoons of tea for tea cup/gaiwan (125ML), 4 teaspoons for glass (250ML) and 8 teaspoons for tea pot (500ML)
4. Tilt the teaware, slowly rotating it two times (this is to ensure a better infusion)
5. Fill the teaware with hot water (80–85°C)
6. Infuse tea for around 1 minute, if using gaiwan gongfu, the first brew can be around 10s, the second time is around 20s, then gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brewing
7. Drink until 1/3 of the tea is left before refilling
8. Can be brewed a total of three times
9. Gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brews

Bottom-Drop Method:

1. Warm the teaware with hot water. Discard the water afterwards
2. Add 2 teaspoons of tea for tea cup/gaiwan (125ML), 4 teaspoons for glass (250ML) and 8 teaspoons for tea pot (500ML)
3. Pour hot water (80–85°C) into the teaware until it is one-third full
4. Tilt the glass cup, slowly rotating it two times (this is to ensure a better infusion)
5. Pour hot water (80–85°C) into the teaware until it is seven-tenths full
6. Infuse tea for around 1 minute, if using gaiwan gongfu, the first brew can be around 10s, the second time is around 20s, then gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brewing
7. Drink until 1/3 of the tea is left before refilling
8. Repeat a total of three times
9. Gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brews.

Harvest & Production

Timing & Ingredients

Ingredients: The West Lake Longjing is made using one bud or one bud with one leaf; only the most delicate buds are picked.

Picking: For the best-quality Longjing green tea, picking should take place as early as possible: the tea grower must pick the most delicate buds with one leaf before it is too late. For super-high-grade Longjing, picking should begin before Qingming （the fifth Chinese solar term, 4, 5 or 6 April), when only the most delicate sprouts are exposed. The resultant tea is called ‘Pre-ming Longjing’; it is very rare and the most expensive Longjing.

Two Types of Spring Teas: Tea picked before the end of May is known as spring tea. After one-year rehabilitation, the buds of the plant are stout and strong in the spring, with delicate leaves and a rich white fuzz. The tea leaves contain rich effective substances. Spring tea is regarded as having the best quality compared to tea picked in the summer or autumn. Depending on the precise growth period, spring tea can be divided into Mingqian tea and Yuqiang tea.  Our West Lake Dragon Well green tea belongs to Mingqian tea. 

See below taste differences between Mingqian and Yuqian teas.

1. Mingqian tea

Mingqian tea is made from leaves picked before Pure Brightness (Apr.4th, 5th, or 6th). Tea workers only pick very recent buds; these comprise almost 100% of the raw material for Mingqian tea. However, because of the low temperatures before Pure Brightness, these buds are limited, and due to the low growth rate of the plant, the yield is usually very small. There is therefore a saying:‘Mingqian tea is as expensive as gold’. It is regarded as the highest grade of Biluochun.

Taste: Mingqian tea has an extraordinarily delicate and fresh taste –like the earliest spring day on the tip of the tongue.

2. Yuqian tea

Yuqian tea is made from tea picked before the Grain Rain (19, 20 or 21 April). During this period, the temperature is moderate and the rainfall is abundant, and the first tea leaves appear. One bud with the first leaf provides the raw material for making Yuqian tea.

Although Yuqian tea is not as delicately flavoured as Mingqian tea, it has a stronger taste and can be brewed longer and more times. This is because the temperature is higher during the picking period for Yuqian tea, which causes the tea leaves to grow relatively fast; the accumulated substances in the tea leaves are also richer.

Taste: Yuqian tea is very fresh with a strong aroma. It has a robust flavor, a sweet, lingering fragrance and an invigorating taste.