About West Lake Dragon Well Tea (Xihu Longjing) 2023

Xihu Longjing (West Lake Dragon Well Green Tea) is a very famous Chinese green tea, well known among Chinese tea lovers. Longjing is famous for its natural verdant color, beautiful leaf shape, rich fragrance and mellow taste.
The West Lake Longjing producing area can be divided into two parts: first-grade producing zone and second-grade producing zone where should not outside the 168 square kilometers of the west lake protection zone designated by the people’s government of Hangzhou. Our top-class Longjing is produced in one of these areas - 'Meijiawu' Village which belongs to the first-grade producing zone.
Because there is a limited area around West Lake for these real Longjing to be cultivated and the whole production process is all handmade; therefore, the yield of it is extremely low and the price of it is extraordinarily high. Especially, our West Lake Longjing is picked before Qingming （the fifth Chinese solar term, 4, 5 or 6 April), that’s why our Longjing is also called as ‘Mingqian’ Longjing green tea. It is the most tender and freshest one with rare yield compared with other Longjing tea. As a result, the price of this typical ‘Mingqian’ West Lake Longjing is almost four times higher than the Longjing comes from other origins picked on or after Qingming.
Our premium West Lake Longjing belongs to No.43 species. This species is an excellent variety improved by tea research institutes of Chinese Academy of Sciences based on the Group Species. It belongs to asexual reproduction, shrub type, early growth species. The whole tea plant is short, the leaves is slender, the fertility of it is strong. Longjing No.43 retains the fine quality of the Group Species, meanwhile without its bitterness and astringency, tastes very fresh and elegant.

Appearance & Taste

West Lake Dragon Well Tea (Xihu Longjing)

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.

Taste: Chestnut, Floral, Fresh, Fruity, Sweet

Brewing Guide

Tea Cup

2.5 teaspoon(s)

80-85°C (125ml)

1 mins

Enjoy!

Glass

5 tsp

80-85°C (250ml)

1 mins

Enjoy!

Teapot

10 tsp

80-85°C (500ml)

1 mins

Enjoy!

Kongfu Style

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

Top-Drop Method:

Warm the teaware with hot water. Discard the water afterwards
Pour hot water (80°C) into the teaware until it is seven-tenths full
Add 2 teaspoons of tea for teacup/gaiwan (125ML), 4 teaspoons for glass (250ML) and 8 teaspoons for teapot (500ML)
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
Drink until 1/3 of the tea is left before refilling
Repeat a total of three times
Gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brews

Mid-Drop Method:

Warm the teaware with hot water. Discard the water afterwards
Pour hot water (80–85°C) into the teaware until it is one-third full
Add 2 teaspoons of tea for teacup/gaiwan (125ML), 4 teaspoons for glass (250ML) and 8 teaspoons for teapot (500ML)
Tilt the teaware, slowly rotating it two times (this is to ensure a better infusion)
Fill the teaware with hot water (80–85°C)
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
Drink until 1/3 of the tea is left before refilling
Can be brewed a total of three times
Gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brews

Bottom-Drop Method:

Warm the teaware with hot water. Discard the water afterwards
Add 2 teaspoons of tea for teacup/gaiwan (125ML), 4 teaspoons for glass (250ML) and 8 teaspoons for teapot (500ML)
Pour hot water (80–85°C) into the teaware until it is one-third full
Tilt the glass cup, slowly rotating it two times (this is to ensure a better infusion)
Pour hot water (80–85°C) into the teaware until it is seven-tenths full
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
Drink until 1/3 of the tea is left before refilling
Repeat a total of three times
Gradually increase steeping time for subsequent brews.

Origin

Our Xihu Longjing is produced from the Southwest of West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. The name of the West Lake is ‘Xihu’ in Chinese; therefore, the alternative name of the best Longjing is ‘Xihu Longjing’.

The West Lake Longjing producing area can be divided into two parts: first-grade producing zone and second-grade producing zone where should not be outside the 168 square kilometers of the west lake protection zone designated by the people’s government of Hangzhou.

The main Longjing green tea plantations include Yunxi, Hupao, the Shifeng Peak area, Longjing Village and Meijiawu Village in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Our top-class Longjing is produced in one of these areas – ‘Meijiawu’ Village which belongs to the first-grade producing zone.

Origin: Zhejiang

Picking & Production

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.

5 reviews for West Lake Dragon Well Tea (Xihu Longjing) 2023

Rated 5 out of 5
Angelina – 12/02/2021
I now understand why this tea is so well-loved in China. It reeks of quality with every sip and is so well-balanced in flavour.
Rated 5 out of 5
Stella B. – 03/01/2021
Very delicious complex flavour and aroma. A wonderful green tea for all tea lovers.
Rated 5 out of 5
Bee – 01/01/2021
Absolutely exquisite tea. A special treat to drink with its unique flavour.
Rated 5 out of 5
Isla G. – 22/12/2020
Was a gift from my friend. A lovely hand-made tea. Definitely reminds me of spring! Blossoms and sweet melons. Delicious!
Rated 5 out of 5
Daniel – 08/01/2020
I’m impressed so far. This tea is by bar the most expensive I’ve tried but it worths the money! The flavor is just amazing compared to other longjing I’ve had in the past.
Highly Recommended.