Tè Long Jing in foglie sciolte

I've been drinking green tea for years and the flat, pressed shape of these Longjing leaves told me right away this was the real thing. Steeped at about 175°F it comes out sweet and chestnut-like with almost no bitterness, and I've already gone through half the bag in two weeks.

I've tried plenty of green teas that turn bitter if you blink too slow, but this one stays sweet and mellow even after a few minutes in the cup. You can really taste the hand-picked quality from the West Lake region in every leaf.

The first sip had that classic chestnut sweetness I associate with proper Longjing, and the leaves held up beautifully for three steepings. It’s pricey, but the hand-picked quality from the West Lake area is unmistakable in every cup.