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Zoom Pre-Qingming Longjing
Zoom Pre-Qingming Longjing

Pre-Qingming Longjing

$1,138
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Pre-Qingming Longjing Green Tea|明前龍井

 Tasting notes: Nutty, grassy, mung bean
 Origin: Meijiawu, Hangzhou, China
 Cultivar: 群體種 Qunti Zhong (Old Tree)

 Elevation: 340m
 Oxidation: ⦿○○○○


Longjing (Dragonwell) tea is China’s most famous tea. Grown in the idyllic West Lake area of Hangzhou, this tea has been the muse of poets, philosophers, monks and emperors for centuries.

Why we love it:

  • It has a roast chestnut aroma, a fresh grassy flavour and - even though it tastes savoury - the aftertaste comes back sweet (回甘).
  • Its nutty aroma comes from the kill-green process that stops oxidation, when the Tea Master pan-fires the leaves on a hot wok. He presses the leaves flat against the sides of the wok by hand, giving them a flat shape.
  • It's the real deal. Authentic Longjing must come from one of 5 certified areas, be made from one of 3 cultivars and be harvested in spring. This batch ticks all those boxes.
  • It's made from the first spring harvest of the year - the most coveted harvest because the new leaves are extra soft and plump, yielding a tea that tastes delicate and smooth.
  • It comes from the certified Meijiawu area - a village with 600 years of history.
  • It is made from the 群體種 Qunti Zhong cultivar- - an older plant that has naturally reproduced over time through survival of the fittest. Its leaves are not as "pretty" as the commercially propagated cultivar, but it yields more layered flavours.

It's difficult to source authentic Longjing because the supply is limited and the demand is huge. In fact, it is estimated that 90% of Longjing on the market is not authentic. So we are very lucky to have sourced this batch, especially this year, as the harvest was even smaller due to bad weather, driving up the price. 

Supply is limited so grab it while you can!

 

What is Longjing tea?


100ml Gaiwan
4g | 80°C | 1 min | 3 infusions

300ml Teapot
4g | 70°C | 3 mins | 1 infusion

The traditional style or ‘grandpa style’ of brewing Longjing green tea is to put the tea leaves in a drinking glass or bottle, add hot water and enjoy the tea without straining the leaves out.

These are just guidelines. We recommend experimenting with a range of temperatures and leaf-to-water ratios to understand the tea and your own taste preferences.

Pre-Qingming Longjing

$1,138

Shipping

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Delivery is free for orders of HK$500 or more. Heavy items do not qualify for free shipping. Please allow 5-7 working days for your delivery. See our shipping policy.

International delivery

Delivery is free for orders of HK$2500 or more. All other orders have a flat delivery fee of HK$450. Heavy items do not qualify for free shipping. We aim to send orders within 5 business days of payment, and they are usually delivered within 14-60 days, depending on the destination. See our shipping policy.

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If you would like to return an item, please contact us at discover@plantation.hk first. Items returned without notification may not be properly identified and may result in delays in addressing your concern and/or processing your refund.
Not all items are eligible for refunds. Please see our refund policy for more.