Official what GREEN are you currently drinking?

[Alanoyes]

I am drinking my first ever long jing. It's a 2010 early spring shi feng from Tea Trekker and it is one of the best teas I have ever had.

[debunix]

I just finished a lovely session with a pair of Long Jings: Premium Organic Dragon Well from Wing Hop Fung, probably 2010 harvest (bought sometime in the past year), and Xi Hu Long Jing from Norbu, Spring 2011.



The dry leaves of the Xi Hu are much brighter green, and they're larger, but the smell of the leaves is similar--bright vegetal scents, just a little stronger for the fresher Xi Hu tea.



2 grams of each in gaiwans with 75 mL of 160°/71°C water to start

30" first infusion
Prem Org (WHF)
very nutty, vegetal, peas and asparagus
Xi Hu (Norbu)
softer on the nutty, more sweet peas

20" second infusion
Prem Org (WHF)
again, the nutty notes are very strong,
Xi Hu (Norbu)
sweeter again, but still some nutty

40" third infusion
Prem Org (WHF)
lighter, still vegetal and nutty
Xi Hu (Norbu)
now more peas with hints of nuttiness, less sweet

increasing temp--177°F/81°C for the fourth infusion, 1 minute
Prem Org (WHF)
sweeter this time, still astringent, toastier
Xi Hu (Norbu)
lighter than the WHF, still some warm toastiness

174°F/79°C for the fifth infusion, about a minute
Can't tell much difference between them--light, tasty, but just not very distinct

193°F/89°C for the sixth infusion, 2 minutes
first sip is nutty, warm, sweet, still quite dilute but delicious
Xi Hu (Norbu)
first sip is sweet, delicious, and it keeps on as somewhat nutty sweet water

205°F/96°C for the 7th infusion, 4 minutes, just to see if there is anything else left in the leaves
Prem Org (WHF)
light now, simply sweet summer hay,
Xi Hu (Norbu)
light, sweet water, subtly different than the WHF

Overall impression is that I definitely prefer the Xi Hu, because it is sweeter and less nutty, and I do not think the difference is solely due to harvest age--nuttiness has generally been very strong in the several versions of WHF Dragon Well I've tried, from the moment of purchase.

[Drax]

There's so much to learn about tea, and studying is a lot of fun.

One of my very favorite things is comparative brewings, with two to four teas at the same time. A sip of one, a sip of another, back and forth.

I'm drinking the Gu Zhu Zi Sun again this morning, the last of my sample, and it's again fantastic stuff. I brewed it last night in a different vessel--a tokoname kyusu at work--and it was very good, but not as great as in the shiboridashi today. I think this shibo really added something to it--the biggest different I've seen a brewing vessel make for a tea.

You know, I wonder about this topic a lot... I tried brewing a Chinese green (TPHK, I believe) in a tokoname kyuusu at work and it was nowhere near as wonderful as when I brewed it in a gaiwan at home.

Unfortunately, there's another variable there -- I use filtered tap water at home, and unfiltered tap water at work. But still, makes me wonder about that kyuusu...

[NOESIS]

Afternoon tea break with organic Watsuka sencha from O-C. Very yummy stuff!

[rhondabee]

I drank some Yun Feng green tea today. It is a nice mellow tea with sweet, lingering aftertaste.

[Tea&Wine]

my favorite green tea is Lu'an Guapian. this was the tea for emperors in MIng and Qin Dynasty. It is really good

[iannon]

Having a run at the Saejak I got from the teaswap. Nice! I hate to make comparisons and not just let it stand on its own..but..it reminds me of a cross between a temomi "lite" and some chinese greens..if that makes sense

[bagua7]

Nice to read so many experiences with a variety of greens (Chinese in my case as I haven't ordered any Nipponese teas as of yet) and people enjoying them so much.

I am having now Ding Gu Da Fang and can say that it is already one of my favourite greens. Sweet and bitter in the right places with a complex and fantastic aroma including a hint of citrus. A real winner!

Cheers.

[FlyedPiper]

On to Sae Midori from O-cha now. Great stuff. I think I'm becoming a Fuka addict!

[AdamMY]

Just had a session of Kirameki. This year I am trying to finish my Shincha before October, or was it November of last year?

[Chip]

Temomicha from a TCer and Korean Seijak that is making rounds.

Just had a session of Kirameki. This year I am trying to finish my Shincha before October, or was it November of last year?

Looks like I will be shicha depleted by the end of this month, only 2 open selections remain. Hana No Kaori and Miyabi.

[AdamMY]

Looks like I will be shincha depleted by the end of this month, only 2 open selections remain. Hana No Kaori and Miyabi.

I too, am down to two opened selections, mine are Hatsumi, and Kirameki. Kirameki is getting rather low, soon my only shincha will be Hatsumi which I only opened about a week ago.

[sherubtse]

On to Sae Midori from O-cha now. Great stuff. I think I'm becoming a Fuka addict!

Yes, the SM is a very nice tea indeed. Glad to hear that you are becoming a fellow "Fuka addict".

Best wishes,
sherubtse

[chado.my.teaway]

Nepal Green Hill;)

beauty tea.

Tea from Illam Tea Estate plantation, grown by Nepal Small Tea Producers.

[NOESIS]

My first session with Kagoshima Sencha Kirishima No Kaori from Y-C. Sweet grassy aroma from the dry leaf carries over into the cup. Beautiful clear golden liquor that is medium bodied, mildly astringent and with a very clean finish. Good for three flavorful infusions.