Fave five Chinese greens

[Chip]

Sister topic to the new fave five Japanese green topic. We don't discriminate here.

Please list your fave five Chinese greens, currently. You can be general or very specific, your choice.

I am going general for this topic.

1. Long Jing, Top grade (although even better lower grades from a vendor like TeaSpring are very enjoyable for me), the real deal!
2. (Cha Wang) Tai Ping Hou Kui, again the real deal!
3. Lu An Gua Pian, Cha Wang if available, and again the real deal
4. Zhu Ye Qing, yeah, the real deal ...
5. Xu Fu Long Ya ... although I could put any one of 10 other greens here as well.

OK, your turn!

[ChinesePottery]

1. YangXianXueYa (Chái Lín Jūn's)
2. wild BLC (my own)
3. BLC (Chái Lín Jūn's)
4. Qingdao Laoshan
5. Guilin MaoJian (made by IPT himself)

next would have been CuiBai but i already wrote 5

[debunix]

The top spot is easy, because I had the most amazing green tea experience ever recently with this one.

Gu Zhu Zi Sun - 2011 Spring Zhejiang Green Tea from Norbu
Anji 'white tea'
Jin Xuan from norbu (as has been discussed at length before, this varietal is usually processed as an oolong, but this version is not)
Tai Ping Hou Kui
Yunnan Mao Feng (I like the versions I've had from the Yunnan varietal better than the only 'authentic' one I've had from Huang Shan)

[Bakkoi]

I see we've got some Taiping Houkui fans here. I've tried Hojo's and didn't like it... I tried brewing it several different ways, but I couldn't seem to get much taste out of it.

How do you guys brew your TH?

[debunix]

Im gaiwan, relatively cool/short to start, up to 6 infusion, 150->190 deg F by the end, 30" to 2 minutes, and 2 grams to 2 1/2 oz water (75 ml).

[Oni]

My top 5 is Tai Ping hou kui, the real one from trusted vendors, Bi luo Chun, Xu fu long ya, Long Jing, and En Shi Yu Lu.

[Chip]

My top 5 is Tai Ping hou kui, the real one from trusted vendors, Bi luo Chun, Xu fu long ya, Long Jing, and En Shi Yu Lu.

Where have you gotten En Shi Yu Lu? I have only seen it on TeaSpring's site, need to try it!

[Mintaka]

1. Bi luo chun
2. Superior West Lake Longjing
3. Huang Shan Mao Feng (the earlier picked the better)
4. Any stronger tasting gunpowder with a honey/smokier flavor
5. White Monkey

[Oni]

My top 5 is Tai Ping hou kui, the real one from trusted vendors, Bi luo Chun, Xu fu long ya, Long Jing, and En Shi Yu Lu.

Where have you gotten En Shi Yu Lu? I have only seen it on TeaSpring's site, need to try it!

I bought it indeed from Teaspring, and I saw it at Dragon teahouse too, I liked it mainly because it resembles japanese greens, but with a hint of floralness that is found in chinese greens, all in all it had more taste and intensity than other chinese greens, mostly I miss the intensity of a sencha in a chinese green tea, but En Shi Yu Lu has it both.

[bagua7]

1. Long Jing (dragon well)
2. An Ji Bai Cha (white jade phoenix tea). This one might soon become number one on my list, a real delight.
3. Bi Luo Chun (from ChinesePottery)
4. Ding Gu Da Fang
5. Huangshan Mao Feng

[NOESIS]

In no particular order:
- Long Jing
- Lu An Gua Pian
- Tai Ping Hou Kui
- Meng Ding Gan Lu
- Lu Shan Yun Wu

[Splinters]

Thanks for suggesting. It's fun to see others' favorites.

Here are mine:

(1) Yang Yan Gou Qing
(2) En Shi Yu Lu
(3) E Mei E Rui
(4) Bi Luo Chun
(5) Meng Ding Gan Lu

Incidentally, I have two interesting greens I've never tried on the way: Qing Cheng Xue Ya and Meng Shan Yun Wu.

[Chip]

My top 5 is Tai Ping hou kui, the real one from trusted vendors, Bi luo Chun, Xu fu long ya, Long Jing, and En Shi Yu Lu.

Where have you gotten En Shi Yu Lu? I have only seen it on TeaSpring's site, need to try it!

I bought it indeed from Teaspring, and I saw it at Dragon teahouse too, I liked it mainly because it resembles japanese greens, but with a hint of floralness that is found in chinese greens, all in all it had more taste and intensity than other chinese greens, mostly I miss the intensity of a sencha in a chinese green tea, but En Shi Yu Lu has it both.

Thanks, this has been on my short list to try, but I just never seem to get around to it. It always looks interesting and MUCH better than the Chinese sencha I picked up locally ... which was pretty BAD ... actually realllllllly bad.

[Splinters]

I think En Shi Yu Lu is a great Chinese tea for Japanese tea lovers. Unlike poor-quality Chinese Sencha, En Shi Yu Lu is a distinctive pine-needle tea that does not try to be Sencha. It has its own character. But as a rare Chinese steamed green, it has a thickness, scent, and flavor that might appeal to a Sencha fan.

I've tried selections from both TeaSpring and Dragon Tea House. I liked both. To my recollection, the TeaSpring selection was stronger in aroma and marginally stronger in flavor, but I'd take that comment with a grain of salt because I'm comparing different harvest years.

[Chip]

I think En Shi Yu Lu is a great Chinese tea for Japanese tea lovers. Unlike poor-quality Chinese Sencha, En Shi Yu Lu is a distinctive pine-needle tea that does not try to be Sencha. It has its own character. But as a rare Chinese steamed green, it has a thickness, scent, and flavor that might appeal to a Sencha fan.

I've tried selections from both TeaSpring and Dragon Tea House. I liked both. To my recollection, the TeaSpring selection was stronger in aroma and marginally stronger in flavor, but I'd take that comment with a grain of salt because I'm comparing different harvest years.

Thank you Splinters! I will be anxious to try one or more selections of En Shi Yu Lu ... hopefully sooner than later.