I broke down.
Got 100g from jing. Pre ordered 50g from Life in teacup.
Still planning to get some from postcard, seven cups and bitterleaf when their $1 stuff comes around
Longjing: Sources and Brewing
With longjing you should figure out whether you like the yellow or greener longjing. The first one has a more toasty taste, while the other has a 'bean like' taste as the Chinese describe it. I personally like Teasenz' longjing, taste and leaf quality is excellent: https://www.teasenz.com/longjing
I just received a few fresh 2018 spring green teas from Teavivre and I can't get over how utterly disappointed I have been with their Ming Qian Long Jing this year. There is no sweetness/bean taste or any toast I can smell or taste. It really doesn't even taste like any Long Jing I have had. On top of the tea not having any taste characteristics of Long Jing, there is some unpleasant bitterness and astringency to be found right from the first brew. I have even tried brewing it with a few different parameters (this has never been a problem with any Chinese greens for me) and none has worked. I had the same tea from 2017 last year and because I really liked it I now ordered 100g of this tea.
My water and equipment etc. has stayed the same, and their 2018 Te Gong Huang Shan Mao Feng, which I also got, was just as good as last year.
So my question is if anyone else has got and been able to taste Teavivre's 2018 Ming Qian Long Jing and what are your thoughts about it this year?
My water and equipment etc. has stayed the same, and their 2018 Te Gong Huang Shan Mao Feng, which I also got, was just as good as last year.
So my question is if anyone else has got and been able to taste Teavivre's 2018 Ming Qian Long Jing and what are your thoughts about it this year?
Has anyone tried the longjing from hojo?
Just received 2024 "shifeng" and "xihu" from hojo. Based on his website - both of these are from shifeng and both are from older seed grown "mixed cultivar" plants (not lj43). The difference being shifeng is early spring harvest while xihu is later harvest - as reflected by price (shifeng is 25g/4800 yen and xihu is 30g/2500 yen).
https://hojotea.com/item_e/g06e.htm
Have now tried both teas over two days.
Shifeng
Surprisingly heterogenous and larger leaves given description on hojo's website.
The tea is quite good. It is richer after one day. The firing seems light with only a touch of that beany taste. Flavors are soft - sweetly vegetal with adequate bitterness (herbal and cooling) and with a long floral finish. The mouthfeel is slightly thick with a complex mineral impression. Lasts many infusions
Xihu
Leaves seem more homogenous and smaller than shifeng - making me wonder if this is actually the higher grade version - albeit perhaps an older year (would hojo screw with me like this?) Tea has stronger firing (beaniness) in first cup. This gets stronger after a day of bag being opened. All other aspects are softer/weaker. Flavors are more simple. No bitterness. Aromatics do get a bit more enriched after a day but weaker than shifeng. Notably, strength falls off a lot after one steep. Need harder infusions for best enjoyment (to me).
Just received 2024 "shifeng" and "xihu" from hojo. Based on his website - both of these are from shifeng and both are from older seed grown "mixed cultivar" plants (not lj43). The difference being shifeng is early spring harvest while xihu is later harvest - as reflected by price (shifeng is 25g/4800 yen and xihu is 30g/2500 yen).
https://hojotea.com/item_e/g06e.htm
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Shifeng
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The tea is quite good. It is richer after one day. The firing seems light with only a touch of that beany taste. Flavors are soft - sweetly vegetal with adequate bitterness (herbal and cooling) and with a long floral finish. The mouthfeel is slightly thick with a complex mineral impression. Lasts many infusions
Xihu
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Last edited by LeoFox on Thu Jun 13, 2024 4:26 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I tried HOJO shifeng longjing 2 years ago. Pretty remarkable I must say. I recall that drinking HOJOs teas, in general, leave u with a good idea of what gushu/laocong/seed grown cultivar in this case vs the typical longjing 43 varietal. It's never about the front-palette, so those expecting a bold nuttiness or flavor will not be used to his teas. It's about the taste, NOT flavor, that one can only understand after swallowing/as the tea goes down the throat. Theres a deep sense of minerality and sweetness that can only be perceived at the late palette.
His other teas all share this trait. Be it his top grade Tieguanyin, or Zhengshan Xiaozhong qizhong, or Laocong Dancong.
Glad you enjoyed it. I personally recall brewing it 4 solid steeps out of it which is damn remarkable for a green.