Purple Lady Green Tea

We first introduced Purple Lady green tea to oversea tea drinkers in 2004, and it was very well received among our customers. This purple color green tea not only has unique color and taste, but also has many medical benefits.

First Purple Lady tea tree was found in 1985. After several years’ R&D, researchers are now able to grow Purple Lady tea trees in selected regions. Purple Lady green tea was made from leaves of Purple Lady tea trees. Its dry leaves are in dark purple color. It has mellow taste and unique aroma. Water of different PH level brews it into different liquor color.

Some medical researches show that Purple Lady green tea can lower blood pressure. Researchers are now studying its effect on weight loss and lower blood sugar.

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Tradition vs. Profit

I came across a news recently that a Wu Niu Zao grower in ZheJiang produced lightly roasted Oolong from Wu Niu Zao tea tree leaves. This definitely comes with tremendous financial benefits. Traditionally, Wu Niu Zao is only harvested in early spring to make Yong Jia Wu Niu Zao green tea. With the new development, Wu Niu Zao can be harvested again in late spring to make Oolong, a tea that is gaining popularity now.

While we support the effort of new tea R&D, I am concerned about the trend of chasing popular teas for profits. Wu Niu Zao is both a tea tree name and a tea name. Although Wu Niu Zao is a wonderful green tea, its name is quite often associated with faked West Lake Long Jing made from Wu Niu Zao leaves. During the Pu-erh heydays, almost every tea producer in Yunnan was making Pu-erh. Green and black tea raw materials were all put into making Pu-erh. People later realized that not all of them were suitable for making Pu-erh, and not all the producers were skillful at making Pu-erh.

I will be thrilled to celebrate and promote the birth of a new tea if the grower gives his new tea a new name, instead of calling his tea Oolong. Otherwise, I’ll remain skeptical when I see a green tea producer making Oolong or an Oolong tea producer making Pu-erh.

What’s your view on this? I would like to hear from you.

Linda

Sipping White Peony on a sunny spring day

Linda has been bugging me about writing a review for our Spring Organic White Peony for days. Finally, on this sunny spring day, I sit down and begin blogging….

Well, where share I begin? This is a lovely tea. Upon opening the foil bag, I found myself happily surrounded by this intense, albeit pleasantly refreshing aroma. “This must be a good one” I said to myself. I brewed a cup in a white Gai Wan. A complex and refreshing aroma rose from the cup. Sipping it is another joy. It left a clean, crispy feeling in my mouth and I could not help noticing the sweet after taste dancing on my tongue.

At $0.40 per brewing, this is one of my favorite daily drinks now. Did I mention that White Peony also has medical benefits?

Alex
Happily drinking White Peony in GuiYang
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How Long Jing Is Made

High grade Long Jing are still being processed by hand. This short video shows how Long Jing is hand made by workers. The first step is called Qing Guo. Workers process fresh tea leaves by hand in 80 to 100 celsius degree woks for 12 to 15 minutes. This step turns tea leaves into initial straight, flat shapes. The second step is to classify leaves into different categories. The third, and final step is called Hui Guo. Categoried leaves go through further process by hand in 60 to 70 celsius degree wok for 20 to 25 minutes. Workers apply different techniques to remove the tiny hairs and compress the leaves into final smooth, flat shape.

After watching this video, will you have more appreciation for the cup of Long Jing in your hand?

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China National White Tea Production Standard

The Chinese National White Tea Production Standard (GB/T 22291-2008) is effective starting March 1, 2009. This is the first national standard regulating white tea production. According to the standard, white tea can be classified into three categories: Silver Needle (白毫银针), White Peony (白牡丹), and Gong Mei (贡眉). Silver Needle can be further divided into two grades: Te Ji (特级), and Grade 1. White Peony and Gong Mei have four grades: Te Ji and Grade 1 to 3.

The standard outlines quality requirements of each grade ranging from criteria such as dry leaf appearance, aroma, liquor, taste, to leaf water content, dusty percentage, etc.

This standard is limited to traditional white tea. The production technique of new white tea, which was introduced in l968, is quite different from traditional white tea, and is not covered in this standard.

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2009 Spring Tea Updates

It is this time of year again – Spring! And yes, new teas are coming! Here are quick updates on some of our popular teas:

West Lake Long Jing – Harvest time expected to be delayed till after March 20 due to recent cold weather. Tea drinkers will have to wait till April for large productions to hit market.

Yunnan Black – The extreme dry weather since late last year has severely delayed this year's black tea harvest. Our producer is expecting harvest to be delayed till May.

Linda
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Tang Cha Club (唐茶会）

It is not a traditional tea house. You won't find Long Jing, Tie Guan Yin there. However, if you are in Shanghai, it worths a trip there. I like its décor..I like its casual, relaxing atomosphere...not to mention some of its flagship drinks. Here are some of my favorite décor... cute, right?

Linda
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2008 Spring WuYi Rock Tea Expected to Hit Market in July

This year's spring WuYi Rock Tea starts to show up on market in the recent few days. Industry insiders are expecting all types of WuYi Rock Tea to hit market in July. Recent words from our Da Hong Pao producer were that their Da Hong Pao wouldn't be available till late June, early July. Due to large demand, overall price of this year's WuYi Rock Tea will raise 20% to 30%.

Linda
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Lightly Roasted vs. Heavily Roasted Tie Guan Yin

I have wanted to blog about green (lightly roasted) vs. traditional (heavily roasted) Tie Guan Yin for quite some time. Finally, I devoted this afternoon to do so. I have long formed my opinion between the two. To be fair, I brewed the two of the same grade (Grade AA) side by side this afternoon and started blogging while I was sipping....

I took a picture before brewing. You can easily differentiate the two by simply looking at dry leaves. Color of lightly roasted Tie Guan Yin dry leaves is green. That of heavily roasted Tie Guan Yin, on the other hand, is much darker – more of a brownish color. Dry leave aroma of the two are also quite different. While smell of lightly roasted Tie Guan Yin dry leaves is soft and floral, that of heavily roasted Tie Guan Yin dry leaves is heavy and roasty.

I brewed up the two and slowly sipped them down... The lightly roasted Tie Guan Yin filled my mouth with soft, long lasting orchid aroma infusion after infusion. It was refreshing, buttery, and sweet. The heavily roasted Tie Guan Yin offered more complex taste. At first, it was this mouth full of orchid aroma with a honey undertone, then a nutty aroma arisen from back of my mouth...It was thick, mellow, smooth with vivid long lasting sweet aftertaste.

Lightly roasted Tie Guan Yin started in the early 90s when Taiwan tea manufactures first entered mainland. It quickly gained popularity in mainland due to its pleasant aroma. Because lightly roasted Tie Guan Yin has some green tea characteristics, it has shorter shelf life and requires fridge storage . Heavily roasted Tie Guan Yin, on the other hand, remains seasoned tea drinkers' favorite because of its complex taste. It has longer shelf life and can be stored in room temperature. Unlike lightly roasted Tie Guan Yin, heavily roasted Tie Guan Yin does not hurt stomach. After several years' retreat, heavily roasted Tie Guan Yin is coming back to reclaim its market.

Linda
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A Comparison of Xi Ping, Gan De, and Xiang Hua Tie Guan Yin

Inner AnXi is famous for its Tie Guan Yin tea. Xi Ping, Gan De and Xiang Hua are the three most well known tea production areas in Inner AnXi. Tie Guan Yin from the three areas have different charateristics.

Xi Ping is the origin of Tie Guan Yin. Xi Ping Tie Guan Yin is famous for its excellent taste. Its aroma is relatively light. Xiang Hua is the major Tie Guan Yin production area. Xiang Hua Tie Guan Yin is famous for its high aroma and good taste. Mainly younger bushes, Gan De Tie Guan Yin has high aroma but light taste. Gan De is famous for its lightly roasted Tie Guan Yin.

By carefully blending Mao Cha (raw tea) from different areas, tea producters can now offer Tie Guan Yin of good taste and aroma.

Linda
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Five cups of tea per day may help quit smoking

Need another reason to start drinking tea? Dr. Tao at Beijing Military General Hospital's Addiction Treatment Center told reporters that five cups of tea per day may help quit smoking. According to Dr. Tao, tea not only can help kick the nicotine urge, but also can help detoxification by acting as a diuretic.


Linda
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Quality of this year's Tie Guan Yin is better

This year's AnXi Tie Guan Yin starts to be available on the market. Due to this year's good weather, quality of this year's production is better. The best time to harvest spring Tie Guan Yin is the several days around LiXia (Start of Summer) . AnXi tea farmers enjoyed several sunny days around this year's LiXia.

Linda
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Decoding West Lake Long Jing Grades

We have received several emails from customers were confused by the grading systems different sites use for their West Lake Long Jing. In stead of answering those emails individually, we feel it is better that we address it to all of our customers via our blog.

City of Hangzhou published Long Jing Local Standard in 2005. According to this standard, West Lake Long Jing can be classified into seven grades: Jing Pin(精品), Te Ji (特级), and Grade 1 to 5, with Jing Pin being the highest grade and 5 being the lowest grade.

Both Jing Pin and Te Ji West Lake Long Jing are certified by Hang Zhou Quality Control Center and packed under controlled environment with special anti-fake label and certificate, which allow customers to check authenticity online or by phone. The anti-fake number is 17 digits long and the certificate number is 8 digits long. Only 1,750kg Jing Pin and 2,800kg Te Ji West Lake Long Jing were produced in 2007. The this year's first 600kg Jing Pin West Lake Long Jing went on market on April 7.

While Te Ji West Lake Long Jing is consist of 70% one bud and one leave tea leaves and 30% one bud and two leaves tea leaves, that ratio is reversed in Grade 1 West Lake Long Jing. Therefore, if the West Lake Long Jing you bought is mainly consists of one bud and two leaves, it is not a Te Ji no matter how your vendor rates it.

Video: How Long Jing is Made

Linda
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Tie Guan Yin expected to be available after May 1st

We received many inquires about this year's Oolong. Unlike green teas which value early spring young leaves and buds, Oolong teas require maturer leaves that can stand the partial fermentation process.

Although AnXi Oolong started harvest this week, those harvest now are Huang Jin Gui, an Oolong famous for its high aroma. Tie Guan Yin lovers will have to wait till May for this year's Spring Tie Guan Yin. AnXi Tie Guan Yin will start harvest on April 28 and mass production will start between May 2 to 7.

Linda
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West Lake Long Jing Expected to Hit Market on April 1st

Although some early harvest started to hit market in recent few days, large production will have to wait till April 1. As expected, quality of this year's production is the best among past few years. Shortened pre-Ming harvest period caused shortage in quantity, and that in turn, drove up this year's price by 10% to 20%.

Linda
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Bi Luo Chun Will Hit Market Soon

According to recent news from Su Zhou, this year's Dong Shan Bi Luo Chun harvest started on March 21. Large productions will start to hit the market by March 25. Experts are expecting 10% to 15% price hike this year. Price for top grade Bi Luo Chun will be RMB￥5,000 (prox. USD$715) per 500g.

Linda
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Cold Early Spring Weather Will Likely Reduce Production of Premium Bi Luo Chun

Recent news from JiangSu reported that local producers were expecting reduced production of premium Bi Luo Chun due to this early spring's cold weather. Cold weather will likely delay harvest of this year's Bi Luo Chun by 10 days and this in turn will shorten the production period of premium Bi Luo Chun. Overall production of this year's Bi Luo Chun are expected to be similar to that of last year.

Linda
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Famous Zi Sha Master, Rong Jiang, Passed Away

Ms. Rong Jiang, famous zi sha craftswoman, passed away on Jan. 19, '08 at age of 90. Ms. Jiang was born to a zi sha craftman's family in YiXing, and began to learn to make zi sha ware at age of 11. She designed more than 200 zi sha wares in her life time. Some of the well known ones are: Lotus Flower Teapot, Water Chestnut Teapot, and Lotus Wine Set. Here are some pictures of Ms. Jiang's work.

Linda
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Cold Weather Will Likely Delay Harvest of This Year's Ming Qian Long Jing

Recent extremely cold weather in many southern parts of China raised concerns over this year's tea productions. Several news reports from Xi Hu (West Lake), the original production region of West Lake Long Jing, suggest that this year's Ming Qian Long Jing will likely start to be available around March 25. Mass production, however, will have to wait till late April. On the positive side, the cold weather killed pests and slowed growth of new leaves, which in turn improved quality of this year's production.

Linda
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Ri Zhao Green Tea, a gem from northern China

Grown up in northern China, Ri Zhao tea trees have longer winter time than their southern siblings. Significant day-night temperature difference is good for accumulation of many critical contents. Analyses show that Ri Zhao tea has higher catechin (13.7% higher) and amino acid (5.3% higher) than similar products from southern China. Ri Zhao’s unique climate and geographic condition give its green tea clear yellow-green liquor, strong chestnut aroma, mellow sweet after taste, long lasting infusions, and rich contents of vitamins, minerals and trace minerals (selenium >=25mg/kg).

After some extensive search, we are now able to offer the best of Ri Zhao Green Tea to our customers.

Linda
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