Culinary Specialties CooksShopHere- Green Tea: Longjing Shi Feng Dragonwell First Grade

Black

Oolong

Longjing Shi Feng
Dragonwell
1st Grade
2011 Early Spring

Xi Hu Region, Zhejiang Province, China
Pan-fired
Flat leaf style
Soft, rich, toasty flavor
Nutty, full aroma
Golden straw-colored liquor tending toward amber

4 oz	8 oz	16 oz
~~30.00~~ 18.00 Buy	~~60.00~~ 36.00 Buy	~~120.00~~ 72.00 Buy

Our 2011Longjing Shi Feng Dragonwell 1st Grade is the most flavorful of all 4 of our Longjings this season. It is comprised of a two-leaves-and-a-bud-pluck, which gives it a rich ' juicy' texture and immense mouth feel.

Our 2011 Longjing Shi Feng 1st Grade has a warm, toasty, slightly yeasty flavor with a hint of chestnut in the after-taste. While overall 'stronger' and more accessibly flavorful than our other Longjings, this 1st Grade is still on the 'Asian' side of the style descriptors, due to its clarity and pureness of flavor.

We find a clear distinction between the style of Longjing that is highly-regarded in East Asia and that preferred in the West. In East Asia, subtlety and clarity, softness and sweetness are sought-after. In most of North America and Western Europe, a bolder, more nutty and assertive style of Longjing is preferred.

Different flavor profiles are available, in specific Longjings, due to the influences particular to the micro-climates that exist in and around the region of West Lake, Zhejiang Province - the origin of authentic Longjing tea.

When we taste samples to select our Longjing Shi Feng Dragonwell , we prefer that our choice for this offering is Western in style: reasonably bold, nutty, toasty, mouth-filling, and lingering on the palate. This 2011 early spring Shi Feng stood out this year as an excellent example of what we prefer in this tea.
For those interested in an East Asian style of Longjing, you will likely prefer either our Dafo Village or Meijiawu Village Longjing.

Our Longjing teas are completely hand made and are pan-fired in charcoal-fired tea firing pans by artisans who are masters of their craft.

Update March 2012: Now that the Dafo and Meijiawu Villages Longjings have sold through, we are able to focus on our two most traditional Shi Fengs. This, the 1st Grade, is drinking very nicely and will continue to do so for probably another year or more. So much flavor, so much time. Right now you can purchase 4 oz of both for only $6.00 more than one cost earlier in the season.
RJH

Use 1.25 Tablespoons (2-3 grams) per 6 oz of water
Steep 2-3 infusions at 2 minutes each.
Water temperature should be 170˚ - 180˚ F