From our Masters collection of premium, small lot, artisan teas for wholesale purchase in retail sizes. Our 2019 Shi Feng Long Jing, which translates to Lion's Peak Dragonwell, is one of the most famous green teas in China. It hails from the equally famous and historic West Lake area in Hangshou, Zhejiang province. This Shi Feng Long Jing is a pre-Qing Ming Festival, and so its early spring harvest results in a tender, young plucking. The liquor is a pale yellow, with a soft, sweet chestnut aroma. The crisp body is delicately nutty, quite complex, with a flickering hint of sweet grass and apricot blossoms.
This tea contains a moderate level of caffeine | Steep at 170° for 2-3 minutes.
The cultivations of tea in the West Lake area dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It was during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) when Long Jing was honored as one of the top Chinese teas. It reached the top of that list during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) when it was officially recognized by Emperor Qianlong.
Due to the area's early prosperity, Qianlong visited the area multiple times during his reign of over six decades. It is said that he oversaw the tea making process on at least four visits. He was so infatuated with the plant that he wrote poems about tea making and tea drinking, and planted 18 tea shrubs in front of Hugong Temple for 'imperial tea'.
With fertile lands surrounded by mountains, the region is protected from cold winds from the north while retaining warm air currents from the south. It is this unique geography, along with exceptional local water quality, that yields this legendary tea.