An exceptional daily dragonwell, this tea is picked a few days after the Qing Ming holiday in early April, during a two week harvest period that ends on the Guyu Festival. This agricultural holiday welcomes the arrival of spring rains, and teas picked during the preceding two weeks are therefore referred to as “pre-rain” harvests.

The leaf buds were gathered before fully opening, then immediately pan-roasted: first lightly tossed, then firmly pressed and folded against the hot surface of a steel roasting drum. This pan-roasting process gives the tea its unique blade-like appearance and iconic toasted flavor.

To accentuate the sweetness of these early harvest leaves, we requested a longer, lower temperature roast on the tea, a process that imparts a natural nuttiness and buttery finish. The end result is a tea perfect for daily indulgence, with a hearty toasted aroma, full bodied flavor, and a finish that clings to the palate.  

As the least oxidized tea style, green tea offers the highest potency of antioxidants, caffeine, theanine, and more. While this high concentration makes green tea very healthy, it also means this style can be more sensitive to your brewing method. We recommend a lower brewing ratio and cooler temperature to produce a smooth and refreshing brew with minimal bitterness or astringency.

Learn the fundamentals of tea brewing and master your technique .