ماو جيان

The dry leaves have a lovely, clean scent of fresh grass, and the liquor brews up a pale, almost sweet yellow. I appreciate that it's hand-processed from a late April harvest, giving it a mellow but distinct flavor.

Finally, a green tea that doesn't get bitter when I accidentally steep it a minute too long. The leaves from that late April harvest are incredibly tender, and the cloudy mountain climate really comes through in the smooth, clean finish.

The flat, needle-like leaves unfurl beautifully in my glass teapot, and the April 2022 harvest tastes noticeably fresh. It's vegetal with a sweet finish and almost no bitterness if you keep the water around 80°C.