An Ji Bai Cha 安吉白茶 is a famous Chinese green tea originating from Anji County, Zhejiang Province, China. This tea is made from finely selected buds and leaves that are carefully picked and processed by hand. The result is a clear, fresh infusion with a delicate sweet, slightly herbal flavor. Anji Bai Cha is sometimes mistakenly referred to as white tea. Although Bai Cha 白茶 is translated as white tea, this only refers to the appearance of the tea leaf, not the type of tea. It is actually a fine green tea.
Anji Bai Cha was first produced in Anji (Huzhou, Zhejiang Province) over 800 years ago. According to records, it stood out during the Song Dynasty for its peculiar shape and excellent quality - but soon after disappeared for many years until a single plant was discovered in a bamboo forest at an altitude of over 800 m. It was discovered by local scientists in the 1970s. The Anji Bai Cha we drink today was created by asexually propagating this plant from a single source.
The leaves of the cultivar used for Anji Bai Cha have a distinctive white appearance when harvested and infused. This characteristic has even earned these teas the nickname albino tea. The cultivar known as Bai Ye No. 1 (白叶一号) has only been used to make this tea since 1982, a few years after a white “mother bush” was discovered in Anji County. Although there are legends of white tea bushes in Chinese tea folklore dating back about 1,000 years, Anji Bai Cha is the first known albino tea to have actually been produced.
The leaves of our Anji Bai Cha are long, thin and very delicate. The picking style is a small bud and 1-2 small, young, thin leaves. After infusing, it is very easy to see that the leaves have a much lighter, almost white color. The infusion has a light yellow-green color and an herbal, spicy, cruciferous aroma. The taste is herbal, spicy, slightly vegetal and grassy. There are nutty, umami notes and a hint of oily herbs such as sage and rosemary. The finish is creamy and smooth, without astringency or bitterness. This is a light and delicate tea, but offers plenty of complex flavors.
Green tea Melon Seeds - Liu An Gua Pian 六安瓜片 - History and Processing
Lu An Gua Pian 六安瓜片 green tea originates from Anhui Province of China. It is featured in almost all lists of ‘China’s Famous Teas’ and is mentioned extensively throughout Chinese tea history. Several times pan-fried leaf of this famous green tea has a distinct shape, producing a vegetal liquor with a sweet aftertaste. This tea is special in its appearance. It looks a bit like watermelon seed so it was named after it.
High mountains and clouds produce good tea - Green bamboo leaves from Emeishan
Zhu Ye Qing 竹叶青 is a famous Chinese green tea based on a careful selection of fine buds (only buds) that are carefully collected and processed by hand. It comes from Mount Emei (Emeishan 峨眉山) in Sichuan Province and its name translates as "green bamboo leaves". Zhu Ye Qing is a selection of tiny green buds that are flattened by the hands of a tea master during the wok drying stage. The neat green leaves resemble the small green leaves of bamboo, hence its name.
