Keemun Maofeng Snake Forest 2021 No.349

Keemun black tea from Anhui province is one of the most famous Chinese black teas. However, just a few people know that they made only green teas until the late years of the XIX. century. When we were on teahunter trip in the region, we fell in love with the green teas from the Lao Zhu Ye Zhong variety. So we are introducing two amazing green teas from Qimen now.

The Keemun Maofeng Snake Garden leaves were harvested in the most exclusive and highest place of the Qimen region where the tea plants had been living wildly and abandoned for the last 20-30 years. The plucking is only possible during the spring months because poisonous vipers are abundant there in summer making it impossible to reach the place. The villagers also call these twenty-steps-snakes because, if the worst happens, you only have twenty steps left. The early harvest results in precious fine buds, which is the reason for the elegance of the tea, and the wilderness in which these buds grow brings us close to nature.

Tasting notes:
Steamed gaiwan: pistachio, cream, milk, butter, flowers
1. pouring, 75 °C: smooth green taste, which covers the mouth, we can’t find any harsh notes
2. pouring 80°C: harmonic tastes with pea sprout, elegant aftertaste
3. pouring 95 °C: we tried this high temperature as a test, the tea didn’t become bitter, we found some nettle-ish smells and a bit of consomme like tastes

Preparing Instructions:

Quantity: 5 grams per 150ml
Water temperature: 75-80ºC. From fresh spring, mineral water, or filtered water
Brewing time: 15… seconds
Infusions: 6-7