C. sinensis var. unknown; Spring, 2021; Rizhao, Shandong, Rizhao Original Green Tea Base, elev. unknown; Bud and 1 leaf, hand rolled, baked green tea process; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, #JīnTiāndeChá, #Tea, #GreenTea.

 The dry leaf is thin, wiry, and twisted. It’s colour is a med. to dark green with occasional yellow edging and some grey-white tips. The dry leaf aroma smells like roasted pumpkin, steamed rice, cut grass, & is noticeably vegetal.

The wet leaf aroma smells sharp, pungent, vegetal, like fresh cut green asparagus, and boiled brussels sprouts, and on cooling is reminiscent of yellow butter beans.

The liquor has a pale, clear, yellow appearance, with mild, buttered maize/chestnut aroma, while its mouthfeel is thick, creamy, viscous, & sweet, with a mild peppery tingling on the tongue. Its taste is pleasant, sweet, and finishes with lingering retronasal hints of cooked sweet potato, maize, and white rice.

Steeped 3g of leaf in 150ml of Nongfu Spring water for 30-120sec.@75deg. C. Both the tea colour and taste becomes more pronounced with longer steeping, revealing a pleasant, and lingering minerality on the palate.

Ecological tea farms were initiated in Rizhao as an experiment in the late 50’s and were fully established by 1966 in the Laoshan mountain range, which is known for its acidic brown-yellow soils, and granite mountain peaks.

The city of Rizhao in Shandong Province, lies on the east coast of China, north of Shanghai, and is one of three, lauded and globally recognised, “coastal” green tea cities in the world. The other two being: Shizuoka in Japan, and Boseong in South Korea.