2025 Meijiawu West Lake Longjing

West Lake Longjing 西湖龙井 specifically refers to Longjing tea produced within the 168 square kilometers of the Xihu (西湖, West Lake) District in Hangzhou. It is divided into a first-tier core production area (including Shifeng 狮峰, Longjing 龙井, Yunqi 云栖, Hupao 虎跑, and Meijiawu 梅家坞) and a second-tier area (such as Longwu 龙坞 and Zhuantang 转塘). Tea from this designated area accounts for less than 10% of the total Longjing tea production. Any Longjing tea produced outside this region cannot be labeled as West Lake Longjing.

Meijiawu West Lake Longjing is a premium green tea produced in Meijiawu Village 梅家坞村, located in the West Lake District of Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. Situated in the western heartland of the West Lake Scenic Area, Meijiawu Village, often known as the "Ten-Mile Meiwu," is an ancient village with a rich tea culture history spanning over 600 years. The West Lake Longjing tea produced here is renowned both domestically and internationally for its tender green color, rich fragrance, mellow taste, and flat, elegant appearance, making it a favorite among tea lovers.

This particular Longjing tea is harvested from an ecological tea garden, set apart from the usual tourist and traffic routes. No pesticides are applied in this garden; instead, physical methods are used for pest control. Chemical fertilizers are avoided, and the soil is nourished with rapeseed cakes during the autumn and winter months. The tea trees undergo regular pruning to ensure the buds are tender and plump.

Building upon strict harvesting standards, we have enlisted a master tea maker with thirty years of experience to craft this first-harvest Longjing using purely traditional, handmade techniques. During the firing process, the tea leaves not only develop the classic aromas of beans and chestnuts but also release a rare and delicate orchid fragrance.

To further enhance its taste and shelf life, we adhere to traditional Longjing methods by including the uncommon "lime curing" (收灰, Shouhui) step. This process effectively tempers the heat from roasting and stabilizes the tea's quality. The dry leaves are flat, smooth, and lustrous, exhibiting a tender green hue mixed with a 'hulled rice' yellow. The brewed tea is a bright, apricot-green infusion, offering a refreshingly crisp and tender flavor with a noticeable sweet aftertaste (回甘, Huigan). The infused leaves remain tender and whole, retaining a subtle fragrance even when cool, showcasing the high quality and unique character of Meijiawu West Lake Longjing.