The best variety of green tea

Green tea is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Its history is much longer and more colorful than coffee, and its homeland has been established reliably. Today, the production of this product is carried out in many countries of the world, but China still holds the first place in quality, production volume and a special attitude towards tea drinking.

Varieties and producers

In the store, you can buy packaged, small-leaf and large-leaf green tea at a variety of prices. If you look at the cost, then in Russia you can buy a really high-quality varietal product in the range from $ 7 to $ 800 per 100 grams. Moreover, the most expensive is Chinese elite twisted tea, followed by Japanese, Indonesian, and Ceylon tea.

The largest producers, like tea plantations, are concentrated in China, both in the south of the country and in the north. Hundreds of types of tea are produced here, from rare and expensive, to simple, affordable, designed to be consumed every day. Good green tea is always large-leaved, and the more it is twisted, the stronger the infusion will be, the softer the taste and the healthier the drink itself.

Green differs from black in that it almost does not go through the fermentation stage, that is, it does not oxidize under the influence of external factors and its own enzymes. This allows the sheet to preserve all the useful components without changing and transforming into other compounds. In order to prevent fermentation, the harvested leaf is slightly wilted under natural conditions, and later exposed to high temperatures. This can be roasting in the oven, after which the leaves are manually rolled and dried completely.

Depending on the type of curling, teas are distinguished:

• strongly twisted along the sheet;
• strongly twisted across the sheet;
• slightly twisted.

If the leaf is twisted along the axis, it takes the form of twigs, sticks, spirals. This option is very popular in Japan, and the famous Gekuro and most of its varieties are a prominent representative.

Plantations in China have existed for more than one millennium

When the leaf is rolled across, it can resemble balls, scales and is marked in China as Gunpowder, and in Japan as Sencha. In China, such teas are also called pearl, and if there are many tips in their composition, then they are called golden or imperial. Balls can be of different sizes and shapes, their variety is very great.

Loosely rolled tea is a product that is naturally dried, so it can look like flattened blades of grass. It either does not curl at all, or wrinkles slightly. The most popular product is called Long Jing.

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The leaves are rolled not only to increase their presentability. This is a way to keep healthy tea components inside longer and increase shelf life. Weakly rolled leaves give a weak infusion, delicate, with a light floral or citrus aroma. Strongly curled are always more intense, with a rich multifaceted aroma and taste. Green tea color can vary from light green with a silvery to dark green.

If, when brewed correctly, the taste of tea is pronounced herbal, this is a low-grade product. A good and expensive product has a whole bouquet of aromas from citrus fruits to floral and light herbal ones, natural sweetness and honey flavor may be present.

The most famous varieties

In the tea industry, there are many ways to draw attention to a product. This is mainly a beautiful packaging, an original slogan. But for many centuries there have been varieties of tea that are in constant demand and love without any popularization.

Xi Hu Long Jing - large leaf green tea from Xihu

Below are the top ranked green teas:

• Xi-Hu Long Jing is a Chinese large-leaved plant from Lake Xihu. Collected and produced since ancient times, today it is divided into 13 varieties, the best of which are the first three, represented by a large content of unblown buds collected in early spring. This tea has the lightest color of the infusion, which can set off emerald. The taste is very intense, the aroma is thick floral. It is brewed for about a minute and served in clear glasses to enjoy the subtle shade of the infusion.
• Taiping Hou-Kui is a tea that is harvested on a limited number of plantations and only on a sunny day. There are strict rules for the selection of raw materials. This is a tea bud, which is embraced by two young, freshly blossomed leaves of the same size as the bud. This product is called hot tea.
• Bi-Lo-Chun - passes the stage of manual twisting, from which the tea leaves take the form of small coiled spirals, which are also called snails. Within the variety, there is a division into 7 sub-varieties, and the lower the species, the weaker the taste and aroma. When brewing, Bi-Lo-Chun gives a light emerald color of the infusion, fresh aroma, thick, rich taste. Its taste contains fruity notes. It is also customary to serve the drink in transparent glasses. The largest plantation is located in Jiangxi province.
• Yongwu is one of the most expensive Chinese teas. It is grown on small plantations located on damp and damp mountain slopes, where the sun's rays rarely fall. Goes to the domestic market, therefore it is rare outside the country.
• Gunpowder - tea leaves are similar to balls of gunpowder, refers to pearl teas, it is consumed very sparingly, as it has a very dense and rich taste.
• Chan-Mi is the main loose tea in China, the second name is "eyebrow", which is obtained for the shape of the tea leaves. Has a classic taste and aroma, mixed with flowers, herbs and citruses.
• Huang Shan Mao Feng is the highest mountainous Chinese tea, tea leaves have a light yellowish color, sweetish taste, fresh and rich aroma. Tea leaves resemble passerine tongues.
• Maojian is a large group of teas produced by the upper bud with a leaf. After brewing, the infusion acquires an amber color, delicate taste with a pleasant aftertaste. To get the true Maojiang for 1 cup, you need to take 2 tsp. tea leaves.
• Tien Shan Yin Hao is a natural flavored jasmine tea. The infusion is light and transparent, the taste is classic, and the aroma is rich floral.
• Dong Yuang Dong Bai is a light yellow drink with a bright floral aroma and a multifaceted aftertaste.

Chinese teas are considered the most aromatic and delicate in taste. In this country, a huge number of varieties are produced, different in organoleptic properties and unimaginable in shape. Japanese teas are darker in color and less aromatic.The most popular are Sencha, Bancha and Gekuro. The product from India is considered the lowest grade, although it is in demand due to its affordable price. It can produce a light spicy taste and aroma.

Beneficial features

Green tea is the most useful due to its content of vitamins, amino acids, essential oils, antioxidants. It is rich in fluoride, iodine, zinc, calcium, potassium, and antimicrobial components. It has a high biological activity, which is expressed in the following effects on the human body:

• strengthens the immune system;
• makes vessels elastic and reduces their permeability;
• heals the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract;
• activates mental and physical performance;
• useful for losing weight;
• has an antitumor effect;
• removes toxins, including salts of heavy metals;
• strengthens the skeletal system.

Green teas retain their beneficial properties only when brewed correctly. Boiling water is destructive for them. The water temperature should be from 60 to 80 degrees, and the infusion time lasts from 1 to 3 minutes. If the drink is overexposed, it can become bitter due to its high caffeine content. Water is an important ingredient in brewing. It must be soft, springy, so as not to spoil the taste of the drink.

A cup of green drink promotes weight loss

You need to know what time it is best to drink this tea. This time is from morning to 16-18 pm. Green tea is a highly tonic drink, so it is not recommended in the evening. Pregnant women and children should not get carried away with tea.

Best Green Tea

If we talk about which green tea is better, then this is a product of an early spring harvest with a large number of tips. It is considered the most aromatic, delicate in taste and useful. Such raw materials are always treated with care, excluding the likelihood of spoilage, since ready-made tea is expensive and is purchased by people who know a lot about it.

The best green tea is produced in China, and this has been done for more than one millennium. Many works of Chinese sages are devoted to the benefits and beauty of tea leaves. In Russia, 50% of the product sold on the market is purchased in China, the rest in Sri Lanka, Georgia, Vietnam, Japanese varieties are very rare.

According to the 2016 rating, the following are the best brands of green tea:

1. Greenfield Flying Dragon is a leafy Chinese plantation in Hunan province. Gives a light infusion color, light floral aroma with herbal notes. Does not have bitterness and astringency;
2. Princess Java Best - inexpensive Chinese with a mild taste, light infusion, good tonic;
3. Ahmad Green Tea - represented by the Chinese variety Chang Mi, which has a mild pistachio aroma. Gives a light infusion with light astringency.

When buying tea, you must pay attention to the completeness of the information provided on the package. It is best to opt for loose teas, which are sold through a network of specialty boutiques. Here you can not only see tea leaves, but also taste the desired variety. It is important to check the timing of tea production, the less time has passed since the collection, the more aromatic and useful the drink will be, because a long shelf life under the wrong conditions can spoil the taste of the most expensive variety. It is even dangerous to buy such tea.

Homemade green tea

In Russia, black and green tea has long been prepared from a variety of plant materials. The most popular was fireweed, although using a similar technology, tea leaves can be prepared from currant leaves, cherries, raspberries, and medicinal herbs. To make green leaf tea yourself, you must:

• during the flowering period, collect the leaves of the fireweed;
• spread them out on a flat surface in a warm room for several hours so that they wither and lose some of the juice;
• then they are laid out on a baking sheet and sent to the oven for frying to stop the oxidation process;
• after roasting, final drying takes place, which can be done with or without hand-rolled leaves.

Store tea in glass or tin cans in a dark cabinet at room temperature. You can add dried currant leaves, cornflower flowers, oregano and other aromatic natural additives to them.

Reviews

Irina: Green tea for me can only be pure - without aromas, pieces of fruit and other nonsense. Stopped at Hayles English large-leaf. I am glad that there is never garbage in the pack. All tea leaves are dense, even, with a pleasant aroma, not hay. The infusion is quite gentle, the taste is soft, there is no bitterness. The price is also pleasing, it is very affordable and the pack never disappears from the shelves. There are no difficulties with the search. I am used to its classic taste; it tones up and refreshes well, especially in the heat of summer.

Marina: I tried Dilmakh, Greenfield, Maisky, but I haven't found better Ahmad yet. It's really delicious. I drink it without sugar, hot and cold, it tones up well, has a light green aroma. I love.

Ivan: You can buy good tea only by weight. I always check its color, aroma, sometimes I ask to have it brewed for tasting. I love Chinese snail and other emerald teas.

Olga: It is difficult for an inexperienced person to distinguish cheap Indian tea, the packaging of which often indicates that it is Chinese. But it is enough to try the latter once to drink only it. It is really delicate, floral and citrusy at the same time. There is no smell or taste of dried hay in it. I order this only on the Internet.

There are a huge variety of green tea varieties in the world. Each of them has its own unique qualities. Some are delicate in taste, others are tart, some have a pungent odor, others floral. However, this variety allows you to choose a tea that will really please you personally.

By taste, green tea varieties can be divided into:

• Refreshing taste (Kukicha, Buncha, Sencha);
• Astringent taste (Chun Mi, Shen Puer, Gunpowder);
• Floral Spicy (Mao Feng, Pan Long Ying Hao);
• Floral delicate (Bi Lo Chun, Lung Ching);

China, in general, is amazing in terms of tea. It is not only the birthplace of tea - all the unique recipes, harvesting, processing and preparation technologies were invented there.

The tea leaves are rolled, fried, fermented, pressed into plates, crushed into powder, rolled into a ball shape, tied up to form a flower. This gave rise to thousands of teas, some of which are still unknown to experts.

In China, each province produces completely different tea, depending on the technologies traditionally originated in them. Moreover, their quality is determined by 8 standards.

6 classic varieties of Chinese green tea:

Chun Mi is one of the main tea exported by China. He was the first to come to Europe and it is his tart taste that Europeans associate with real tea. It's strong, cheap, no additives or flavors.

Gunpowder - got this name because of the leaves, twisted into small balls resembling a shot, crackling at high temperatures. In fact, it is the most popular green tea in the world. It is strong, tart, with a very pleasant aroma.

Longjing - it has a very delicate floral taste and aroma, which is why it was awarded the title "Imperial Tea". It is an elite type of tea, although its price is quite affordable.

Tocha is one of the most healing green teas. Recommended for diets and other situations of fasting of the body. It can be green and black.

King Ding - has a strong aroma and pleasant spicy taste. Most often, it is used for holidays and other celebrations.

Mao Feng - he has a soft, delicate and even sweetish floral taste. Helps relieve stress and escape from the hustle and bustle.

Millions of inhabitants of the planet Earth drink tea every day.But for some reason, we, immigrants from the Soviet Union, have nostalgic memories of that very black tea "with an elephant", about samovars and bagels, about a tart, bitter brown drink. Even now, most Russians prefer black (aka red) tea, while they refuse green.

But in vain. After all, good green tea is a real treasure. In China, Japan and India, it is valued much higher than other varieties. All thanks to the amazing benefits and more subtle effect that low-fermented varieties give.

GREEN TEA IN CHINA, JAPAN, GEORGIA, INDIA, SRI LANKA

Green tea from China

Celestial Empire is considered to be the birthplace of tea camellia: here they began to drink tea more than 4 thousand years ago. When the Chinese say the word "tea" they mean exactly green. China is the world's main supplier of elite and rare green varieties. Four green teas are among the top ten Chinese varieties.

We will talk about the types and features of Chinese green tea a little later. In the meantime - the most valuable representatives of other countries.

In Japan

And in Japan, only green varieties are produced. And the technology is quite unusual: the tea leaves are exposed to hot steam, which gives the tea an unusual, specific taste and a darker color of the infusion. And here is a list of varieties worthy of special attention of connoisseurs:

• September. The production volume is about 2/3 in Japan. A classic tea, outwardly it is represented by thin needles of a rich green color. Its aroma is woody, the taste is sweet with a slight bitterness.
• Gekuro. It translates as "pearl drop". This is a rarer and more expensive tea. Raw materials for it are collected strictly at the beginning of spring. 20 days before harvest, tea bushes shade, which reduces the concentration of tannin in the leaf. Thanks to this, a more delicate and sweet taste, devoid of bitterness, is achieved.
• Matcha. Exotic tea powder, which is not only brewed, but also added to desserts. The steamed leaves are cleaned of stems and veins, and then ground into powder. Despite its strange appearance, there is nothing chemical in it. A small pinch is enough for brewing: the concentration of this tea is very high.
• Gemmaitya. It is a mixture of senti and fried rice. Previously, only poor Japanese drank it: rice increased the satiety of the drink, and with the addition of salt, such tea was something of a first course. Now everybody drinks gemmaitya.

In Georgia

Georgian tea plantations are one of the northernmost in the world. Here green tea was first produced in the 16th century. Now there are several dozen varieties, which are classified by numbers: from 10 to 125. The higher the number, the better the tea. The best of the numbered ones is # 125, but there are varieties that are even more appreciated, for example, Extra and Bouquet of Georgia.

In the country of the mountains, green tea is often produced in the form of bricks, just like Chinese pu-erh tea. So it is stored longer, retaining its useful properties.

In India

But in India, light varieties have not taken root among the locals. Small volumes are produced in the north of the country: mainly for sale to neighboring states.

In Sri Lanka

Ceylon tea ... How much quality lies in this combination of words. Ceylon (the old name of Sri Lanka) produces large-leaved, elite varieties of green tea. The product with the romantic name "Pearl of the Ocean" stands out among them. It has a tart floral taste, rich and very intense. Ceylon tea with sausepa extract, an exotic fruit, is also interesting, illuminating and bright.

HOW IS GREEN TEA PRODUCED? From collection to packaging

The purpose of green tea production is to prevent leaf oxidation during the first stage of processing. Whereas black is fermented immediately after harvest.

There are so many varieties of green tea, there are so many unique recipes for their production. With all this diversity, several main stages can be distinguished that underlie it.

Collection of raw materials

The raw materials for green tea are young flushes (from English - shoots), shamrocks.Most often, the collection begins in early spring, but the exact time depends on the specific variety. There are strict rules for collecting tea. For example, some varieties require leaves collected at a strictly defined time of the day, when there is no precipitation and the established temperature regime is observed.

Steaming: 2-3 minutes

The goal is to prevent oxidation of the sheet and make it elastic to shape. Tea is steamed in special devices that generate hot steam (about 95-100 degrees). The leaf is placed in the equipment: just 2-3 minutes is enough for the tea to acquire new properties necessary for subsequent drying.

Drying: 10-15 minutes

After steaming, the leaves are dried at a humidity of 60-62%, a temperature of 90-95 degrees. Objective: to reduce the moisture content for the next stage - curling. Drying of the sheet is carried out in special devices.

Twisting: 60-80 minutes

In the process of twisting, the surface of the sheet is damaged and juice is released from it. If black tea is rolled intensively and for a long time, then for green tea, one or two drying is used. To do this, it is placed in special rollers.

Drying in the oven

Final drying takes place in special ovens. Purpose: final dehydration of the sheet. As a result, the moisture content drops to 2-5%, the raw material acquires a darker olive color.

Packaging

It all depends on the standards in force at a particular plant or private farm. Often one batch is sorted into several categories according to the quality of raw materials: for example, large-leaf categories 1, 2, 3, small-leaf categories 2 and 3. The inferior quality tea is in the form of crumbs. It is the large leaf that is highly valued by lovers of green varieties: it gives a more aromatic, bright, rich infusion.

WORLD OF CHINESE GREEN TEA

Green tea is a Chinese national drink, the record holder for popularity among residents. The Celestial Empire is the birthplace of tea in general, and green tea in particular. The first mention of him in historical sources falls on the 1st century AD, during the reign of the Han dynasty. It was at this time that the hieroglyph "cha" appeared, which initially looked like this - "荼".

For centuries, Chinese green tea was only available to the imperial family and courtiers. The Celestial Empire remains its main producer to this day. But red varieties are less popular here.

In China, tea drinking is a ritual, a ceremony that came to us from Buddhist monks and has much in common with meditation and other spiritual practices. There is no doubt that it was green tea that was the first drink for ceremonies and first appeared in China.

Historians have established that the flowering of tea culture falls on the 7-10th centuries. Initially, green tea was used as a medicine. Many literary sources speak of the high value of tea in China: poems and treatises have been written and are being written about it, Confucius's aphorisms have survived to this day, who considered it the best drink "to relieve fatigue and pacify the spirit."

Taste and aroma

The most delicious thing about sugar-free green tea is the sense of your own superiority. I don’t know exactly whose words these are, but I’m sure this person has never tasted real Chinese green tea. It is pleasant to drink it not only because of the realization of the high benefits, but also because of its delicious, exciting taste that can transport you to another dimension.

“A tea bouquet is like an expensive wine. It cannot be repeated, the secrets of its preparation are available only to the author. "

Caitlin Turner

For all the variety of varieties of Chinese green tea, each of them has similar notes: floral, herbal, refreshing and delicate.

Early tea (spring) often has a lighter aroma and sweet taste, and summer and autumn varieties have a peculiar bitterness and astringency. The infusion has a green hue: from light green to emerald green.

The best varieties of Chinese green tea: TOP 5

Is it realistic to list and taste all the varieties of this limitless variety of tea? Unlikely, but why not aim for it? And you should start with the charming five of the brightest and most popular.

1. Mao Feng... This is a real gem of the mountainous regions of Anhui province. This tea is one of the ten most popular varieties in the world. It is harvested in early spring, when the first leaves are just beginning to bloom on the bushes. Processing of tea begins on the day of collection: thanks to this, the infusion does not lose its aroma and freshness. The final stage of production is drying the leaves in ovens. Mao Feng's aroma is clear, pronounced, its taste is transparent and light.

2. Ku ding... The name of tea is translated from Chinese as "bitter tear". But such a sad name has nothing to do with its energy and aroma. The piercing taste is tart, even slightly bitter, but aromatic notes emphasize this bitterness favorably. Ku Ding is a real healing source. It removes toxins from the body, normalizes blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, and helps to lose weight. It has been noticed that a freshly brewed infusion helps to quickly eliminate a hangover.
3. Longjin... This representative wins the hearts of men and women, amateurs, connoisseurs and beginners who are taking their first steps in acquaintance with the Chinese tea culture. The harmonious, sophisticated taste is saturated with floral, herbaceous shades, but the notes of roasted pumpkin seeds come to the fore. Longjin is great as a refreshing, invigorating, everyday drink. It raises the mood and tunes in to the creative wave.

4. Zhu Ye Qing. "Freshness of bamboo leaves ”- this is how its name is translated from Chinese. This invigorating green tea has a sunny, delicate, sophisticated taste with nutty and meadow notes. Labor-intensive production and careful selection of raw materials (ideally even young leaves are used) put Zhu Ye Qing in the elite of green varieties. This tea is for connoisseurs, lovers of elegant and sophisticated notes.
5. Bi Lo Chun.Tea with a poetic name, which translates as "emerald spirals of spring", distracts from the usual rhythm with its unique aroma. The raw materials for it are tender young buds and leaves. Tea bushes grow among fruit trees: coincidence or not, the taste of Bi Lo Chun is filled with fruity and floral notes, light honey notes.

COMPOSITION AND USE

Are there foods in the world that have been studied as thoroughly as tea? I doubt. It would seem that its chemical composition has been studied from and to, but until now scientists from different countries do not calm down and find more and more new properties characteristic of certain varieties.

Analysis of the results of tea research showed that green Chinese tea contains 5 main components that have a beneficial effect on the human body.

5 components of green tea for health

• Vitamins. We will not go into long listings: it is enough to compare the concentration of vitamins in tea and other products. For example, vitamin P in one of its mugs is 4 times more than in an orange, A is 6 times more than in carrots, and vitamin E is practically the same as in walnuts.

Impressive?

• Trace elements. Drink 1-2 cups of fresh green tea daily, and say no to dietary supplements and minerals. Even during processing and fermentation, all useful substances are preserved in the leaf: fluorine, iodine, potassium and calcium, magnesium and even gold (albeit quite a bit). Such a rich composition more than compensates for the lack of these substances in the body, and this is an excellent prevention of many diseases and loss of strength.
• Tannins. These are polyphenols, which are stored in green varieties twice as much as in dark ones. They have a beneficial effect on the skin and digestion, which are interconnected in themselves.
• Amino acids. Green tea contains 17 amino acids, mainly glutelins, but there are also water-soluble albumin. During processing, the content of the latter increases by 10%.By the way, green tea contains more proteins than black. Among the tea amino acids there is glutamine, which actively restores the emotional background, reduces nervous tension.
• Alkaloids. Taine, caffeine, theobromine, theophylline - we owe them to them for a mild, but sustained vigor and revitalizing effect after drinking a glass of fragrant infusion.

Invigorating green tea: about tea caffeine

For some reason, many people think that black (red in Chinese) tea invigorates more than green tea. And this is a mistake: try to drink it at night, and you will be convinced of it. The reason is the higher content of alkaloids in it, including caffeine.

“So caffeine is bad!” - many will say. Let's make some adjustments: only "coffee caffeine" (sorry for the tautology), which causes tachycardia, can cause harm, and if you overdo it, you can cause temporary clouding of mind and nausea. Greens are high in theine, a type of caffeine. It acts much softer, giving a steady, but not sharp vigor, which does not entail a breakdown.

Thus, by replacing coffee with tea, you get the vigor you need, avoiding bad side effects. However, we still do not recommend drinking green varieties at night.

Theine content depends on the specific variety, place of growth, production technology, collection time. On average, one cup contains 60 to 85 mg of this alkaloid.

Benefit and harm

The benefits of green tea are much more than the potential harm. To feel it, it is enough to drink 1-2 cups of high-quality and properly brewed drink daily.

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Da Hong Pao - tea legend

Probably, green tea is the richest in varieties. If oolong, for example, were clustered in only two provinces in the south of China, and pu-erh is produced only in Yunnan, then green tea ranks first in terms of prevalence. And of course, when they say "Chinese tea", the first thing that comes to mind is green tea. What varieties of green tea are there today and which are the best?

Green tea varieties and non-varieties

Let's separate marketing first. Probably, for a person who is not immersed in tea, there is no difference between "Emerald spirals of spring" and "Dreams of a Geisha" in terms of the creativity of the name. At the same time, Bi Lo Chun "Emerald Spirals of Spring" is a varietal tea, and the dreams of sultans and geishas are marketing.

What does varietal tea mean? This is a tea grown from a special type of bush, in a certain region and produced according to its own technology. Everything is like with wine and vineyards. If one of these parameters does not correspond to the standard, then the tea does not have the right to be called by that name. So, tea Long Jing "Dragon Well" can be called only the tea that is obtained from the leaves from certain bushes grown in the province of Zhejiang. Tea grown from the same bushes, made in the same way, but not in another province.

Moreover, the state protects the names of teas on a geographical basis - Xi Hu Long Jing can only be tea that is grown on plantations near Lake Xi Hu. Long Jing grown elsewhere cannot be called Xi Hu. Why is everything so difficult? Because the climate and geography greatly affect the quality of tea, its taste. On the shore of the lake there are some conditions, in the mountains they are different, and on the plains there are still others, and all this creates different types of tea. Xi Hu is the tastiest and most expensive Long Jing, and therefore, under this name, a dishonest producer can sell tea for more than it costs.

And when you take ordinary sencha, which is harvested by hundreds of tons from industrial plantations and diluted with pieces of fruit and flavors, you get all the creative splendor that can be observed in some tea shops - the dreams and dreams of sultans, geishas, ​​dragons, monkeys, samurai,phoenixes and other eastern fauna. Who exactly comes up with these names, we do not know.

Teas rolled into rings and balls are not varieties either. Usually this is all a way of increasing the cost of raw materials, marketers call it "improving consumer properties." The so-called "blooming" teas, when a flower appears from a ball in a glass, are not for drinking at all, but for admiring the process. I put it on the table like flowers - and you admire it. Initially, this was exactly the point, and drinking this tea is like taking a sip of water from a vase.

Which green tea is best?

In general, of course, this is the one that you personally like. And so - in China there is a list of "Famous varieties". He often corrects, some go there, some go out. These teas won prizes at industry exhibitions, were presented as state gifts. That is, these are truly outstanding teas, the best of the best.

Long Jing (Dragon Well)

What is famous for: tea number 1 in China. Almost a symbol of all green teas. Recognized as almost the country's cultural heritage, received a huge number of awards, presented on behalf of the head of state, has been known since the 8th century. 18 bushes have survived to this day, from which the variety originates. A stunning floral scent with hints of chocolate, the scent of sun and spring. Sweet, full-bodied taste. Perfectly invigorates, tones up.

Huang Shan Mao Feng "The Fuzzy Peaks of the Yellow Mountains"

What is famous for: in the 1980s it was an official government gift. Very pronounced freshness in taste and aroma, with light floral nuances. Relaxes, refreshes.

Bi Lo Chun "Emerald spirals of spring"

What is famous for: tea-number-two in China after the "Dragon's Well". It grows among fruit trees on plantations near Dongting Lake, Jiangsu Province. Small, coiled tea leaves covered with white pile. Very graceful, delicate, soft, sweet. Floral aroma and fruity taste. Strongly relaxes. When brewing in glassware, you can observe the dance of the villi - a very spectacular sight. A characteristic feature of this tea is the incredible lightness that appears during tea drinking.

Tai Ping Hou Kui "The leader of the monkeys from Hawken"

What is famous for: gold at the Panama Pacific Exhibition in San Francisco, in 2004 was named the "King of Green Teas". Intoxicating floral aroma, thick soft taste with tobacco notes.

Liu An Gua Pian "Pumpkin Seeds"

What is famous for: 8 times won prizes at national and world exhibitions. It was presented on behalf of the party to foreign delegations. Very delicate, soft, light, almost feminine tea. No astringency. One of the sweetest green teas.

Meng Ding Gan Lu "Sweet Dew from Meng Ding Peak"

What is famous for: tea growing on one of the sacred Taoist mountains - Meng Ding, at an altitude of about 1500 meters. The manuscripts say that gan lu (sweet dew) types of teas were known as early as the Han Dynasty (2nd century BC - 1st century AD). It has a delicate aroma and fruity taste. Very delicate and light elegant tea.

Zhu Ye Qing "Freshness of Bamboo Leaves"

What is famous for: grows on mountain plantations surrounded by monasteries. Already in the era of the Tang dynasty, tea was supplied from here to the emperor. Has a fresh aroma, tart taste with a sweet aftertaste. Perfectly refreshes. A separate pleasure is to watch the dance of tea leaves, which stand vertically in a glass and then lower, then rise back.