Early Spring Meng Ding Gan Lu Green Tea

Meng Ding Gan Lu green tea, rich in buds and tender leaves harvested in the first days of spring, is one of the finest Chinese teas. The main characteristic of this tea is definitely the sweetness: the Chinese terms “Gan Lu” actually means “sweet dew.” In fact, it is a tea that hardly ever develops bitter notes, even when infused with longer than average timings. Indeed, its enveloping sweetness seems to increase over time, infusion after infusion.

Tasting – Sight and smell

The small leaves of Early Spring Meng Ding Gan Lu green tea are curly shaped, green and very rich in buds covered with soft white hair. The fragrance is fragrant and fresh, with some floral hints. Once infused, the leaves give off sweet plant scents and fresh hints with curious notes between peppery and citrusy. The liquor is clear and pale yellow in color: in the cup, the body of this tea is smooth and enveloping, free of astringency and bitterness.

Tasting Notes

GONG FU CHA
Even from the first brew, the sweetness of Early Spring Meng Ding Gan Lu green tea emerges with more nuance: there are vegetal notes of zucchini and spinach, as well as notes of sweet almonds. The second infusion brings out even more of the vegetal scents, which become more intense but without ever releasing astringency or strongly herbaceous hints: rather, delicate and fresh notes of peas and fava beans are perceived. The third infusion reveals notes of sweet vegetables such as cabbage and carrots, and very faint floral hints can also be picked up.

WESTERN
The main notes that distinguish Early Spring Meng Ding Gan Lu green tea are vegetal, very fresh and sweet: the first sips are reminiscent of garden produce, such as courgettes and fresh peas. The evolution on the palate is always characterized by sweetness, with hints of nuts and an umami emerging in a very gentle way, perfectly balancing the other scents with a slight savoriness. Soft vegetable notes (carrots) linger on the finish, with a long sweet aftertaste and no astringency.

Place of origin

Mount Mengding – Sichuan, China

How to prepare

We strongly recommend infusing Early Spring Meng Ding Gan Lu green tea in the traditional Chinese method (Gong Fu Cha) with a gaiwan with a capacity of about 150 ml. Following this preparation, with 5 grams of leaves (about 4 teaspoons), multiple infusions can be made that are useful for best capturing all the flavor nuances of the tea.

Heat the water to a temperature of 75°C and proceed with an initial 15-second infusion. Keeping the water at the same temperature, you can then continue to exploit the same leaves by adding more water and increasing the infusion time by 5 seconds each time (15 – 20 – 25 – 30…).

This tea has a longevity of about 6 brewings.

For a more classic preparation in the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 2 1/2 teaspoons) in a 200-mL cup with water at 75°C for an infusion time of 2 1/2 minutes.

For a better tasting experience, we suggest that you strain the tea as soon as the brewing time is over. The infusion timings we suggest can be slightly modified to your liking to achieve a more or less intense taste.

It is recommended to be stored in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight