Yunnan Que She Green Tea

Yunnan Que She Green Tea is a Chinese green tea produced in the Sichuan region. Compared to other unoxidized teas the latter possesses a long history behind it so much so that it was even already mentioned in the famous work of “the canon of tea” by Lu Yu at the time of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The factor that has always distinguished this product from the earliest times is the curved shape of its green buds given by the spring time when it is harvested and the careful processing. The Chinese named this product Que She, or sparrow’s tongue, precisely because of its appearance in which they saw some resemblance to some bird’s tongue.

The flavor of this green tea in cup is particularly intense and characterized by a well-structured body. Tasting the infusion one can mainly notice a flavor of fresh green peas. In addition to feeling the vegetal hue of this legume in the tea there is also the savoriness of it that gives a widespread sense of protein sweetness on the palate. Still regarding the “greener” flavors of this tea one can also feel some artichoke flavor hints while in the aftertaste another quite intense sweetness will appear due to the cooking of the leaves. Despite the strong flavors, the infusion gives a sense of freshness in the mouth with a controlled astringency.

Place of origin

Sichuan, China

Production

This green tea has a very classic manufacturing process which, after an initial withering in the open air, involves cooking the leaves in large woks heated to temperatures of around 180°C to block enzyme activity and prevent oxidation. After these stages, the leaves receive their final shape and are left to rest so that they lose some of the residual moisture inside.

How to prepare

We highly recommend infusing this tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation you can use 4.5 grams of leaves (about 3 teaspoons) in a gaiwan of about 100 ml to obtain several infusions with different tastes. After a quick rinse of the leaves in 75°C water, an initial 10-second infusion can be made, and after that, keeping the water at the same temperature, proceed with multiple infusions, increasing the time by 5 seconds each time (10 – 15 – 20…)

This tea has a longevity of about 6 brewings.

For a classic preparation in the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 2 teaspoons) in a 150-mL cup with water at 75°C for an infusion time of one and a half minutes.

The tea can be filtered for greater ease at the moment of tasting, and also the infusion times indicated above are intended to be purely indicative, so you can also adjust according to your personal taste.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

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