Meng Ding Gan Lu

Meng Ding Gan Lu hails from Sichuan Province, where giant pandas roar. Sichuan is reputed to be the birth place of cultivated teas and Meng Ding Gan Lu one of the oldest Chinese green teas.

Meng Ding Gan Lu is a green tea from Meng Ding Mountain in Sichuan, China.   Gan Lu means sweet dew and may trace its name back to a Taoist master Wu Lizhen, with the posthumous title of Master of Ganlu, who first planted seven tea bushes on Meng Ding Mountain around 53 BC.

The making of Gan Lu is more labour-intensive: rolling and wok drying are repeated three times to achieve a delicate tea bouquet.  Although Gan Lu is refreshing and delightful, it is a lot like other premium Chinese green teas.  However, it is special for its historical significance.

Meng Ding Gan Lu

Type:  Green   Producing Country: China     Preparation:  80°C 3 Min

Dry Leaf:  The tippy leaves are tiny, olive green, curly and wiry.  Their appearance is delicate, and their fragrance is a mix of straws and dried mushrooms.
Wet Leaf:  Most of the leaf sets include a bud and one to two tiny leaves. The aroma is on the vegetal side - umami cooked green beans.
Liquor:   The tea is pale yellow in color.  It is airy and mellow, and tastes vegetal and chestnut sweet.

Tee Score: 4 of 5

Japanese White Tea

A few Japanese tea farmers have begun venturing into limited white tea production.  This Kanayamidori white tea is from Gokase, Nishiusuki district of Miyazaki Perfecture in Kyushu.   Kanayamidori is a Japanese tea cultivar resulted from the hybridization of Yabukita, the most popular tea cultivar in Japan, and Zairai.

The leaves of Kanayamidori are smaller than those of Yabukita but they can produce a sencha with body and aroma.  As for this white tea from the said cultivar, it is quite impressive.   The tea contains no buds but healthy young-looking whole leaves plucked by hand.   Mellow and sweet are the words to describe this Japanese white tea.

Kanayamidori white tea

Type:  White    Producing Country: Japan     Preparation:  85°C 4 Min

Dry Leaf:  The leaves are dark green or brown with some oxidation.  Their scent is fresh and mildly spicy like cinnamon and anise.
Wet Leaf:  The tender wet leaves smell similar to wet hay and green beans.   Spiciness is also present.
Liquor:   The tea is orange yellow.  It is mild, light and sweet.  In addition, it is herbaceous or spicy (cinnamon, clove and chrysanthemum flower).

Tee Score: 4 of 5