Xinyang Maojian Green Tea

What's so special about this tea?

Xinyang Maojian (信阳毛尖) is one of China's most celebrated green teas, produced in Henan Province and renowned for its slender needle-shaped leaves and sweet, mellow profile. This Pre-Qingming harvest is widely considered its finest expression.

Our lot is hand-picked from a tea garden in the highlands of Shihe District at an elevation of over 600 metres. Two nearby waterfalls help create a humid microclimate, while the region's long winters and cool springs allow flavour compounds to develop slowly in the young leaves. Located at the northern edge of China's major tea-growing regions, Shihe is known for producing Maojian with a fuller mouthfeel and greater aromatic complexity.

The tender spring buds are carefully pan-fired through a traditional process. After fixation in the raw pan (生锅), the leaves are shaped in the ripe pan (熟锅) before undergoing three rounds of drying. These steps create the tea's characteristic appearance: slender, round, smooth and straight needles covered in fine silvery trichomes.

The result is a pale golden-yellow infusion filled with floating fine silvery trichomes, a hallmark of the earliest spring harvests. The aroma opens with notes of cooked chestnut and orchid, layered with a subtle hint of apricot and a delicate cooling eucalyptus note in the background.

The tea liquor has a thick, dense texture. On the palate, it is brisk yet mellow, combining a warm soymilk note with sweet steamed greens. A fruity note reminiscent of green plum emerges towards the finish. The tea leaves a lingering sweetness that coats the palate, accompanied by a persistent floral fragrance.