2026 Pre-Qing Ming West Lake Long Jing 43

This is our fifth year with our friend Doreen, whose family is based in Li Tong Wu 里桐坞 village in the West Lake (Xi Hu 西湖) production area. Each spring we take a small Mingqian allocation from them — picked before Qingming, before the heavier rains.

Long Jing 43 龙井43 is the brighter, earlier plant line. It is harvested a little sooner than Quntizhong within the Mingqian window; this year’s leaves left the garden on 27 March 2026. Early growth is slow, so the buds stay small and tight, with the sweetness and clarity Mingqian is known for — and the family has to move quickly through those few days of hand picking.

In the cup expect fresh chestnut, sweet pea and tender greens, a silky texture and a long umami finish.

Fifth spring at Li Tong Wu — true Mingqian 43 while the window holds.

Picked before Qingming, like the rest of our Pre-Qingming green teas 明前绿茶.

Read more: Long Jing 43 vs Quntizhong, what sets the two cultivars apart

€23,80
Size:

Xi Hu Dragon Well is a variety of pan-roasted green tea from specific areas within Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The tea leaves are flat in shape and once they jump into the water, you can see them dancing freely in a glass cup. Freshness is king when it comes to green tea, and this applies especially to Dragon Well. Sometimes you open a good bag of roasted coffee beans and get indulged in its tempting aroma: think of Dragon Well as the green tea version of that brown coffee aroma.

It is a very delicate tea and produced mostly by hand. Renowned for its uniqueness and rareness, it tops the list of “10 Most Famous Chinese Teas”. Its high caffeine content makes it a pleasant and refreshing choice for all occasions.

Because of the limited time period that the quantity for this first flush is scarce, especially the ones that are from the core production areas in the famous Long Jing Village in Hangzhou. Cha Moods works directly with Doreen's family in Li Tong Wu, so this rare first flush reaches you with as little time and handling as possible.

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