Tribute Dragon Well Tea
A Taster's Review

This tea is terrific. I only give it four stars because if the Special Grade Tribute Dragon Well tea is already as good as it is, then the Ultimate grade must surely deserve the five stars.

My impression of the leaves: they are thick, plump, juicy, long, and symmetrical. They are the clean yellowish-green of true Shifeng Dragon Well tea.

There are a number of broken leaves in this pack as well, although it may be attributable to shipping, it doesn't affect the flavor noticeably (other than possibly creating a sharper, more masculine dimension at the higher temperatures - see below).

I will categorize the Tribute Dragon Well tea as multidimensional, tolerating a wide range of temperatures and having a wide range of tastes.

Brewed at low temperatures (140 or even lower) with fewer leaves, it tastes like a delicious, fresh, floral water with a haunting aroma and aftertaste.

My memory of the aroma stayed with me and I kept recalling it with wonder even long after I brewed the tea.

I was at a diner an hour after I drank the tea, and somehow it had wafted onto my hand or my clothes or possibly just my taste buds when suddenly I was transported - what is that amazing scent/ taste?  It was the memory of that dragon well tea.

The leaves easily give at least 4 flavorful brews, even as the water cools. The liquor is a beautiful pale yellow, and there is a great body to this tea which gives sustenance. It is a tea with spirit.

Add a few more leaves to the low-temperature water and you get a charming asparagus flavor that takes center frame against that wonderful and delicate floral background. The liquor then becomes an interplay between the asparagus, a grassy, nutty flavor and the sweet floral aftertaste.

Using higher temperature water (170 or so) the leaves yield what I will characterize as a more 'masculine' liquor. Notes of asparagus, a nutty aroma, and grass predominate with the floral aftertaste the main hint of the softer side of this tea.

You can also find it on the lid of your gaiwan, or at the bottom of your cup. However, if you brew too long it can get bitter at these temperatures.

My preference is the low-temperature brew because it truly represents the historical and mythical promise of the Dragon Well tea as tasting of the freshest, sweetest water, with poetry in its soul.

Many fine Dragon Well teas are strong on the asparagus and chestnut aroma, which are very satisfying to drink and taste.

What seems to distinguish the very good tea from the great is the fresh sweetness and light floral aftertaste that gives the impression of drinking a delicious spring water bubbling out from an outdoor brook.

This effect is mysteriously produced from the best Dragon Well tea leaves, and is elusive. This Special Grade Tribute Longjing tea is wonderful because it gives just such an impression, yet it is strong and full-bodied all the same.

I can't wait to try the Ultimate grade!

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