Pre Rain Dragon Well Supreme Green Tea

All teas have their own aesthetic—the way they look and smell, the way they are brewed and imbibed. Dragon Well is one of my favorite combinations of all these factors.

I warmed a tall glass with 80C water, added a rounded tablespoon of leaves, filled the glass about a quarter full and swirled it to wet the leaves. When they were thoroughly moistened, I filled the glass three quarters full and swirled it again, then sat back and enjoyed the view. For a few moments the leaves floated in a thick mat at the top, then one by one, began to fall lazily to the bottom of the glass like jungle foliage. The fragrance was sweet and nutty, the liquor a clear golden green. When enough of the leaves had cleared I took my first sip. The flavor lived up to the fragrance perfectly—smooth, nutty, sweet, mildly astringent. In a word, delightful. One of the advantages of drinking it from a tall glass is that it concentrates the fragrance as you sip, heightening the experience.

You don’t need to pour this tea off the leaves, but savor it slowly it as it continues to steep and mature. I drank mine over the course of an hour. The flavor remained sweet and smooth to the very end, never going bitter but taking on a bit of vegetal depth. It left a very sweet taste and fragrance on the tongue. A second steeping is possible, but not recommended with this tea, as it tends to have a sharper tasted, more like black tea.

At a little over $20 per 50gm (1.8oz) it is pricey, but for hardcore dragon well enthusiasts, it’s probably worth it. I found it a thoroughly enjoyable tea experience. Highly recommended.