Longjing is pressed flat against the wok by hand as it fires, which is why the leaves look like little blades and why the tea tastes roasted rather than green. The cup is pale, soft and distinctly nutty, with the chestnut sweetness Hangzhou growers aim for and almost no bite. It is one of the few green teas that stays pleasant even when you forget it for a minute too long. Eighty degrees and three minutes, in a tall glass rather than a pot if you want to watch the leaves stand up.
The everyday green tea of Japan, from first-flush Shizuoka leaf. Bright and grassy with a clean, sweet finish. Hot water turns it sharp, so keep it low.
Shaded for three weeks before harvest to build L-theanine. Intensely umami, thick and seaweed-sweet. It needs cool water and some patience.
Shaded Uji leaf, stone-ground to a bright green powder. Whisked rather than steeped, it gives a thick, creamy bowl. Deep umami with no bitterness.
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