What-Cha China Zhejiang Mao Jian

I gotthis bag of China Zhejiang Mao Jian as part of What-Cha's "Surprise Me Green" option for £4.80. Honestly, it is a perfectly okay cup and a really nice, low-stakes way to try out different teas without committing to a massive, expensive order.

The brewing instructions issue:

Before you even boil the kettle, you need to ignore the brewing instructions printed on the bag. The label recommends a baffling 75°C for 30 to 45 seconds. Unless you are brewing Gongfu style with a massive amount of leaf in a tiny vessel, this short steep time barely pulls enough flavour out of the tea. You are essentially left with faintly warm water.

If you are using a standard mug and a basket infuser, bump the heat to around 80°C and let it steep for a full 2 to 3 minutes to actually extract the tasting notes.

Appearance and flavour profile:

The dry leaves themselves look decent enough, retaining that slender, wiry dark green appearance you expect from a Mao Jian. Once you actually get the brewing parameters right, the flavour profile is highly vegetal with a very pleasant hint of sweetness.

Just take absolute care with your leaf-to-water ratio and your timer. Using too much leaf to overcompensate for the weak label instructions, or infusing it for too long, tips the whole cup over into bitter, astringent territory very quickly.

It is average, it is fine, and it gets the job done. While nothing about this green tea particularly stood out, it is a solid daily drinker for the price.