Spring 2022 harvest.
Anji Bai Cha has quickly become one of my must-haves when it comes to spring green tea. This one was good but not as sublime as last year’s crop from Teavivre.
The color of the leaf was also different. Dark green needles instead of the light green leaves with white streaks I’m used to. Very vegetal aroma with notes of raw zucchini, okra, and straw. I steeped 2g of leaf grandpa style in my tumbler.
First sip tasted like creamy cannellini beans. Then as I continued to sip, I got notes of aloe and blueberry. Straw and dry grass appear as it cooled. Flavor profile resembled another Teavivre Chinese green, Tian Mu Yun Wu.
When gongfued, it had fuller flavor and body but also a slight bitterness. Bean curd, straw, aloe, and fennel notes. The fennel and straw soften with later steeps and the tea overall becomes smoother, cleaner.
It’s best steeped when fresh and doesn’t take too well to sitting on the shelf or cold storage. I noticed the flavor began dropping after a couple of months.
Agreed, that Anji Bai Cha from Teavivre was good. It’s one of the few green teas I’d consider repurchasing.