Green

Verdant and bright, with flavors ranging from dew-like sweetness to creamy, toasty or nutty, green teas vary from region to region and with harvest and crafting.

A tea stays green because its leaves are shielded from oxidation during crafting.

Our selection of green teas come from regions with deep traditions of green tea crafting: from Zhejiang and Anhui to Fujian. Though greens are harvested throughout the year, the most prized come from the earliest harvests in the Spring. Clean, subtle and fresh, tea brewed from young Spring harvested greens seems to embody the season itself.

Each region possesses its own traditional styles of craftsmanship, though even within a region, this varies between villages and tea makers.

To craft a green tea, a tea maker must prevent the leaf's natural enzymes from oxidizing the leaf. This is done by applying heat to the leaf promptly after it is plucked, either by roasting, steaming, or wok-firing. The finishing method contributes to the tea's unique appearance, aroma, and taste.

Green tea producing regions of China are generally concentrated along its southeastern coast.

When purchasing green teas, it's important to keep in mind that "strong" and "bold" are not the characteristics to look for. Instead, the lighter and sweeter and smoother the green tea, the higher the grade.

Of all of the tea types, time of harvest probably is most critical for greens. The quality of a green tea also rests on how fresh it is. Spring teas are inherently lighter and smoother, while later harvest teas are strong and tend to be bitter and astringent.

As far as green teas go, the Spring teas are better quality teas than Summer and Fall teas.