Organic Xianzhi Green Tea
This very rare green tea is a specialty in the Jiangxi Province in China. Consisting of only the bud and top leaf hand picked before the Qingming Festival in the spring, this remarkable tea is even more unique because it is also organic and Fair Trade Certified. The dried loose leaf looks like thin, silver-covered green spears, producing a blushy light yellow brew that is cloudy from all the fine downy hairs (indicative of the young bud). The cup offers aromas of milky oats with a hint of brine. The medium thick brew boasts notes of toasted marshmallow, buttery baby bok choy, young asparagus and nickel.
This handpicked spring tea from the Dazhangshan Tea Garden is produced in partnership with the Wuyuan Tea College in one of the first collaborations of its kind, created to educate a new generation of tea growers in traditional tea styles and craft. This tea is usually reserved for the Chinese tea market, but is shared with us on a very limited basis.
Ingredients: organic and Fair Trade Certified Chinese green tea
Origin: Dazhangshan Tea Gardens, Jiangxi Province, China
Jiangxi Province, located in eastern China, is surrounded by mountains on three sides and sits comfortably in a subtropical climate, making it an excellent place for growing tea. Situated in Wuyuan county, the Da Zhang Shan Tea Garden maintains the region’s 1200-year reputation as the “golden triangle” of exceptional tea production. Certified organic in 1997, Da Zhang Shan was the first producer organization in China to gain Fair Trade certification in 2001. With over 5,400 member households, the Da Zhang Shan Tea Association has used their premiums to renovate 3 factories, establish a microcredit program, and build a school, among many other initiatives.
Steeping Instructions
At Arbor Teas, we believe tea should be brewed to suit your personal taste. We’re happy to make recommendations to get you started, but don’t hesitate to experiment! When brewing your tea, your main considerations are tea quantity, water temperature, and steeping time. We recommend green and white teas to be steeped for 2 to 3 minutes in water heated to not-quite-boiling, just as bubbles begin to form on the bottom of the pan (approximately 170 to 180 degrees F). For the best flavor, use fresh water whenever possible. Try not to steep your tea longer than necessary, as you’ll extract undesirable bitterness from the leaves. If you want a stronger brew, don’t steep longer, just use more tea. And don’t forget to re-steep your tea leaves to get the most out of your leaf!
Looking for more info? Check out our How-To Guides and Eco-Brewing Tips!
Staff Perspectives
Lea
"Such craftsmanship! The care with which the intact buds and leaves are handled during plucking and processing is evident. And the brewed tea is a pleasure to sip, offering up notes of tender baby greens and a smooth lingering minerality."
Aubrey
"This tea is truly a delight. After brewing, the young tea leaves are a sight to behold. Fresh, bright green, and beautiful."
Health Benefits
Like all true tea, green tea offers many potential health benefits. Research has found that tea (Camellia sinensis) can have many positive effects on human health, including improved cardiovascular function, cancer risk reduction, improved immune function, improved oral health, and help with weight management. Tea is also full of polyphenols, which are a class of antioxidant that help your body maintain homeostasis and balance your stress levels.
Green tea specifically is known for its array of health benefits, which have been supported by a growing number of studies. Green tea research has demonstrated that it may be an effective anticancer agent for breast cancer, lung cancer, kidney cancer and prostate cancer, among others. Studies have shown a link between green tea and weight loss, and the ability to modulate energy metabolism, aid in body fat regulation, and possibly promote preferential loss in abdominal fat. Research has also shown that green tea may increase performance for short term memory tasks, as well as being increasing potency of antibiotics. Other peer-reviewed studies link green tea to healthy skin, help with lowering cholesterol, and regulating diabetes. It’s important to keep in mind that many of these studies monitor subjects who drink several cups of green tea per day.
For more information about the health benefits of green tea, and for direct sources of the above information, check out our Tea Health Benefits page!
Please note: the information above is for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
