2026 Premium Xihu Long Jing Tea (Dragon Well Tea)

Xihu Longjing / Lungching pre-Qingming (Dragon Well Tea)

Harvest: 01.04.2026

Origin: Yuhang, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China.

Tea Variety: Qun Ti Zhong (Qunti Variety 群体种)

Tested pesticide-free by Eurofin in China and Germany

2026 pre-Qingming Xihu Longjing has arrived in our shop (tested in Germany and China with Eurofin test reports).

The first 3 infusions of the tea taste nutty, creamy, and sweet, reminiscent of sweetcorn. The first three infusions show clear umami notes. It is a rich flavor typically found in Matcha and Japanese green tea. In this new Xihu Longjing, the umami note is not as strong but well-balanced. The tea body is medium-thick and very silky.

Preparation

Green Longjing tea is among the best and most famous green teas in China. It is hand-picked and of exceptionally high quality.

Like all traditional Chinese teas, this tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. The wide variety arises from different processing methods and degrees of oxidation (fermentation).

Green tea undergoes very little fermentation. The special feature of this tea is that it is hand-roasted after picking. This prevents the natural fermentation process and preserves the freshness and integrity of the tea leaves.

The color of the tea ranges from yellow-green to green. The tea is rich in Vitamin C and amino acids and has a very high concentration of catechins.

High-quality Longjing tea is usually comparatively expensive. However, there are many different quality grades.

The highest quality is characterized by perfect, whole, and flat leaves with rounded ends. Light green leaves, a pleasant aroma, a slightly bitter taste, and a note of sweetness are further distinguishing features of high-quality Longjing tea.

Lower qualities can be recognized by many broken or even crumbled leaves. The tea appears dark green after infusion and shows less freshness.

Brewing Instructions

To prepare the perfect cup of Longjing, the water should have a temperature of approximately 80˚C. Boiling water would prevent all flavors from dissolving. The taste would be far less intense.

• It then depends on whether you prepare the tea in the traditional way or in the European way (Western style). Traditionally, for a small teapot (approx. 150 – 200 ml), about 5-6 g of tea is used. For a Gaiwan, about half is taken. According to Western preparation, this seems far too much.
• Then pour hot water over the tea. This first infusion serves only to warm the cup and clean the tea a little. Pour away the first infusion.
• Now pour the water over again. For the 2nd infusion, a brewing time of approx. 20-30 seconds is recommended.
  If you are not familiar with traditional preparation, this seems very short. Due to the amount of tea used, the taste will still be intense.
• After the time has elapsed, pour the tea (the water) completely into a cup. Now enjoy your 2nd infusion.
• For the 3rd infusion, refill your pot (or Gaiwan) with hot water. This time, increase the brewing time to about 1 minute.
• You can repeat this process up to 5 times. Each time, increase the brewing time slightly.

I probably don't need to describe the Western preparation in such detail. You pour a few grams of tea (approx. 4-5 g) into a medium-sized teapot with hot water and wait 2-3 minutes. You can also enjoy Longjing tea this way. In comparison, the aroma is significantly more intense and richer with traditional preparation. However, it also requires significantly more time and attention.

If you ever have more time, you should really try traditional tea preparation!

A good Longjing tea can be infused 5 times. The taste will become slightly weaker each time. However, different nuances can be tasted with each infusion. Try to pay attention to that.

A suitable and traditional teapot for this tea is a porcelain Gaiwan.