2026 Zhe Jiang Mao Jian

Zhejiang Maojian — Longjing #43. 3g. 100 ml gaiwan. 90–95°C.

The dry leaves are dark green, tightly curled, set firm. The scent is direct. High-fire comes first, with chestnut and a toasted bean note, dry, immediate, not held back.

Warmed in the gaiwan, the fire settles slightly but stays present. Chestnut moves forward, fuller now. The toasted bean note stays in the body, round, integrated. A faint green note passes through, but does not stay.

The liquor is clear. In the mouth, it lands with weight, dense, then spreads. The body is thick. Freshness runs through it, but the taste is forward, with a clear grip on the palate. No roughness.

The fire note holds the base. Chestnut and the toasted bean note form the core, steady, not separating. As it moves back, sweetness comes quickly, then holds, steady and lasting.

Across the infusions, the structure stays tight. The body remains dense, the fresh line continues. The finish is clean, with a fast and sustained sweet return.