Imperial Dragonwell

HEALTH PROPERTIES:  Very high in anti-oxidants

CAFFEINE LEVELS:  Medium

INGREDIENTS: Dragonwell Green Tea

ETHICS:  Ethical Tea Partnership and GMO free

THE STORY OF IMPERIAL DRAGONWELL

The legend is that in 250 AD there was a terrible drought near Hangchow.  A Taoist monk identified a dragon lurking in a spring, and implored the well dragon to come to the rescue of the poor farmers whose crops were failing.  The kindly dragond responded, and clouds rushed in, pouring a timely rain on the thirsty crops. An old temple adjoining the spring became known as Dragon's Well Monastery, and Dragonwell tea derives its name from this tale.

Lung Ching Tea - the Chinese name for Dragonwell - is produced by hand through a 10-part process. The tea is grown by the side of West Lake in Zhejiang Province. Dragonwell is distinguished by its beautiful shape, emerald colour, scented smell and tending sweet floral character. In Chinese culture Dragonwell is looked upon as an excellent gift to give to your friends, as once it was a gift to emperors.  Imperial Dragonwell is distinguished from Dragonwell, by the grade of tea used.  Lung Ching Grade 1 is used in Imperial Dragonwell, while Lung Ching grade 2 is used for the regular version.

In ancient times top Dragonwell tea was reserved for emperors and special dignitaries. The secret was in the plucking! Known as imperial plucking, only the bud and the 1st leaf was plucked and this had to occur during March and early April, before the Clear Light Festival, otherwise the tea could not have the moniker 'Imperial'. Historically, young virgins, gloved and using gold scissors, delicately plucked the stem and placed it into a golden basket. Today the plucking process has changed somewhat (the time of plucking has not changed, gold is no longer used, and the use of virgins is now optional, and entirely at the discretion of the tea plucker), but it is fascinating to know the tradition behind this marvelous tea.

BREWING INSTRUCTIONS

BREWING INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOT TEA: Infuse one slightly heaping teaspoon for each 8 ounce cup with water brought to a rolling boil (80-85 Celcius)for 3-7 minutes.

ICED TEA BREWING METHOD (Pitcher): (To Make 1 Liter/Quart):
Infuse 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of tea with 1 1/4 cups of boiling water for 5 minutes.  Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water, and add the infused tea, straining the leaves, to the pitcher.  Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Add lemon and sweeten to taste. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water.

NUMBER OF CUPS: 15-20 cups from each 50 grams of tea, with a single use of the leaves.  Loose leaf tea is traditionally infused 3 times, with a different flavor profile following each infusion.  Accordingly, each 50 gram bag can make up to 60 cups of tea.