Emperor Long Jing - Green Tea

If truth be told vie been looking forward to this one the most, partially because I'm a big time long jing fan, but also because i have had a lot of long jing this year so i was eager to try tea springs chief offering. As with all my reviews ill start with the dry leaf form. This is the smallest leafed LJ i have had in the last two years, tiny perfectly formed and symmetrically pressed leaves with a beautiful golden yellow colour. The leaves are also covered in a wonderful golden down, not ever seen this much down on a LJ before, its not amazing down like a bi luo chun or a yin zhen but it's impressive. First brew and tea has come out clear! Ie hot water. Oh dear me thinks, this maybe the joke of long jings me thinks. Looking into the wet leaves i can see almost all are still dry! This is an exceptionally flattened LJ, exceptionally produced I have to say. But it has produced just clear water, what's wrong? When i tasted it however Ahhhh, what a great taste! What a surprising strong taste, I taste smooth high edged flavours, medium nuttiness but amazing cereal complexities, I havnt had a Long Jing in the last two years which has had this ration of cereal loveliness. I have to say to conclude that this is a cracking and unique long jing, which i imagine some won't like at all. If your not into the nutty LJs and your not into the grassy LJs give this one a try, it's like taking your tongue to a granary and letting it play in the toasty wheat goodness. Will look forward to trying next years batch!