Bao Kang Mao Jian (2026) HCF '25 Green Tea of the Year

General

Wu Feng is a county in the southwest of the inland province of Hubei. It borders Henan to the north, Anhui to the east, Jiangxi to the southeast, Hunan to the south, Chongqing to the west, and Shaanxi to the northwest. The province is particularly well-known in the tea world for its high-quality green tea. When we visited Hubei Province in the spring of 2019, we were particularly impressed by the province's clean air quality and the fact that many of the province's tea producers practice organic production.

This tea

This tea was picked in Bao Kang County, Hubei Province, China. The tea is from the 2026 spring harvest. The leaf material consists of small leaves and buds that have been rolled into needle-like thinness. The tea leaf offers a nice balance of stronger tones as well as delicate floral fruitiness and a slight tone of umami.

Taste

The leaf has a wonderful nectarine scent. The taste has fresh floral and fruity tones that open quickly right at the beginning of the taste. After the first taste, it continues with a deep, long freshness, which is shaded by light tones of umami. The aftertaste reveals nuanced vegetal features.

Infusion

Use a generous tablespoon of leaves. The water temperature is about 80 degrees, which can be achieved by adding about 20-30% cold water to boiled water. In a teapot under 500ml, you can make a few 1-2 minute steeps of the tea. In a larger teapot, the brewing time should be approx. 2-4 minutes.