Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Teavivre's Nonpareil Te Gong Huang Shan Mao Feng Green Tea

This week's review concludes the series of posts on Teavivre's spring 2014 green tea collection. Last week, we discussed Teavivre's Premium Huang Shan Mao Feng Green Tea, and, while this week's Mao Feng may sound the same in name, it takes the varietal to an entire new level of perfection. On their website, Teavivre provides a very brief history of the meaning of "Te Gong," explaining that this signified that the tea was without equal and used to pay tribute to the emperor - high praise and certainly high quality for a tea!

Teavivre also explains that the altitude at which a tea is grown can positively affect the aroma. As compared to what I consumed last Tuesday, this tea certainly carries slightly stronger notes of sweetness and floral aspects. In some respect, they are still just as light - very light - but they are pungent, though not cloying.

I chose to brew this tea in a twelve ounce mug for four minutes, using water heated suitably for green tea. Approximately two teaspoons of leaf were used, and I decided on the four minutes to average the three to five minutes, which the packaging recommended. (Note that Teavivre suggests I could have brewed this gong fu style, as well.) The result? A pale, light yellow brew with a slightly fruity nose.

For a moment, I wonder about the floral aspect, until I take a sip, letting the tea move across my tongue, slowly. While one could never use the word "bold" to describe this tea, it is equally not "weak." "Subtle" would best describe the flavors and aromas, requiring one to pay attention to what is being sipped, rather than "slurping it down." Very light floral notes are complimented by just a touch of sweetness, which seems less than what I noted in the aroma. To me, there is no nuttiness or grassiness of which to speak. I sip the tea, and it glides over my tongue. No bitterness or astringency stops the delicious flow of tea. For a brew so subtly in flavor and aroma, it maintains a wonderful amount of complexity, which I truly enjoy. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tea a 96/100.


Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Teavivre's Nonpareil Te Gong Huang Shan Mao Feng Green Tea can be purchased from the Teavivre website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text is copyright 2014, Built from Ink and Tea.