Culture · Tea · Green tea (绿茶)
Huangshan Maofeng
黄山毛峰 · Huángshān Máofēng. A mist-grown green tea from the Yellow Mountains, with ivory-tipped leaves and a soft, orchid-scented, slightly honey-sweet character.
About this tea
Huangshan Maofeng — Yellow Mountain Fur Peak — grows in the perpetual mist and cloud of the Huangshan range in southern Anhui, at elevations between 700 and 1,200 metres. The high altitude, cloud cover, and acidic mountain soils slow leaf growth and produce a leaf with high concentrations of amino acids (particularly theanine) relative to the caffeine and polyphenols that increase at lower altitudes. The practical result is a tea that is noticeably smooth and less astringent than lowland greens.
The dry leaf is distinctive: a curved, pointed shape with a small, ivory-white bud tip surrounded by fine white hairs (the "fur peak" of the name). The colour is jade-green with occasional yellowish tinting near the tip. First-grade Qingming-harvest Maofeng commands prices comparable to Longjing.
The cup character is light to medium-bodied, with a soft vegetal sweetness, an orchid-like floral note, and a clean honey finish. The liquor colour is pale golden-yellow rather than the vivid green of Longjing. Multiple infusions remain consistent in quality, making it a reliable everyday premium green.
How to brew
Water at 75–80 °C. 3 g per 150 ml. First steep 60–90 seconds. Can sustain 4–5 infusions. A glass cup or porcelain gaiwan both work well. Avoid boiling water, which destroys the delicate floral compounds.
Where to buy
- Huangshan City (Tunxi) tea market — the Laojie (Old Street) has specialist dealers
- Farms in Fuxi village, Tunxi district — known origin for authentic Maofeng
- Anhui Provincial Museum gift shop, Hefei
- Online: Yunnan Sourcing, Teavivre, Bitterleaf Teas