Basic Introduction to Turtle Mountain Rock Green Tea
Turtle Mountain Rock Green Tea is produced in the high mountains of Luobaichuan Village, Guiwei Village, and Persimmon Dry Hill Village around Mount Gui in Macheng City, at an altitude above 800 meters. The area is shrouded in mist and smoke throughout the year, with a moist climate and temperatures generally 5-8 degrees cooler than at lower elevations. Around the Grain Rain period, there is often heavy fog, with only 2-3 hours of sunlight before lunch. It is during this time that tea plants growing in the rocky crevices on the mountain peaks begin to turn green and sprout needle-like tender leaves. Local villagers start picking these tips, which are then skillfully processed by hand to produce Turtle Mountain Rock Green Tea. This tea is characterized by its strong aroma, rich flavor, bright green liquor, and tender uniform leaves. Every year when it hits the market, it is snapped up by buyers. Listed in the “Chinese Famous Tea Research Selection,” Turtle Mountain Green Tea was rated as one of the top five famous teas in China in October 1980. It won the quality award from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries in 1988 and was well received by international friends when sent to Beijing during the Asian Games in 1989. A friend from Singapore, after tasting this tea, gave it a thumbs up, saying that he had visited many tea gardens but found this one to be the best.
Product Features
1. Sensory Characteristics: Turtle Mountain Rock Green is a linear green tea, with the following quality characteristics: robust and solid buds and leaves, compact and green twisted strands, pointed tips with visible white down, tender and uniform leaves at the bottom, yellow-green and clear liquor, fresh and mellow taste, lasting chestnut aroma, and good for multiple infusions.
2. Physical and Chemical Indicators: Water-soluble extracts ≥39%, moisture content ≤6.5%.
Manufacturing Method
The entire handcrafted process for making Turtle Mountain Rock Green Tea consists of six steps: picking, withering, pan-firing, rolling, initial Drying, and shaping. Special-grade Turtle Mountain Rock Green is picked for about 20 days from before Qingming Festival to around the Grain Rain period. The raw material used is the first flush of one bud and one leaf, ensuring tenderness, uniformity, and cleanliness. Rain-soaked leaves, purple leaves, opposing leaves, and insect-damaged leaves are not picked. Freshly picked leaves are spread out in bamboo trays for 3-4 hours (depending on weather conditions; more time is allowed on overcast days) to allow some of the water and grassy smell to dissipate until a faint floral fragrance is released.
Pan-firing: Heat the wok to 200°C and add about 0.5 kg of fresh leaves. Quickly stir and toss the leaves with your hands after they are added to the wok, combining shaking and smothering, with shaking being the primary method. When the leaves become soft and slightly sticky, reduce the heat to approximately 120°C and continue stirring until the color changes from fresh green to dark green, and the weight is reduced by 40-50%. Remove the leaves quickly and spread them thinly to cool down.
Rolling: Place the cooled pan-fired leaves in a bamboo tray for initial rolling, using a rolling technique where both hands push forward and then turn and separate the leaves. Start with light pressure and gradually increase it. When the tea twists tightly, apply lighter pressure. This process takes about 10