Kaihua Longding Tea is produced in Baisan, Qixi Township, Kaihua County, Zhejiang Province. It is a newly created tea Brand that started in 1959.
Kaihua County is located at the junction of Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces in western Zhejiang, at the source of the Qiantang River. The mountains in the county run from northwest to southeast, and it has a warm and humid subtropical monsoon climate with distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, frequent cloud cover, and less sunlight. On average, there are 83 foggy days per year, with some areas having over 120 foggy days annually. The area is perpetually shrouded in clouds and mist, making it one of the cloudiest mountainous regions in Zhejiang province. As the saying goes, “High mountains and cloudy mists produce fine tea,” and indeed, Kaihua County is an excellent place for growing green tea.
The main types of Soil in tea gardens within Kaihua County are red soil and yellow soil. Red soils are mostly found below 650 meters altitude in low hills, with a soil layer thickness of 30 cm to 60 cm, organic matter content of 1.44% to 4.05%, and pH ranging from 4.5 to 5.5. Yellow soils are mainly distributed in mid-mountain areas above 650 meters, with a soil thickness of 50 cm to 60 cm, organic matter content of 5.2% to 13.8%, and pH ranging from 4.5 to 6.5.
The history of tea production in Kaihua County dates back a long time, with high-quality teas that were listed as tribute items during the Ming Dynasty. According to the “Kaihua County Gazetteer” from the fourth year of Chongzhen (1631), “The quality of tea produced in Jincun is not inferior to that of Tianchi,” and “tribute tender tea weighing four catties was designated.” From the Daoguang period to the Guangxu period (1821-1911) in the Qing Dynasty, Kaihua County was a major producer of eyebrow tea.
Kaihua Longding Tea is harvested between Qingming and Guyu, and the raw leaves used must come from robust, downy varieties. The raw materials are primarily single bud with a leaf or the first unfurling of a bud with two leaves. After picking, the fresh leaves are sorted to remove opposing leaves, fish leaves, and foreign objects, then spread out and processed according to grade.
The processing of Kaihua Longding Tea involves the following steps: spreading fresh leaves, pan-firing, rolling, initial drying, shaping, and final drying.
Spreading Fresh Leaves: After picking, the fresh leaves are thinly spread on a clean, dry bamboo mat indoors, no thicker than 2 cm. The spreading time is generally 4 to 6 hours. When the leaves become soft, the buds and leaves spread out, and the fresh leaves emit a fragrant aroma with about 70% moisture content, the spreading process is complete.
Pan-Firing: Pan-firing is done in a flat pan heated to 200°C to 220°C, with a leaf input of 200g to 250g. The process primarily involves shaking the leaves, requiring light, quick, clean, and dispersed movements. The temperature starts high and decreases later. Once the leaves turn dark in color, become soft, can be bent without breaking, and the grassy smell disappears with a weight loss of approximately 30%, they can be removed from the pan. Immediately after removal, the leaves are tossed and spread out to cool.
Rolling: Hand rolling is performed by rolling the leaves in a bamboo tray with both hands, primarily using a gentle rolling technique. During the process, clumps are shaken apart, and some tea juice should seep out. The leaves should form neat, straight strips. After unclumping, the leaves are thinly spread on a tray and promptly placed in the dryer.
Initial Drying: When the top of the drying cage reaches a temperature of 90°C to 110°C, the rolled leaves are evenly and thinly spread on the cage, approximately 1 cm thick. During drying, the leaves should be frequently turned, lightly flipped, and quickly dried. When the leaves can be balled in hand but immediately scatter upon release, they can be removed from the cage and cooled.
Shaping: This is done in a pan, with the amount of leaves depending on the size of the operator's hand. The process alternates between flipping, shaping, forming, and shaking the leaves, shaping them into tight, neat strips. Once a small amount of white down appears on the side of the pan, the down and aroma are enhanced. When the leaves are 80% dry, they are removed from the pan and cooled before being dried.
Final Drying: A slow, low-temperature drying method is required, with the top of the drying cage at 60°C to 80°C. The temperature begins high and gradually decreases. The leaves are turned appropriately and gently, with minimal handling to avoid breakage. When the moisture content reaches 5% to 6%, the leaves are removed from the cage. Mechanization options include a small pan-firing machine, a 25 or 30-type rolling machine, a trough-type vibrating shaping machine, and a mini drying machine. After cooling, the dried tea can be packaged for sale or storage.
Kaihua Longding Tea is divided into five grades: Special First, Special Second, Special Third, First Grade, and Second Grade.
The quality characteristics are as follows: tightly compacted, straight, and elegant appearance with Silver-green down, uniform buds and leaves, fresh and delicate fragrance, fresh and sweet taste, clear apricot-green liquor. The aroma is rich and long-lasting, with Orchid and chestnut notes, among which the orchid aroma is considered the finest.