“Pre-Ming Tea is as precious as gold.”
Pre-Ming tea has delicate buds and leaves, a fresh and refreshing taste, but comes at a high price.
Going back even further, there is pre-equinox tea. Tea harvested before the Spring Equinox is even more tender and commands an even higher price.
Some seasoned tea drinkers prefer pre-grain rain tea, finding pre-Ming tea too tender and lacking in flavor.
Every tea season in the south of the Yangtze River, local tea enthusiasts argue about this at least once or twice.
With Dongting Biluochun now on the market, let's discuss which of these three types of Dongting Biluochun is better and which is more suitable to buy, providing you with some reference.
Pre-Equinox Tea: Business Gifts and Freshness First
Pre-equinox tea refers to tea harvested before the Spring Equinox.
Pre-equinox tea is extremely tender, scarce, and reaches the top of the price range.
Since March, the temperature has risen significantly, and Dongting Biluochun was sporadically harvested around the 10th, leading up to the Spring Equinox on the 20th, marking the first spring harvest.
At this time, the buds and leaves are delicate, covered with abundant white down, and mostly processed into Super Grade 1 and Super Grade 2, with excellent appearance.
The estimated average price per pound of Super Grade 1 Dongting Biluochun from its origin is over 7,500 RMB, and some brands' premium Dongting Biluochun may be priced above 20,000 RMB.
For the general public using it as daily tea, it might be a bit extravagant.
Purchasing a few ounces for several hundred RMB to taste the arrival of spring is a good choice.
Those buying by the pound are mostly gift boxes used for business gifts, giving the freshness priority.
Pre-Ming Tea: Hosting Guests and Casual Tasting
Pre-Ming tea is familiar to many—it's tea harvested before the Qingming Festival (Pure Brightness).
As spring returns and the weather gradually warms, the growth rate of buds and leaves accelerates, reaching a relatively balanced maturity level.
Compared to pre-equinox tea, pre-Ming tea remains fresh and refreshing while also having a fuller tea flavor, which many tea enthusiasts adore.
In recent days, the highest temperatures have been around 10°C higher than in 2021. If the weather does not cool down, some of the fresh leaves might no longer be suitable for making top-grade Dongting Biluochun, and the production will gradually shift to Grade 1, 2, and 3 Dongting Biluochun.
These Dongting Biluochun teas will be available in larger quantities at more reasonable prices, so consider buying some to serve guests at home or to enjoy with friends over casual conversation and tasting sessions, which can be very pleasant.
Pre-Grain Rain Tea: Fresh, Rich, and Perfect for Daily Drinking
Pre-grain rain tea is tea harvested after the Qingming Festival and before Grain Rain.
Grain Rain occurs around April 20th each year and marks the last solar term of spring. With continuous temperatures above 20°C, tea plants thrive, buds and leaves grow vigorously, achieving higher maturity levels and accumulating sufficient internal substances.
At this time, some tender tea leaves from Dongshan and Xishan are used to make Dongting Biluochun, while most are processed into stir-fried green tea.
Stir-fried green tea is reasonably priced, has a fresh and rich taste that is long-lasting, and suits the palate of seasoned tea drinkers.
Before the local Dongting Biluochun is harvested, Dongting Biluochun from other regions is often already on the market for several days.
Like Sichuan and Zhejiang, due to higher temperatures and the advantage of early sprouting tea trees, they bud earlier. Although their flavor is not as authentic as local Dongting Biluochun, their cost-effectiveness is good, and drinking them is not bad.
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