Authentic Xiao Qing Gan is made from Xinhui Citrus peel and high-quality Yunnan Pu'er ripe Tea; neither can be omitted. Good Xiao Qing Gan has the characteristics of thick, firm skin with a uniform color, and its oil glands are clearly visible in high density, while poor quality Xiao Qing Gan has thin, soft skin lacking vitality and elasticity. Good Xiao Qing Gan has a full, smooth mouthfeel, a proper aroma that is rich, sweet, and smooth, whereas inferior Xiao Qing Gan has a faint aroma, bland taste, and lacks consistency.
How to Choose Good Xiao Qing Gan?
First, Look at the Surface
The packaging should be intact without any mold spots. The color of the citrus peel should be consistent and not too dark, and the brewed tea should have a clear, transparent liquor without sediment.
Second, Smell the Aroma
After brewing, the tea should have a light fruity scent mixed with the tea aroma, which should be fresh and pleasant without any astringency or moldy smell.
Third, Taste
The tea liquor should be thick and smooth upon entry, with a sweet aftertaste and no sharp, irritating sensations.
Fourth, Feel the Leaves
Gently squeeze the leaves, they should be lively in color, supple, and elastic, and there should be no foreign objects among the leaves.
The taste of Xiao Qing Gan tea should be refreshingly fragrant, sweet and silky, with a long-lasting aftertaste. Since its launch and popularity, many people have loved it, but various Xiao Qing Gan products with different prices and qualities have also appeared on the market, and some traders even use non-local citrus to pass off as Xinhui citrus to make finished products for sale.
The tea liquor brewed from genuine Xiao Qing Gan is bright and transparent, with a high-aroma. Savoring it slowly, the citrus flavor is naturally fresh, and the tea flavor blends harmoniously and smoothly with it, leaving a long-lasting aftertaste. In contrast, the tea liquor brewed from poor-quality Xiao Qing Gan is dark and murky, with a monotonous aroma. It tastes bland with some odd flavors, and the tea and citrus flavors do not coordinate well. After drinking, the mouth feels dry, and the aftertaste is short-lived.
The Seven Benefits of Xiao Qing Gan for the Body Are:
Moistening, Digesting, Cleansing, Nourishing, Unblocking, Harmonizing, and Balancing. Moistening: Bitterness releases lung Qi, warming and moistening cold Qi, soothing and stopping cough. Digesting: Eliminating food stagnation, drying dampness and transforming Phlegm. Cleansing: Spicy in nature, it disperses and resolves exterior symptoms, clearing heat. Nourishing: Warmth supplements, regulating Qi and strengthening the spleen. Unblocking: Bitterness drains downward, warmth promotes the movement of Qi, dispersing Liver Qi, breaking up nodules and eliminating phlegm, guiding out cold in the chest. Harmonizing: Warmth harmonizes, tonifying the stomach and harmonizing the center. Balancing: Expelling phlegm and alleviating asthma.