Xinyang Maojian, also known as Yu Mao Feng, belongs to the Green Tea category. It is one of China's top ten famous teas and a renowned specialty of Henan Province. Created by Han Chinese Tea farmers in the early years of the Republic of China, it is mainly produced in Xinyang City, Xin County, Shangcheng County, and other areas around Dabie Mountain. Xinyang Maojian has unique characteristics in terms of color, aroma, taste, and appearance. Its color is fresh and lustrous without impurities; its aroma is elegant and fresh; its taste is fresh, mellow, and has a sweet aftertaste; and, from an appearance standpoint, it is uniform, bright green with a luster, and has prominent white down.
The shape is fine, round, smooth, straight, with many white hairs; the color is emerald green; when brewed, it has a long-lasting high aroma, a rich and mellow taste, a sweet aftertaste that produces saliva, and a clear, bright soup color. High-quality Xinyang Maojian has a tender green, yellowish green, or bright soup color, with a fragrant aroma. In contrast, low-quality Xinyang Maojian has a dark green or yellowish, murky soup color, is not durable when brewed, and lacks tea fragrance.
To distinguish the quality of Xinyang Maojian, you can identify it through sight, smell, touch, observation, and taste.
1. Look at the Color
High-quality green tea has a bright green or yellowish-green color, glossy and lustrous, while inferior green tea has a dull, dark brown color without any luster.
2. Feel the Shape
High-quality green tea has a neat and upright shape, with prominent white hairs. When touched, it feels complete and compact. If it feels loose, rough, and light, it is not high-quality green tea.
3. Smell the Aroma
Top-quality green tea carries a fresh fragrance, a light orchid scent, or a chestnut aroma. If there are other mixed, unknown odors, it indicates poor tea quality.
4. Taste the Flavor
High-quality green tea may have a slight bitter taste but leaves a rich, fresh aftertaste, stimulating saliva production. Low-quality, coarse green tea is bland and has astringency.
5. Observe the Soup Color
After brewing, high-quality green tea shows a clear, bright, and vivid green soup color with distinct features of clear broth and green leaves. If the tea soup is not bright and appears murky, it suggests poor tea quality.
Pay attention to the bud-to-leaf ratio, tenderness, color, integrity, uniformity, softness, and cleanliness of the Xinyang Maojian tea leaves. Good Xinyang Maojian should have a tender, bright appearance, uniform color, and even buds and leaves.