Xinyang Maojian

Comprehensive Guide to Xinyang Maojian Tea

Historical Origins
Xinyang Maojian tea originated in the late Qing Dynasty (officially named in 1913) and is produced in Shihe District, Xinyang, Henan. Lu Yu’s The Classic of Tea from the Tang Dynasty already mentioned “Yiyang tea.” In 1915, it won a gold medal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. In 2007, it became a National Geographical Indication product. The core production areas are known as “Five Clouds, Two Pools, and One Village” (Cheyun Mountain, Jiyun Mountain, Tianyun Mountain, Lianyun Mountain, Yunwu Mountain, Heilong Pool, Bailong Pool, and Hejia Village).

Tea Characteristics

1. Color & Shape
– Dry Leaves: Slender, straight, and needle-like, densely covered with white hairs.
– Pre-Qingming (before April 5th): Emerald green with a frosty sheen
– Rain-before-Grain (before April 20th): Deep green with visible hairs
– Wet Leaves: Tender, even, and vibrant, with intact buds and leaves, displaying reddish veins (“red veins”).

2. Sensory Experience
– Liquor Color:
– Pre-Qingming: Light apricot-green and translucent
– Rain-before-Grain: Yellow-green and bright
– Aroma:
– Varietal Aroma: Chestnut fragrance (unique to core production areas)
– Processing Aroma: Tender bean aroma, orchid fragrance
– Taste: Fresh, mellow, and sweet with a rapid lingering sweetness. The throat feel carries a savory umami note (theanine content ≥ 3%).

Brewing Artistry

1. Glass Cup Bottom-Pour Method (Observing the Tea Dance)
– Utensils: High borosilicate glass cup (300ml)
– Steps:
① Pour 85°C water to 1/3 of the cup, add 3g tea (about 200 buds).
② Gently swirl to rinse, then fill to 70% capacity.
③ First steep: 1 minute, observe the “three rises and three falls” of the leaves.
④ Can be reinfused 3 times, increasing steeping time by 30 seconds each.

2. Southern Henan Gongfu Brewing (Traditional Tasting)
– Utensils: Local purple clay teapot (150ml), glass fairness cup
– Key Techniques:
① “Warming the Pot & Awakening the Tea”: Pour boiling water over the pot, add 5g tea, and dry-steam for 30 seconds.
② First steep: 90°C water poured in a covering motion, steep for 10 seconds (rinsing).
③ Formal Brewing:
1st–3rd steeps: Immediate pour-out
4th–6th steeps: 15-second steep
④ Before drinking, smell the “cold cup aroma.”

3. Mountain Spring Cold Brew (Innovative Method)
– Process:
① 2g tea leaves + 500ml Xinyang mountain spring water
② Add 1 fresh bamboo leaf, refrigerate for 6 hours
③ Filtered tea liquor appears pale golden-green, with enhanced freshness.

Core Production Process
– Picking: Pre-Qingming “one bud, one just-unfolded leaf,” 50,000 buds per 500g of tea.
– Kill-Green: Electric wok at 260°C for quick fixation (traditionally done with charcoal-fired woks).
– Baking: Divided into first roast (120°C) and final roast (90°C).

(Note: Authentic Xinyang Maojian should exhibit “Three No’s”: no bitterness, no cloudiness, no grassy smell. Avoid boiling water when brewing.)