In the current tea world, nothing is more popular than the Small Green Mandarin from Xinhui. It is small and exquisite, convenient to brew, loved by all ages, and is a treasure among teas that captivates with just one sip. But do you really know Small Green Mandarin? What makes it unique? To understand it, start with these seven points......

First: Definition of Small Green Mandarin

According to the "Xinhui Chenpi Geographical Indication Product" regulations, mandarin peel can be divided into green peel (qingpi), slightly red peel (huangpi), and big red peel (hongpi) based on the harvesting period.

Small Green Mandarin refers to the peel processed from fruits harvested when the peel is not yet colored and the fruit is physiologically immature. The fruit at this stage is called Small Green Mandarin.

Second: Processing Techniques of Small Green Mandarin

1. Clean the harvested mandarin fruits and perform sanitary treatment.

2. Cut a small opening in the fruit, hollow out the pulp from the opening, retain the empty peel shell, and clean and dry it.

3. Fill with ripe Pu'er tea, seal the opening with the peel as a lid, and restore it to a complete "tea fruit."

4. Finally, it undergoes a drying process and dry storage aging, with no added pigments or additives throughout the entire process.

Third: Flavor and Taste of Small Green Mandarin

Small Green Mandarin has pure tea quality, combining the fresh and mellow fruit aroma with the rich and sweet flavor of Pu'er tea, forming a unique taste and flavor. After brewing, the tea soup is orange-red and translucent, with a mellow and smooth texture, a refreshing and sweet aftertaste, and a strong aged aroma.

Fourth: Health Benefits and Effects of Small Green Mandarin

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that green mandarin peel is slightly warm in nature, bitter and pungent in taste, and enters the liver and gallbladder meridians. It has the effects of regulating liver qi, relieving pharyngitis, resolving stagnation, and protecting cardiovascular health. When combined with ripe Pu'er tea, its health benefits naturally include the advantages of both: it has various effects such as strengthening the spleen and stomach, resolving phlegm and relieving cough, reducing fat and weight loss, beautifying the skin, and anti-aging.

Small Green Mandarin contains the most volatile oils, with a slightly astringent and sour taste. The tea has a strong fruity flavor, sweet and refreshing aftertaste. Although the oil ketones in green peel cannot be absorbed by the human body, they can expand the upper respiratory tract, improving chronic pharyngitis, combating smog, and relieving nasal congestion caused by rhinitis or colds.

Fifth: Methods to Identify the Quality of Small Green Mandarin

1. Appearance: The packaging is intact, with no mold spots. The peel has a uniform color and is not too dark. The brewed tea soup is clear and transparent, with no sediment.

2. Aroma: After brewing, the tea has a light fruity fragrance, with a subtle and refreshing aroma, and no astringency or musty smell.

3. Taste: The tea soup is mellow, smooth, and sweet, with no sharp or irritating sensation.

4. Tea Leaves: The leaves are vibrant in color, flexible, and elastic when lightly squeezed, with no other impurities.

Sixth: Brewing Methods for Small Green Mandarin

1. Crushed Peel Brewing Method

Take out an appropriate amount of Pu'er tea from the mandarin tea, break the peel shell into small pieces, mix it with the Pu'er tea, and brew with boiling water.

2. Lid-Removal Brewing Method

Open the lid of the filling port of the Small Green Mandarin, then put the whole mandarin along with the lid into a cup or pot, add boiling water, and wait for the substances in the peel and Pu'er to slowly dissolve. When the tea soup turns deep golden, it is ready to drink.

3. Nine-Hole Brewing Method

Prepare a Pu'er tea knife and drill nine holes around the Small Green Mandarin and at the bottom. The hole size should prevent tea leakage. Then put it into a pot, pour boiling water, and let the tea slowly infuse, blending with the peel's fragrance. The taste is moderately sweet and refreshing, with long-lasting infusions. The perforated peel wraps the Pu'er tea, preventing tea leakage and controlling the infusion speed.

Seventh: Storage Methods for Small Green Mandarin

Store in a clean, dry, and well-ventilated environment. For long-term storage, place the intact Small Green Mandarin tea in a sealed ceramic jar, glass jar, or iron can. If the peel becomes soft, simply sun-dry it once or twice!