"The old friend in tea is Mengshan." Mengding Ganlu, a curled shape pan-fired green tea, is China's earliest famous curled green tea. In 1959, Mengding Ganlu was named one of China's Top Ten Famous Teas by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and is a representative of China's top-tier premium green teas.

"Water from the Yangtze River, tea from the top of Mengshan Mountain." This widely known and classic tea couplet is known by everyone, passed down by word of mouth, understood by all social strata—be it high officials, common people, various schools of thought, those who understand tea or not, those who drink tea or not—it is known by men, women, and children alike!

Mengding Ganlu is made from tender pickings. It is harvested around the Qingming Festival each year, during the Spring Equinox period. The standard is a single bud or a bud with one newly opened leaf. Its processing is exquisite, resulting in a beautiful appearance and excellent intrinsic quality.

Mengding Ganlu Comes from Mengshan

Mengding Ganlu gets its name from its origin at the summit of Mengshan Mountain in Ya'an, Sichuan. The name "Ganlu" (Sweet Dew) has two meanings: first, to commemorate Wu Lizhen, the founding master of tea planting at Mengshan's Ganlu Temple; second, "Ganlu" is a metaphor for Buddhist teachings, suggesting the tea soup is like sweet dew, its flavor surpassing that of clarified butter.

The history of tea cultivation on Mengshan is long, traceable back to the Western Han Dynasty, spanning over 2000 years. The climate here is humid, perennially shrouded in clouds and mist. The mountain is majestic with beautiful ridges and peaks. Tea gardens are distributed at altitudes of 1200 meters, interspersed with thousand-year-old temples, adding a unique charm. Such a natural environment, highly suitable for tea growth, naturally nurtures superior famous teas, the most famous being Mengding Ganlu.

Mengding Ganlu Characteristics

Mengding Ganlu has a curled, multi-tipped appearance, tight and fine. Its aroma is a lasting tender fragrance with a hint of roasted chestnut. The taste is fresh, brisk, sweet, and mellow. The liquor is apricot-green and bright. The brewed leaves are tender, forming whole 'sprigs', bright green and vivid.

Appearance:

The shape of Mengding Ganlu tea is slender, with whole leaves and buds, covered in fine white hairs (hao); the buds are tender and plump. The color is a fresh, oily green. The brewed leaves (leaf base) are elegantly intact, bright green and fresh.

Liquor Color:

The tea soup is like sweet dew, bluish-green with a hint of yellow. The taste is fresh and brisk, rich with a sweet aftertaste. It has a tender green, moist appearance. Its intrinsic quality features a high, refreshing aroma and a mellow, sweet taste. The soup color is yellow tinged with green, transparent and clear. The fragrance is lofty and refreshing; the flavor is mellow, sweet, and fresh. On the second infusion, it becomes even fresher and more mellow, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth.

Taste:

The aroma is a lasting tender fragrance with a slight note of roasted chestnut.

Mengding Ganlu Brewing and Tasting

Mengding Ganlu is a high-mountain tea. It is best brewed using the 'top-drop' method. First, pour water at 75-85°C into a glass cup or white porcelain cup. Then add about 4 grams of tea leaves. The leaves will slowly sink. Once the leaves have fully stretched out, first appreciate their shape, then taste carefully to experience the unique style of this high-mountain tea.

To savor Mengding Ganlu, method matters. To appreciate the appearance, choose a curved, straight-sided glass cup. If focusing on the feeling rather than the appearance, a 12cm diameter Sichuan-style lidded bowl (Gaiwan) is best. Never pour boiling water directly onto the leaves.

If you are unsure about the water temperature, first fill the cup about 60-70% full with hot water. Hold the cup; it should feel hot but not so hot that you can't hold it. Then use the 'top-drop' method to add the tea leaves. You will immediately experience its distinctive character and fragrance. Watching the tea leaves floating and sinking, rising and falling in the cup, your heart will quietly calm down in an instant...