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"Green Snail" Bi Luo Chun Green Tea

$36.00

DUE TO HIGH DEMAND, THIS TEA IS SOLD OUT

When the wise tea master Lao Cha was walking through the tea gardens with his disciple, the young monk asked his teacher:
Shifu, why does this tea garden have fruit trees growing everywhere? 
— So that the tea which we will make from these fine tea leaves can have the sweet taste of fruits, which it absorbs from the nearby trees. 
Shifu, so how will we call this tea? 
— We shall call it Bi Luo Chun – “The Green Snail of Spring”! 

 

Bi Luo Chun is made only from the tips of tea leaves in a meticulous process that results in its tightly rolled-up shape. This craft tea is renowned for its strong fruity aroma and mellow flavor. Bi Luo Chun Green Tea is on China's Top Ten Teas list. Although the list varies through the years, Bi Luo Chin remains a household name. The Qing dynasty's Emperor Kangxi, who adored the tea, gave the tea its name.

There is an interesting legend about how this tea got its name. It tells about two girls who went on a walk in the mountain. Upon discovering the tea bush, they started to fill their baskets with fresh tea leaves. With the basket filled up to the brim, one of the girls started putting leaves in her bosom. Once heated up, they started oozing an intense aroma, which at first startled the girl. And so, the tea was named "frightening people fragrance", or Xia Sha Ren Xiang (吓傻人香). Later, when the emperor toured the area, he sampled the tea and decided it surely deserved a more elegant name. Thus, it was renamed BiLuoChun. BiLuo means "snail" and refers to the rolled tea leaves in the form of green spirals. "Chun" is for spring, as farmers harvest this tea in early spring.

A plantation growing Bi Luo Chun is amazing to visit, with the tea plants mixed with a variety of fragrant fruit trees to give the tea its distinct aroma and taste.

Our Bi Luo Chun is a premium-grade tea that comes directly from Taihu Lake in the delta Yangtze River. It is packed with umami, has a bright green color, and a strong citrusy aroma with a unique thirst-quenching quality. The dry leaves are of moist, dark green color, loosely twisted, with a visible white fuzz cover. A cloudy green tea soup gradually turns clear as the white fuzz dissolves with further brews. Fruity, bold, and savory aroma, full of umami. The taste is sweet and refreshing, with gentle smoky and hickory notes. Smooth mouthfeel without astringency and grassiness. The high grades of this craft tea have very good brewing resistance, with taste and fragrance notes still noticeable after more than six brews.

To let this tea fully reveal its rich palette of aromas and tastes, we recommend using soft water at 175ºF / 80ºC. A glass teapot or a tall glass will let you immerse in the pleasant view of the dancing tea leaves as they slowly unfurl.

 

Place of Origin: Taihu Lake, Jiangsu Province, China
• Altitude: 300m
Harvest Time: April 4, 2023
• Picking Standard: One bud with one leaf
Aroma: Fruity, bold and savory. Full of umami.
 Taste: Smooth, mellow, sweet & fruity, with smoky, savory burning hickory notes

  

Brewing guidelines:

        175℉ / 80℃ 

1g per 60ml   3-5min

     1g per 25ml   5sec + 5sec for each subsequent infusion

Customer Reviews

Based on 17 reviews
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Nathan
An unexpected new favorite

I came across this tea after seeing the one I intended to order was sold out. This sounded interesting enough to give it a shot. It turned out to be a new favorite of mine. It starts out smooth, full of fruity and umami flavors similar to a fukamushi but more bold and fragrant. It then finishes with smoky hickory notes. It takes steep after steep in the gaiwan as it draws me back for more. A unique experience yet still a great daily drinker.

R
Riley
*****

First introduction to loose leaf Chinese green tea, and I'm hooked. Brewed using a shibordashi in gongfu fashion, and since I am new and learning I experimented quite a bit. I found that keeping the water temperature around 175-180 was ideal, as suggested with the included instructions. Using water over 185 turned the brew more bitter and you miss out on the delicate, fruity, deliciousness of this green tea. Also I found most success keeping brew times short. One method I tried was waking up the tea leaves with a quick rinse (not usually needed with green tea), followed by a longer initial infusion (20-30 seconds), with following infusions kept to only 3-5 seconds. I think with this method I used water that was too hot, and got quite a bitter first cup, but I adjusted the temperature and the next 4-5 infusions were much more mellow. But following the 5+5 second method made really mellow brews that gradually opened up to the full flavor of this tea. As a newcomer I will definitely keep experimenting with brewing methods; it helps me learn and understand what the tea wants, like listening to the leaves. The fragrance is really wonderful and enticing, and I love the appearance of these tea leaves. Thank you Path of Cha for opening up my senses and initiating me on the tea journey!

J
James
I thought I knew green tea...

This is the most unique green tea I have ever experienced... The fragrant aroma, taste, and pale green leaves give reason why it held imperial favor.
It has become one of my favorite teas for relaxation, and I find it very soothing when not feeling well. This is a beautiful, artisanal tea. A must try for all Gongfu enthusiast.
So if you think you know green tea...

M
Molly
Delicious

Such a delightful green tea! Fruity and delicate. I brewed it both western style and my usual gong fu style and much prefer gong fu way. Western brew, for me at least, led to a bit more astringency than I prefer. Really like this tea!

J
Janice
one of the best green teas

a great vegetal green tea. it is slightly astringent, but in a way that only adds to its value. nicely balances with the tea's natural sweetness. this is a classic for me that i will keep repurchasing. path of cha's version didn't disappoint!