Green Tea-Steep #1 En Shi Yu Lu-Jade Dew-Steaming Green Tea

En Shi Yu Lu is a type of Chinese green tea that shares many similarities with Japanese green tea varieties. It is particularly unique because it is one of the few Chinese green teas that is still processed using the steam deactivation method, a technique that is not very common anymore.

This steaming method allows the leaves to remain bright and vibrant, similar to the Japanese teas gyokuro or sencha. However, even with this similarity, En Shi Yu Lu maintains its Chinese identity through its delicate nature and distinct appearance. The leaves are carefully selected to be slender, tight, smooth, bright, uniform, and straight, resembling pine needles.

This gives them a very neat and refined look. When dry, the leaves are a vivid dark green, a characteristic color that results from the steaming process.

The taste of En Shi Yu Lu is delightful, offering a floral and vegetal flavor when brewed. The tea has a full-bodied quality with a rich mouthfeel that tea drinkers enjoy. There is a unique feature of this tea known as the "three greens": the dry leaf remains green, the brewed tea liquor is green, and the brewed leaves retain their green color.

This is how the tea showcases the best attributes achieved through traditional steaming techniques. En Shi Yu Lu enjoys a special reputation in China and Southeast Asia and has been ranked among China's top ten famous teas.

In terms of history, steaming as a technique in green tea processing dates back to the Tang dynasty, over 1300 years ago. It was during this time that the method was extensively used in Chinese tea production. The Japanese later adopted this method to produce their own sencha tea. After the Tang dynasty, the steaming process largely disappeared from Chinese tea production. This shift occurred as Chinese tea makers began to favor pan-firing techniques instead.

Over time, changes occurred because steaming was just one of the steps involved in creating "Tuancha" or ball tea. As loose leaf tea gained popularity, people became less fond of the strong vegetal scent associated with steamed green tea, which was often perceived as too grassy and slightly overpowering. The flavor was also considered harsh and difficult to manage during steeping. Consequently, the pan-firing process gained popularity because it allowed for a more controlled and subtle flavor development.

The harvest for En Shi Yu Lu happens early in the year. Pre-Qing Ming teas are the first to be plucked in the new spring season, and they are highly prized for their superior quality. Depending on the specific location and altitude of each tea-growing area, harvesting can begin as early as mid-March and continue until around April 5th.

En Shi Yu Lu, also known as Jade Dew or Jade Green, comes from the southwest region of En Shi. The main area of production is in the Wufeng mountains, located on the eastern outskirts of Enshi city in Hubei province. The climate in this region is humid and consistently mild, providing ideal conditions for growing this special tea throughout the year.