Meng Ding Cui Zhu (Green Bamboo) Green Tea

What you see  in the photo below is the Seven Cups' Meng Ding Cui Zhu (Green Bamboo) Green Tea.

The dry leaf is hard, almost brittle, and is very shiny and slippery. The tips are small bud and a leaf, some single leaf and no stem to speak of. The scent of the leaves is green, like fresh cut grass, with an astringent quality that captures your attention at the back of your throat.

I used about 3 grams of tea to 6 oz of hot water at 180 degrees. I felt a higher temperature was needed to hold heat long enough to soften these hard pellets. A full 2 minutes would be needed so I set my eye on the clock. Then, something wonderful started to happen. I saw the tips rise up in row like little soldiers on parade. I ran off to get my camera to capture the moment of quiet exhiloration in this magical display of a vibrant green bamboo forest coming alive.

As for the scent of the wet leaves, I had expected a heavy grassy note but the grass scent is quite subtle and generally of one note. The liquor is a pale and clear yellow-green pool. The wet leaves now turning gray-green from the heat still held the promise of another steep if only for a brief chance to get a little more from the already spent leaf.

Can a bamboo forest influence the taste of a tea? Definately. There is light astringency with a taste of grass and bamboo sweetness, even if you can only imagine it. There is a smoothness to the tea, and a fullness in the mouth. The tea seems to clear the head and the sinuses. There is a clearing of the throat and third eye chakras. The subtle effects of the tea chi doesn't seem to find its way downwards past the throat chakra.

As for clearing the mind, there is a vibrancy felt to both internal (insight) and external vision (the eyes). The body can relax yet feel all senses alerted. There is a luxurious feeling of sitting near vegetation, enjoying the vibrancy of teaming life from the elegant bamboo forests. The Green Bamboo Tea mimics these fresh green tubes in both colour, shape and flavour.

This is one tea that offers more than just taste. There is a whole experience at all levels. Find a quiet moment in the late morning or early afternoon to enjoy this tea.
For more information about Green Bamboo Tea, see the Seven Cups web site at ttp://www.sevencups.com/