Longjing Dragon Well Green Tea
龙井茶 (Lóngjǐng)
Roasted chestnut, tender greens and a sweet, rounded finish from the hills around West Lake.
Longjing, or Dragon Well, is China's most famous pan-fired green tea, made in the hills around West Lake in Hangzhou. Its flat, sword-like leaves give a sweet, mellow cup of chestnut, fresh pea and orchid.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 35 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 14.6 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
Related reading
| Brewing method | Tall Glass |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 1:80 |
| Dose & yield | 3g → 240g |
| Grind size | Flat Whole Leaf |
| Water temperature | 176°F / 80°C |
| Target brew time | 2:00-3:00 |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 3 g loose-leaf green tea
- 240 g filtered water at 80°C
Required gear
- Tall, narrow heatproof glass, 250 to 300 ml
- Kettle with temperature control
- Scale
- Timer
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Warm a tall, narrow glass with hot water and pour it away.
- 0:15Add 3 g of leaf to the glass.
- 0:30Pour in a little water at 80°C to wet the leaf, swirl once, then add the rest slowly down the inside wall of the glass, 240 g in all.
- 3:00Watch the leaves unfurl and sink, and start sipping once most have settled. Leave the leaf in the glass.
- 4:00Top up with hot water when about a third of the tea is left. Good leaf gives two or three infusions.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
Caffeine, in numbers
We list about 35 mg for an 8 oz cup.
Never drink it dry
Top up the glass with hot water when about a third of the tea is left. Leaf that sits in a shallow pool of water turns bitter.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you.
Longjing, or Dragon Well, is China's most famous pan-fired green tea, made in the hills around West Lake in Hangzhou. Its flat, sword-like leaves give a sweet, mellow cup of chestnut, fresh pea and orchid. Brewed in a tall glass with 80°C water.
Origin & Story
Longjing means dragon well, and the name is said to come from a well near Longjing village whose water is unusually dense. The tea grows in the hills around it, near West Lake in Hangzhou, and a protected zone of about 168 square kilometers marks where genuine West Lake Longjing may be made.
A legend gives it an imperial blessing. The Qianlong Emperor, visiting West Lake, was served tea at Hu Gong Temple and was so impressed that he gave special status to the 18 tea bushes that grew there. In another version he picked leaves himself, tucked them in his sleeve and later brewed them for his ailing mother, and the flat shape of the leaf is said to come from that.
The flat leaf is made by hand. Fresh shoots are pan-roasted in a wok at about 80 to 100°C for 12 to 15 minutes while the maker shapes them as they heat, which stops oxidation and presses each leaf into a smooth, yellow-green blade. The best tea is picked before the Qingming festival, around the 5th of April, and Longjing is graded from superior down to grade five.
In the cup it is sweet, mellow and rounded, with roasted chestnut, fresh pea and a hint of orchid and sweet grass. The classic way to drink it is in a tall glass. Put about 3 g of leaf in the glass, pour in water at around 80°C down the inside wall, and watch the leaves unfurl and sink over two to three minutes. Sip, leave the leaves in the glass and refill; good Longjing gives two or three cups.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 78/100 |
| Acidity | 22/100 |
| Bitterness | 28/100 |
| Body | 54/100 |
| Aroma | 82/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Longjing Dragon Well Green Tea?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 35 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Longjing Dragon Well Green Tea?
Target 80°C (176°F).
How long should Longjing Dragon Well Green Tea be extracted?
Timing: 2:00-3:00. Method: Tall Glass. Ratio: 12g/L (3g leaves to 240g water). Grind or leaf format: Flat Whole Leaf.
Why is it called Dragon Well?
Longjing means dragon well. The name is said to come from a well near Longjing village whose water is unusually dense. The tea grows on the hills around it, near West Lake in Hangzhou.
Why are Longjing leaves flat?
The leaves are pan-roasted by hand in a wok and shaped as they are heated, which stops oxidation and flattens each one into a smooth blade. The flat leaf is the mark of the style.
Who should avoid Longjing Dragon Well Green Tea?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
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