Xinyang Maojian Green Tea | Henan Mountain

Maojian · Máo Jiān · 毛尖

2025 / 50 g

€79,00

1/10

Maojian · Máo Jiān · 毛尖

€79,00

€1.580,00/kg

The fierce, brisk clarity of winter, melting into an intensely sweet spring broth.

Crisp vitality captured from the high, misty peaks. Harvested from the cool, northern mountainous terrain of Xinyang in Henan, Maojian (Downy Tips) represents the absolute pinnacle of classical Chinese green tea craftsmanship. The young, tender leaves are heavily veiled in a fine white down, carrying the exact climatic memory of the spring solar term (jieqi) in which they were plucked. Whether gathered in the coveted "Before Rain" or "Before Qingming" window, each harvest offers a unique narrative of the earth. It is an intensely brisk, awakening experience that glows with a brilliant yellow-green hue, designed to instantly refresh the palate and clear away mental fog.

downy fuzz · fresh-cut grass · wet bamboo · pine needle · crisp meadow · vegetable umami · savory sweet · kitchen woodsmoke

FORMAT · Loose leaf thin needles

HARVEST · Pre-Rain (Yu Qian) · Early April

ORIGIN · Xinyang, Henan Province, China

ELEVATION · 800m ahead above sea level

CULTIVAR · Xinyang Qun Ti Zhong (Indigenous Xinyang Heirloom Cultivar)

PRODUCER · Master Liang’s high-altitude family cooperative

PROCESSING · Hand-plucked → High-temperature wok fixation (Shaging) → Intensive hand-rolling to create needle shapes → Low-temperature charcoal dry

BATCH · 40kg sourced for the Yuan Archive

CERTIFICATION · Sourced from a certified single-estate mountain farm · Compliant with GB/T national green tea production standards

STORAGE · Nitrogen-sealed and stored under strict -18°C refrigeration in our German facility.

95/100

静山 · Jìng Shān Still Mountain · 88–94

The mountain at its most present. Everything unnecessary has fallen away. Xinyang Maojian scores a 95, earning an elite position just at the crossing point into our highest tiers. It shows absolute mastery in leaf integrity—the needle structure is incredibly tight and uniform—and fragrance complexity. The integration of the traditional pan-firing woodsmoke finish with the intense, raw grassiness of the heirloom cultivar represents a flawless technical execution, delivering immense palate depth. more about the Yuan Archive Scoring System

Small-Farm Ecosystem Tea

Direct-sourced from a smallholder family tea garden nurtured through traditional, chemical-free methods.

A Letter From the Producer:

While formal lab tests and corporate certifications remain financially out of reach for this family micro-farm, our relationship is built on personal trust. The farmer has shared a handwritten letter promising their commitment to the land:

Zero Synthetic Chemicals: No synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilizers, or chemical soil treatments.

Balanced Ecosystem: Tea trees grown in harmony with local wildlife, native trees, and healthy soil biology.

Family Craftsmanship: Every leaf is tended and harvested by hand by the family, preserving both ecological health and artisanal tradition.

The Dry Leaf

Tightly rolled, dark jade-green thin needles heavily dusted in a magnificent, fine white downy fuzz. The pre-heat aroma is intensely vital, releasing immediate bursts of sweet pine needles and crushed green grass.

The Soup

A bright, highly vibrant yellow-green liquor filled with shimmering downy hairs that catch the light beautifully in the cup.

Fragrance & Palate

This brew is an awakening experience, brisk and subtly sweet, boasting a deep vegetable-umami profile. The aroma carries the crisp, cold-spirit fragrance of freshly trimmed mountain grass, pine needles, and wet bamboo. As the liquor rolls over the palate, the intense green top notes are perfectly framed and grounded by a distant, nostalgic hint of a farmer's kitchen woodsmoke from the traditional pan-firing process, leaving a clean, long, and highly vital finish.

Spiritual Character

The Energy:

Cold spiritual character. It instantly refreshes the body, wakes up the cooling channels, and brings a sharp, piercing clarity to a tired or scattered mind.

The Hour:

Perfect for crisp summer mornings when you need to start your day with immediate focus, or quiet afternoons when you crave something deeply vitalizing.

Lineage & History Xinyang Maojian has been celebrated since the Tang Dynasty, but its modern, fiercely straight needle-like shape was perfected in the early 20th century. "Mao" refers to the downy white hairs on the buds, and "Jian" points to the sharp, sword-like tips of the rolled leaf. The craft requires extreme hand-skill: roasting the leaves in a hot wok at over 100°C while simultaneously rolling them by hand to force the down to the surface without burning the tender leaf.

Terroir & Microclimate Xinyang is one of the northernmost tea-producing regions in China, and this latitude is the secret to Maojian's intensity. The cold northern climate dramatically slows down the growth cycle of the tea plants, allowing them to accumulate a massive concentration of amino acids, pectin, and natural sugars in the leaves over a longer winter dormancy. The heavy mountain soils, rich in quartz and potassium, yield a tea that is intensely brisk, deeply structured, and exceptionally sweet.

hese tightly rolled needles are heavily coated in a delicate white down that will scorch and turn bitter if exposed to boiling water. Vessel: Tall, clear glass vessel or porcelain gaiwan (minimum 120ml interior) Ratio: 4g per 120ml Water Temperature: 80°C – 85°C (176°F – 185°F) First Rinse: Omit the rinse for this high-grade green tea to capture the initial surge of l-theanine and downy sweetness. Steeps: 6–10 successive infusions, starting with short 10-second steeps. Watch the flavor profile evolve from an intense, savory grassiness into a soft, honeyed vegetal sweetness. Teaware Pairing To fully appreciate the kinetic beauty of this tea, a tall, clear glass vessel is highly recommended, allowing you to watch the downy needles slowly suspend, dance, and sink in the water. A thin porcelain gaiwan is the perfect functional alternative to maintain a cool, rapid pour that keeps the delicate leaves from over-extracting.