Sweet Dew Green Tea | Mengding Mountain

Sweet Dew · Měng Dǐng Gān Lù · 蒙顶甘露

2025 / 50 g

€62,00

1/14

Sweet Dew · Měng Dǐng Gān Lù · 蒙顶甘露

€62,00

€1.240,00/kg

A tightly curled green jewel, hiding an ocean of sweet nectar beneath its fractured cells.

Product Description An ancient heritage of cooling grace for the warm summer months. Sweet Dew (Mengding Ganlu) originates from the lush, mist-draped imperial gardens of Mengding Mountain in Ya'an, Sichuan. Crafted from the most tender, early spring buds, the leaves undergo a traditional three-times roasting and three-times rolling process, twisting them into a fine, needle-like curl that locks in the vibrant green memory of the peak. Upon brewing, it yields a clear, pale-jade liquor that beautifully balances a rich, nutty foundation with a lifting citrus complexity. It stands as a timeless testament to China's oldest recorded tea-growing lineage—a perfect companion to invite calm into your daily ritual.

roasted pistachio · warm biscuit · buttered almond · velvet broth · pale jade · fresh grapefruit · mountain mist · sweet dew

FORMAT · Loose leaf curled needles

HARVEST · First Spring Pick (Ming Qian) · Late March 2025

ORIGIN · Mengding Mountain, Ya'an, Sichuan Province, China

ELEVATION · 1,200m above sea level

CULTIVAR · Sichuan Lao Qun Ti (Sichuan Heirloom Group Cultivar)

PRODUCER · High-altitude organic cooperative near the historic Mengding Temple

PROCESSING · Hand-plucked single buds → Three-times roasting and three-times rolling (San Chao San Rou) → Slow final pan-dry

BATCH · 30kg curated for the Yuan Archive

CERTIFICATION · Cultivated within protected historical imperial garden zones · Compliant with organic certification standards at source

STORAGE · Nitrogen-packed and preserved at -18°C under continuous climate monitoring in our dedicated vault.

94/100

静山 · Jìng Shān Still Mountain · 88–94

The mountain at its most present. Everything unnecessary has fallen away. Sweet Dew scores a 94, representing the highest standards of our Still Mountain tier. It displays extraordinary scores in fragrance complexity and palate depth. The unique structural transition from a warm, biscuit-like nuttiness into a bright, velvety grapefruit finish is highly unusual for a green tea of this altitude, proving the flawless execution of the heirloom group cultivar and the classic rolling craft. more about the Yuan Archive Scoring System

Sourcing & Ecological Transparency: Small-Farm Ecosystem Tea
This tea comes directly from a smallholder family garden with whom we maintain a close, direct partnership.

Farmer's Ecological Commitment:

Zero Synthetic Chemicals: Grown strictly without chemical pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or artificial soil treatments.
Biodiverse Ecosystem: Cultivated in harmony with surrounding native trees, flora, and soil biology, allowing natural insect predators and organic leaf mulch to nourish the trees.
Artisanal Integrity: While formal laboratory testing remains cost-prohibitive for this small producer, our partner growers guarantee that their trees and soil are cared for ethically and naturally. They are actively working toward expanded testing as their farm grows.

The Dry Leaf

Densely curled, tiny, pale emerald-green leaves covered in a soft, silvery downy fuzz, reminiscent of young mountain caterpillars. The dry pre-heat aroma is remarkably rich, offering deep notes of roasted pistachio and warm baked biscuits.

The Soup

A brilliant, translucent pale-jade liquor with pristine physical clarity and a highly reflective surface.

Fragrance & Palate

The infusion awakens the palate with the immense, comforting warmth of roasted nuts, buttery almond, and toasted pistachio. As the liquor settles on the mid-palate, it lifts gracefully into a bright, velvety, and highly refreshing note of fresh grapefruit. The texture is distinctly thick and coating, almost velvet-like, leaving a lingering, sweet, and cooling dew-like sensation across the throat.

Spiritual Character

The Energy:

Warm and deeply grounding in its initial mouthfeel and flavor, yet highly cooling, clearing, and refreshing in its bodily effect. It invites a quiet, peaceful focus, drawing the calm of a mountain morning into the present.

The Hour:

Superb for slow summer afternoons, grounding daily rituals, or moments when you crave an elegant balance of comfort and revitalization.

Lineage & History Mengding Ganlu (Sweet Dew of Mengding) is one of China's oldest recorded green teas, with a lineage stretching back over 2,000 years to the Western Han Dynasty. It is historically linked to the Daoist monk Wu Lizhen, who first cultivated seven wild tea trees on the mountain. To create its signature curled shape and sweet flavor, the tea undergoes a highly specialized "Three-Roast, Three-Roll" (San Chao San Rou) process, which fractures the leaf cells just enough to release the maximum amount of sweet amino acids upon brewing.

Terroir & Microclimate Mengding Mountain is legendary for its wet, cloudy, and highly humid microclimate—an old local proverb claims it rains "nine days out of ten" on the peak. This constant, heavy mist acts as a natural sun filter, drastically reducing direct sunlight. This prevents the development of bitter catechins while forcing the plants to build up rich natural sugars and amino acids, making the brewed tea incredibly smooth, nutty, and naturally low in astringency.

The intricate San Chao San Rou process fractures the leaf cells just enough to make them highly soluble; gentle brewing parameters will maximize sweetness. Vessel: Coarse clay vessel or spacious glass gaiwan (minimum 120ml interior) Ratio: 4g per 120ml Water Temperature: 80°C – 85°C (176°F – 185°F). Avoid boiling water to protect the delicate nut-biscuit flavors. First Rinse: Omit the rinse; brew immediately to capture the heavy pectin and amino acids released in the initial steep. Steeps: 6–10 successive infusions, starting with a gentle 12-second steep and increasing slowly as the grapefruit note steps forward. Teaware Pairing The rich, texturally thick and nutty structure of Mengding Ganlu pairs beautifully with clay that can soften edge notes. The Moss-Grown Stone Teapot is the natural structural companion, enhancing the buttery almond mouthfeel while anchoring the bright grapefruit finish across a multi-stage session.