Longjing 43 vs Wu Niu Zao
Much of the ‘pre-Qingming Longjing’ on sale early in the season is not made from a Longjing cultivar at all. Wu Niu Zao buds two to three weeks earlier and is shaped in the Longjing style, and recognising it is the most practical defence a buyer has.
cultivar
What is being compared
Why these get confused
Both are flat, green and Zhejiang-grown, and the shaping step disguises the difference. The tell is aroma rather than appearance.
Point by point
| Aspect | Longjing 43 | Wu Niu Zao |
|---|---|---|
| Budding time | Early for a Longjing cultivar. | Exceptionally early — two to three weeks ahead of Longjing 43. |
| Province | Zhejiang. | Zhejiang. |
| Flavour | Clean and immediate, with the nutty Longjing character. | Flatter, and noticeably less nutty. |
| How it is sold | As Longjing, which it is. | Frequently as early Longjing, shaped to match. |
| Shape | Flat pressed blades. | Shaped in the same style, which is what makes the substitution work. |
| Why the substitution pays | Not applicable. | The first-harvest premium is large and the calendar is the whole argument for it. |
The short answer
The first tea of the season is not necessarily the first Longjing of the season. If an early cup lacks the roasted-chestnut note the tea is known for, the date on the packet is doing more work than the leaf.
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