Duyun Mao Jian
A Guizhou green tea of fine curled downy tips, and one of the traditional Chinese famous teas from a province better known for spirits than for tea. It is brisk, high-toned and distinctly floral, with a slightly sharper edge than the Zhejiang greens.
Character
Sharper and more mineral than the famous Zhejiang greens, with a floral top note. The heavy leaf down clouds the liquor, which is characteristic rather than a fault.
- Flavour
- Floral, Vegetal, Mineral, Nutty
- Aroma
- Fresh
- Mouthfeel
- Light, Drying, Astringent
- Complexity
- Moderate
- Notes
- wildflower, green bean, chestnut, mineral
- Aftertaste
- Brisk with a sweet return.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- China
- Oxidation
- Unoxidised
- Harvest
- First flush
- Processing
- Withering → Pan-firing (Chinese fixation) → Rolling and shaping
History
A Guizhou tribute tea under the Ming dynasty whose production collapsed and was revived in the 1950s. Guizhou grows a great deal of tea and exports most of it anonymously into other provinces' blends, which is why so few of its teas are known by name.
Brewing
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1.5–2.5 g/100 ml · 75–85 °C · 1 authored infusion
Grandpa style
0.5–1 g/100 ml · 75–85 °C · 1 authored infusion
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
3–4 g/100 ml · 75–85 °C · 4 authored infusions
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Longjing
If West Lake Longjing is out of budget, a Guizhou green gives comparable pan-fired character without the protected-origin premium.
- Bi Luo Chun
Two curled downy Chinese greens that look almost identical dry. Bi Luo Chun is the famous one and Duyun Mao Jian from Guizhou is frequently sold in its place.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Mao Xie
Shares 6 descriptors with Duyun Mao Jian: floral, vegetal, astringent, drying, light and fresh.
- Xinyang Mao Jian
Shares 6 descriptors with Duyun Mao Jian: nutty, vegetal, mineral, drying, astringent and fresh.
- Darjeeling first flush
Shares 5 descriptors with Duyun Mao Jian: floral, vegetal, light, drying and fresh.
- Nuwara Eliya
Shares 5 descriptors with Duyun Mao Jian: floral, light, drying, astringent and fresh.
- Sheng pu-erh (raw)
Shares 5 descriptors with Duyun Mao Jian: floral, vegetal, mineral, astringent and fresh.
- Vietnamese green tea
Shares 5 descriptors with Duyun Mao Jian: vegetal, mineral, astringent, drying and fresh.