Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Sold as early Longjing every spring because it buds two to three weeks sooner and takes the same flat shape.
Point by point
| Dimension | Wu Niu Zao | Longjing |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Kill-green (fixation) → Flat shaping → Drying. bud and one leaf and spring harvest. | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Drying. bud and one leaf and first flush harvest. |
| Origin | China | China — Protected designation: West Lake Longjing carries a Chinese protected-origin designation restricted to a defined area of Hangzhou. |
| Flavour | grassy and nutty. light and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: fresh grass, light chestnut. Straightforward in character. Moderate in intensity. | nutty, sweet and vegetal. light and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: roasted chestnut, toasted rice, orchid, fresh beans. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 120s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 120s. Grandpa style: 0.5–1 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 180s. Cold brew tea: 1–2 g/100 ml at 4–10 °C, first steep 21600s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. |
| Cultural context | Sold as Longjing far more often than under its own name, because it reaches market first. The shape is convincing; the chestnut aroma is not. | Used in Chinese tea house culture and Longjing and the spring tea season. Far more tea is sold as West Lake Longjing than that small protected area could produce. Longjing made elsewhere in Zhejiang is legitimate tea under a broader name, and is frequently very good; the price difference between it and the protected designation is very large. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.