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
Both needle-shaped Chinese greens from areas outside the famous producing provinces. Neither is well known and both are sometimes sold under better-known names.
Point by point
| Dimension | Xinyang Mao Jian | Jin Shan Cui Ya |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping. bud and one leaf and first flush harvest. | In order: Kill-green (fixation) → Flat shaping → Drying. bud and one leaf and spring harvest. |
| Origin | China | China |
| Flavour | nutty, vegetal and mineral. medium, drying and astringent in the mouth. Aroma: fresh chestnut, green bean, mineral, light smoke. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. | nutty, grassy and floral. light and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: chestnut, fresh grass, light floral. Straightforward 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. Grandpa style: 0.5–1 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 180s. 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. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| 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.