anney

Bird’s Tongue

First growth picked on March 21 yields a more intense aroma and taste of sweetness than the better known Ming Qian Longjing. Supply solely depends on yearly climate; therefore it can be expensive. [2009 Data: 1200 RMB per 500gm for Bird's Tongue; 900 RMB for Ming Qian at Xi Hu Tea Village]. It is not necessarily more expensive since you will need less for the cup.

Pre-Qingming

The premium early season first-picking known as Ming Qian or Pre-Qingming (or Before Ching Ming) Longjing tea requires it to be produced from the very tender first spring shoots prior to the Qingming Festival on the 5th of April each year (approximately). The production cycle is very short, only ten days before Qingming every year. Tea picked after this period is of a lower grade called Yu Qian dragon well tea or “Dragon Well Before the Rain”. In the 10-day span when Ming Qian Longjing is produced, the sprouts at the tip of the stalks are only hand-picked by experienced workers, and then specially processed; as a result, Pre-Qingming Longjing is more expensive than “standard” Longjing tea.

Shi Feng

A type of Xi Hu Longjing. This tea is considered the highest quality in China[citation needed]. Fresh tasting, its fragrance is sharp and long lasting. Its leaves are yellowish green in color. Some unscrupulous tea makers excessively pan-fry their tea to imitate its colour.

Mei Jia Wu

, sold in Shanghai Mei Jia Wu

A type of Xi Hu Longjing. This tie guan yin tea is renowned for its attractive jade green color. Early teas can fetch up to 6000 yuan per kilogram (2005 data) direct from the growers.

Not a true Longjing but looks like one and is commonly attributed, it is actually a Bai Pian. It comes from Anji in the Zhejiang Province. It was created in the early 80′s and is a Green tea from a race of White tea trees and is hence very unusual; it is said to contain more amino acids than ordinary Green tea.

This tea comes from just outside the Xi Hu Longjing designated area, in Qian Tang. It is generally not as expensive as Xi Hu Longjing.