Mengding Maofeng

Mengding Mountain Maofeng

Mengding Mountain Maofeng is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Mengding Maofeng is produced in Mengding Mountain, Ya'an City, Sichuan Province. It is a general term for fine, lightly roasted green tea. It refers to young, lightly roasted green teas that form tightly twisted strips with visible fine hairs during initial processing. In regions where small-leaf tea varieties are grown, the Maofeng tea has a tightly twisted appearance with fine hairs exposed, showing prominent buds, bright liquor, high and fragrant aroma, mellow and refreshing taste, and tender green, bright leaves; those made from large-leaf varieties have a relatively plump shape, with visible fine tips, a yellower or darker green color, and a richer fragrance.

　　The picking and processing of Mengding Maofeng are both very meticulous, resulting in consistently excellent quality. As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was called "Sacred Yang Flower" and "Auspicious Stamen," and was offered as a tribute to local officials after processing. Starting from the Tang Dynasty, it was served as a tribute tea and continued through the Qing Dynasty. For over a thousand years, Mengding Mountain Maofeng was an annual tribute. This is also rare in the history of Chinese tea.

　　Mengding Maofeng features tightly twisted, even, and straight strips, with a tender green color that is fresh and lustrous with visible fine hairs. The aroma is noble and fresh, pleasing to the nose. The liquor is slightly yellow and bright, the taste is strong, refreshing, and pleasant, and the leaves at the bottom are uniform, tender, and green.

　　When evaluating Maofeng tea, attention should be paid to the dry tea’s color and tenderness. Bright tender green is considered top grade; tea green is mid-grade; and dark green is lower grade. Tightly twisted strips often come with deeper, darker colors. Among commercial teas, the value of green color in Maofeng is greater than that of darker hues, so color vibrancy should be emphasized during evaluation. The tenderness should mainly consist of one bud with one or two leaves; if one bud with three leaves dominates, it should be treated as regular lightly roasted green tea. When assessing aroma, focus on the freshness of the fragrance and the mellow, refreshing taste.