Jamie Dragon Well is one of the first green teas I tasted and one of the flavors that won me over from my coffee addiction. It's been difficult for me to find a Dragon Well that I truly enjoy because I find the flavor of green tea to be a bit overwhelming for me but this is a fine grade. The green flavor comes through at just the right level, not grassy or bitter, just really balanced, nutty and fresh. It is forgiving (over steeped it once and it was still sweet) and the quality stayed true through all three brews on my next attempt with it. This is a very aromatic green that is truly easy to enjoy. (via Tea Reviews - Its All About The Leaf)
Natalie I've been dipping my toe into the waters of the world of green teas and discovering the results can be sensational. I've only tested and tasted Japanese green teas, so I've been eager to try more Chinese green tea. Knowing that Dragon Well (Lung Ching) has a reputation for being the champagne of Chinese green teas and that it's known as being a fairly light tea, I thought that this was the ideal time for me to try this tea from Tea Frog. The dry leaf is long, pretty and fairly flat. It's green but not the neon green of some Japanese greens. It smells a bit nutty with hints at complexity that will arise with steeping. Brewed at approximately 175 degrees, the results are very pleasing. The brew is mid-yellow in color and the aroma is both vegetal and nutty. It is not ostentatiously sweet but it is fresh, mellow, and not the least bit bitter although one cduld argue that there's a natural bitter-sweetness to this Dragon Well. I use the "bitter-sweet" as a word of tribute, not a word of warning. Tea Frog has done a beautiful job of presenting a Dragon Well that balances toasty roasty goodness with some natural sweetness. Drinking this tea is a great adventure in unfolding layers of nuttiness and some vegetation-not so much that you can call it a "spinach" or an "artichoke" tea but enough so that the vegetal taste plays a strong third fiddle to the primary taste of roasted or toasted nuts. I detect roasted walnuts more than other kinds of nuts although I taste a strong complementary chestnut overtone. This tea is very satisfying and would make a great accompaniment to a meal or as an after-dinner tea. It would also be a great afternoon tea. I can see it as a great accompaniment to solitary study as well as a great social tea. It's versatility is impressive. So many teas pigeon-hole themselves as "reading teas" or "wake-up teas". Tea Frog's Dragon Well (Lung Ching) has variable facets like a beautiful gemstone and is a great tea option for many occasions. SECOND infusion: Tea Frog's Dragon Well has not lost any potency but has gained perhaps more of a nutty focus. I added a few sugar crystals and the added sweetness was nice, but did not open up any new vistas. The tea stands well on its own. I will serve this to myself without the sugar but would offer some sugar to guests who might like it. The rich toasty nuttiness and the deep flavor make this tea well-worth trying. I think it will become a staple at my house. I would also say that any green tea aficionado should start to learn the primary green teas of China, which has a longer green tea producing history than does Japan. Dragon Well justly deserves its reputation as one of the star teas of China and Tree Frog's Dragon Well is a spectacular introduction to a tea that I immediately came to admire and then love. I am off to a third infusion, confident that the tea will stand up and not lose any potency.