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Chinese green teas: Longjing, Biluochun, Maofeng - three classics

China is the homeland of green tea, and among hundreds of varieties a handful of true legends has grown. Three of them are the absolute top: Longjing (Dragon Well), Biluochun (Spring Snail) and Huangshan Maofeng. Each has its own, unrepeatable leaf shape, its own flavour and its own history. Longjing is flat and nutty, Biluochun spiral and floral, and Maofeng peak-shaped and scented with orchid. Interestingly, they are set apart not only by region but also by the way of processing: the first two are pan-fired, and Maofeng is oven-dried. Getting to know these three classics is a great introduction to the richness of Chinese green tea. Here is a guide: where their shapes and flavours come from and how pan-firing differs from drying.

China and green tea

To appreciate these three teas, it is worth understanding the context. China is the cradle of tea and the unquestioned kingdom of green - it arose here and here it still dominates. Chinese green tea is famous for the enormous variety of leaf shapes, each of which affects the flavour and aroma. Most Chinese greens are pan-fired, which gives a characteristic roasted, nutty tone, unlike the steamed Japanese teas. Among thousands of varieties an elite of the so-called famous teas (mingcha) emerged, prized for centuries, sometimes once reserved for the emperor. Longjing, Biluochun and Maofeng belong to this strict top. Understanding that Chinese green is a world of varied shapes and a pan-fired profile is the starting point for getting to know the three. We cover the kinds of green more in green tea types.

Longjing: flat and nutty

Longjing, that is Dragon Well, is the most famous Chinese green tea, coming from West Lake (Xihu) in Hangzhou, in Zhejiang province. Its hallmark is the unusual shape of the leaves: they are flat, smooth and pressed, formed by hand during pan-firing. Spring Longjing gives a clear, light, yellowish-green brew, a fresh nutty aroma (often compared to roasted chestnuts) and a smooth, sweet aftertaste. It is a tea of a warm, nutty, lightly roasted character, coming directly from the frying on the heated metal. Longjing is considered the model of elegance of Chinese green: delicate, sweet, nutty, with no sharp bitterness. The flat leaf shape and the nutty flavour are its two signatures. It is often the first Chinese green that a tea lover gets to know, and the model against which they compare the rest.

Biluochun: spiral and floral

Biluochun, that is Spring Snail, is another legend, coming from the Dongting mountains by Lake Tai in Jiangsu province. Its name (literally green snail of spring) comes from the shape of the leaves: they are rolled into tight, fine spirals resembling snail shells. But the most interesting is its story of flavour: Biluochun traditionally grows interplanted with fruit trees, thanks to which the leaves naturally absorb floral and fruity aromas from the surroundings. This gives it a unique, delicate, floral-fruity profile, setting it apart from the nutty Longjing. Biluochun is subtle, aromatic and full of spring freshness, with fine, fluffy spiral leaves covered in a delicate down. The spiral shape and the floral aroma are its hallmarks. It is a tea for those who seek floral finesse in a green, rather than nutty sweetness. Every sip carries a spring lightness.

Maofeng: peak-shaped and orchid-scented

Huangshan Maofeng comes from the picturesque Yellow Mountains (Huangshan) in Anhui province. Its leaves have a characteristic, peak shape (maofeng means roughly fluffy peak), resembling fine, pointed buds covered in a delicate down. The most important difference from the two previous: Maofeng is oven-dried, not pan-fired. This changes its character - it is more delicate and less roasted, and more floral and clean. Its brew has a persistent, lingering flavour and a characteristic aroma of orchid or Chinese chestnut, with a pleasant, sweet aftertaste. Maofeng is fresh, elegant and aromatic, with a note of mountain purity. The peak leaf shape, the oven-drying and the orchid aroma are its signatures. It is a tea showing that even among Chinese greens the way of processing can give a completely different profile. We cover the step itself more in fixing (kill-green).

A table: three teas

Let us gather the three in one place:

The table shows how the three classics differ in region, shape and flavour. Each is a separate ideal of Chinese green tea, and the differences in leaf shape go hand in hand with the differences in flavour.

Leaf shape and flavour

An interesting lesson of this trio is the link between leaf shape and flavour. It is no accident that the flat Longjing is nutty, the spiral Biluochun floral, and the peak-shaped Maofeng orchid-scented. The shape of the leaf forms during processing, and the way of shaping and processing affects how the leaf gives off flavour and aroma. The flat pressing of Longjing on the heated wok builds its roasted, nutty tone. The gentle rolling of Biluochun into spirals keeps its floral-fruity subtlety. The peak shape of Maofeng and the oven-drying give a clean, orchid character. This is why experienced lovers recognise Chinese green teas by the very look of the dry leaf, predicting their profile. The shape is not only aesthetics but a record of the way of processing, and through that a promise of flavour. This shows how the hand of the maker is written into the final character of the tea. We cover the process itself more in Chinese tea.

Pan-firing versus drying

The most important technological difference in the trio is the method of fixing, that is stopping oxidation. Longjing and Biluochun are pan-fired, where the dry heat of the heated metal deactivates the enzymes and gives the tea a roasted, nutty tone. Maofeng, by contrast, is oven-dried, which gives a gentler, less roasted, and more floral and clean character. This shows that even among Chinese green teas the way of processing can clearly change the profile. Pan-firing builds warm, roasted notes, drying keeps a fresh, floral delicacy. It is the same principle as in the difference between Chinese and Japanese greens (pan-fired versus steamed), but here it works within the Chinese classics themselves. Understanding that the method of fixing shapes the flavour explains why three teas from one country taste so different. It is the key to telling them apart.

How to sense it in the brew

The three are easy to tell apart once you know what to look for. Longjing: light, yellowish-green brew, warm nutty aroma of roasted chestnuts, smooth, sweet flavour - flat leaves in the cup. Biluochun: delicate, floral-fruity aroma, subtle flavour full of spring freshness - fine, fluffy spirals. Maofeng: clean, floral aroma of orchid or chestnut, persistent, elegant flavour - peak-shaped, fluffy buds. If a tea smells of roasted nuts, it is a clue for Longjing; if of flowers and fruit, Biluochun; if of clean orchid, Maofeng. It is worth brewing all three side by side, to feel the three faces of Chinese green. Remember cooler water (not boiling) and shorter brewing, to draw out their delicacy rather than bitterness. Over time you will recognise each by leaf and aroma. We cover the whole family more in green tea types.

The essentials in brief

Let us gather it up. The three most famous Chinese green teas are Longjing, Biluochun and Maofeng, each with its own leaf shape, flavour and region. Longjing from West Lake has flat, pressed leaves and a warm, nutty, roasted flavour. Biluochun from the Dongting mountains has tight spirals and a floral-fruity aroma, absorbed from the fruit trees growing nearby. Maofeng from the Yellow Mountains has peak-shaped buds and a clean, orchid character. The key technological difference: Longjing and Biluochun are pan-fired (a roasted tone), and Maofeng is oven-dried (a floral delicacy). The leaf shape goes hand in hand with the flavour and the way of processing. Now you know how to tell these three classics apart and where their flavours come from.

Note every tea in GustoNote - including the variety and the aroma you sense. Over time you will start to recognise Longjing, Biluochun and Maofeng by leaf and flavour.