Green Tea 绿茶 lǜ chá

Green tea is defined by one step: fixing — applying heat to the freshly picked leaf within hours of harvest to deactivate the enzymes that drive oxidation. Do it early enough and the leaf stays green, the fresh character is preserved, and you get what most people picture when they think of Chinese tea. How the leaf is fixed matters enormously: Chinese greens are pan-fired — tumbled in a hot wok or drum — which produces a toasted, nutty character, while Japanese greens are steamed, preserving more vegetal, grassy notes. Same plant, same step, different method, completely different cup. Dragon Well is the classic pan-fired Chinese green: flat leaves, chestnut sweetness, a little roast.