At a glance
Osmanthus Longjing combines a Longjing green-tea base with osmanthus fragrance. It is a scented product, and its name alone does not prove that the base is protected West Lake Longjing.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 桂花龙井 |
| Tea family | Scented tea |
| Associated origin | Hangzhou, Zhejiang association; verify the origin of the actual tea base |
| Leaf form | Flat green tea leaves scented with osmanthus |
Taste and appearance
The inherited notes describe straight flat leaves with yellow flowers, a bright tender-green cup, bean-like and osmanthus aromas and a mellow, substantial taste. Different makers and leaf bases vary; photographs do not authenticate West Lake origin.
The cover is the original dry-leaf illustration. These images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of origin, grade, age, authenticity or image rights clearance.
Grade characteristics
This preserves the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table and does not grade your packet. Plant material, growing area, processing and grade are separate details. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade (old table) | Grade 1 (old table) | Grade 2 (old table) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Flat, smooth, straight and even | Flat, straight and even | Flat and straight |
| Dry colour | Tender lustrous green leaves and yellow flowers | Tender green-yellow and lustrous | Lustrous green with fewer flowers |
| Liquor | Bright tender green | Bright tender green | Bright green |
| Aroma | Rich bean-like and osmanthus aromas | Rich and lasting | Full |
| Taste | Mellow and substantial | Mellow and substantial | Fresh and mellow |
| Infused material | Tender green shoots, even and bright | Yellow-green shoots and bright | Bright opened shoots |
The old comparison is not a verified protected Longjing standard for a scented blend. Fewer visible flowers does not independently establish a lower grade.
Names and origin
Guihua Longjing means osmanthus Longjing. Hangzhou event reporting and a local producer confirm the product association, and a published processing patent describes preparing a Longjing green-tea base before scenting with osmanthus. These support the combination, not a rule that every product uses West Lake leaves, requires exactly six months of manufacture or follows one patented technique.
Everyday benefits
The useful role here is an enjoyable drink with a particular aroma, not a treatment. Where tea leaves are included, the drink contains caffeine unless specifically decaffeinated. A flower-only product and a tea-based blend must be distinguished on the actual label. The former page’s claims about sleep, immunity, weight loss or disease do not establish effects of a brewed cup.
Who may enjoy this tea
For people who enjoy flat green tea with an added floral fragrance. The caffeine-containing base makes it different from a flower-only infusion; choose for taste rather than stress or digestive treatment.
When to take care
Check the complete ingredients label and avoid any ingredient to which you have a known allergy. A scented or blended name does not establish whether the product contains tea leaves, added sweeteners or other botanicals. Where actual tea leaves are present, account for caffeine from all drinks and use your clinician’s advice during pregnancy or with relevant conditions or medicines. Do not use the drink to treat symptoms.
Iron supplements: if prescribed iron, follow its directions and ask the pharmacist about separation from tea-containing drinks; do not change treatment based on this page.
How to brew
Original prose: glass or porcelain cup
The inherited method uses 1:50, 90–100°C / 194–212°F, refilling at about one-third liquid remaining, with roughly three refills. No first steeping time is supplied. This is a retained method, not a universal recipe for every formulation.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Material | 3 g as an editorial arithmetic example, only if suitable for the identified product |
| Actual water | 150 mL / about 5.1 US fl oz, measured actual water at 1:50 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe glass or porcelain cup with room for material and water |
| Temperature | 90–100°C / 194–212°F |
| First drink | No time recorded; use a complete packet method |
| Refill | About one-third remaining; around three refills is not a strength guarantee |
These inherited directions and arithmetic examples are awaiting hands-on testing. Follow the actual food product’s ingredients and full instructions first. Leaf form, added ingredients and bag size matter; the same name does not establish a serving. Strain or transfer to stop continuous extraction, and let the cup cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
Illustration method: glass, incomplete parameters. Add a suitable quantity to a heat-safe glass, slowly add water, cover briefly and gently swirl with water around one-fifth full, then top up to about seven-tenths and drink. The picture specifies no weighed dose, numeric temperature, first drinking time or measured actual water. The pictured fractions do not measure vessel capacity or establish a ratio. It shows no separate leaf rinse. Use a complete product method rather than inventing missing numbers.
For ordinary teaware options, see brew without a gaiwan. Keep each complete method together instead of selecting temperature, dose and time from different preparations.
Adjust your cup
| What you notice | One change to try |
|---|---|
| Too strong, bitter or drying | Separate the liquid from the leaves; shorten contact time or use less tea next time |
| Weak or watery | Keep the measured water fixed and try a longer infusion before changing the leaf dose |
| Later infusions become stronger | Check whether liquid was left sitting with the leaves |
| Different from a flavour description | Compare the actual product and method; a description is not a promise for every cup |
Change one variable at a time. For a fuller sequence, see fix a disappointing first cup.
How to buy
Check the named Longjing base and its origin, scenting versus added flavouring, full ingredients, net mass, dates and storage. Compare small packs first; aroma strength alone is not a grade or authenticity test.
See buy your first Chinese tea for packet comparisons.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No original brand, batch, harvest or quotation date was recorded. These are not verified current retail quotes, a market average or manufacturer-suggested retail prices.
| Chinese-edition tier | CNY per 500 g (one jin) | Equivalent CNY per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Extra grade | 500 | 100 |
| Grade 1 | 280 | 56 |
| Grade 2 | 190 | 38 |
Per 100 g is an arithmetic conversion, not a quoted packet. Do not infer a missing sensory or price tier. Compare actual growing area, style, harvest, roast, weight and channel. A currency conversion does not make a UK or US retail offer comparable to a China historical figure.
How to store
Original storage method
The original options are a dense, strong, odour-free food pouch in a refrigerator or a sealed pack inside a metal container in a cool, dry place. Its 3–6°C / 37–43°F range describes refrigeration, not a freezer temperature; the old wording conflated the two. Use the actual maker’s directions before choosing a cold-storage option. No universal expiry is supplied.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep a working pack away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, spices and sunlight. Reseal promptly with dry hands and a dry scoop. If the actual label calls for cold storage, use an odour-proof moisture barrier and let the pack warm while sealed before opening; refrigeration does not reset its date. See storing opened tea.
Origin, processing and history
The inherited map shows a good Longjing base, one scenting round and one final fragrance treatment. That is a simplified example rather than a universal production rule. Other documented methods use additional flower conditioning and drying techniques. The spring-tea/autumn-flower story is useful seasonal context, not proof that processing itself takes half a year.
Common questions
Does the name guarantee West Lake Longjing?
No. Ask where the tea base was grown and processed and what traceable origin documentation accompanies that specific product. A scented product name, Hangzhou packing address or yellow flower does not establish a protected base origin.
Can I move one number from this recipe into a different vessel?
Keep leaf form, measured dose and actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Nominal capacity or a fill fraction is not a measured ratio.
Compare Longjing, or browse the scented tea overview.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. Valid original descriptions, sensory comparisons, prose and image methods, storage handling, China price figures and usable pictures are retained with their scope. Doubtful medical, ranking and exact historical claims are revised or omitted. Current full grade clauses and historical prices are not certified. Original Chinese-labelled graphics have English reading notes; no TeaPlain tasting or brewing test is claimed. Internal research and image audits record the decisions.