What is Lucky Dragon green tea?
Hyson or “Lucky Dragon” tea is a variety of Chinese green tea, with its name (Hyson) meaning “blooming spring” or “flourishing spring”. Some people believe that the name came from Phillip Hyson, an Englis tea merchant, while others say that it comes from a similar-sounding word in a Chinese dialect known as Guangdong. The tea is made out of young tea leaves, rolled very thinly into long, twisted rolls, which slowly unfurl when the're brewed. The tea is graded into three different categories: Fu Si, Mi Si, and Cheng Si. Despite being of relatively average quality, Hyson was very highly prized during the 18th Century in Britain, to the extent that the tea tax on Hyson was actually higher than it was for the rest of the available teas!
Generally speaking, Hyson green tea is quite a low grade tea of fairly mediocre quality – unless, that is, it's harvested while the leaves are extremely young. In this case, the resulting tea is actually very high grade. Early harvesting produces leaves that are pungent in taste and result in a very full-bodied infusion with a rich, golden color. Lucky Dragon Tea, although often used as a synonym for Hyson, is actually just one variety of Hyson – one which has a light, extremely delicate flavor. Lucky Dragon Tea is one of the finer varieties of Hyson.
Young Hyson is actually categorized separately from Hyson, to make clear that it is of a higher quality. There are then 4 further subcategories of Young Hyson! They are:
Saw Mee – a small, relatively soft, twisted leaf.
Chun Mee – a small, quite hard, twisted leaf.
Foong Mee – a longer, large and curly leaf.
Siftings.
Sometime the Young Hyson can also be subdivided into categories that are simply known as First Young Hyson, Second Young Hyson, and Third Young Hyson.
Lucky Dragon Tea tends to be of a much darker color than most green teas – possibly looking closer in appearance to some oolong teas. Like many oolongs, it contains hints of “woodiness”, but with the recognizable characteristics of green tea as well. It is earthy and spring-like in flavor, and as with most green teas, tastes better without the addition of milk or sugar, which are thought to take away from the flavors of the tea.
To brew Lucky Dragon Tea, follow the standard brewing guidelines for green tea, remembering that these are different from brewing black tea! One teaspoon per cup will suffice, and the water should have been allowed to cool slightly after boiling. Steep the leaves for 3 to 5 minutes. Using too much tea, or water that is too hot, or steeping the leaves for too long, can all lead to overbrewing or “cooking” the tea and making it bitter and unpalatable. Brewed correctly, you'll find Lucky Dragon to be a smooth, good-bodied tea.
You can also serve this particular tea cold – it makes a lovely, refreshing iced drink on a hot summer's day! About 6-8 teaspoons of tea will make up one pitcher for 5 or 6 cups – steep for somewhere in the region of 5-7 minutes, and then add to a pitcher with six teaspoons of sugar. Serve over ice, perhaps with a lemon garnish. Delicious!
Useful Links:
http://www.inspiredinfusions.com/PD_602002_Lucky_Dragon_Hyson.html
http://www.culinaryteas.com/Green_Teas/Lucky_Dragon_Hy_Son_Tea.html
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