Organic Enshi Jade Dew

China's Rare Steamed Green Tea

1 Bud 1 Leaf

100% Hand-Picked

Steam-Kill

Why "Jade Dew"?

A Name Across Three Dynasties

Qing Dynasty · Qianlong Era

A tea merchant named Lan in Enshi's Bajiao Huanglianxi built a furnace and crafted a tea he called "Jade Green" (Yùlǜ). His roasting ovens were so well designed they remain nearly unchanged in today's workshops.

Qing Dynasty · Kangxi's Praise

When tribute tea from Enshi reached the Forbidden City, Emperor Kangxi declared it "superior to jade dew nectar itself" – words that would later find their home.

Republican Era · 1939

Master tea maker Yang Runzhi refined the tea until its leaves gleamed like polished jade and its liquor shone like morning dew. He united the emperor's praise with the tea's appearance and renamed it:

Jade Dew (Yùlù)

Jade – leaves the colour of precious jade, eternal and beautiful

Dew – liquor as fresh and pure as morning dew

Three dynasties. One name.
A tea revealed across time.

The Birthplace of Steamed Tea – Tang Dynasty Origins

Steam-killed green tea is one of China's oldest tea-making techniques, originating in the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) .

Lu Yu's Classic of Tea – the world's first tea monograph – records that green tea was made by steaming fresh leaves to soften them and halt oxidation.

During the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1279) , Japanese monks studying Buddhism at Zhejiang's Jing Shan Temple brought this steaming technique back to Japan. It became the foundation of Japanese tea ceremony culture – gyokuro, matcha, and sencha all trace their lineage directly to this Chinese method.

Today, Enshi Yulu is the only green tea in China that still uses steam fixation – a "living fossil" of Tang Dynasty tea culture, passed down through generations of local farmers.

Two Japanese Experts, One Conclusion

1995: Shimizu Yasuo's Pilgrimage

Japanese tea expert Shimizu Yasuo travelled to China to find the roots of Japanese tea. His conclusion:

"Enshi Yulu is the original ancestor of Japanese gyokuro."

He inscribed these words: "Enshi Yulu – Review the Old to Learn the New" (See image).

Matsushita Sage in "Journey to China's Famous Teas"

After his Enshi visit, renowned Japanese tea expert Matsushita Sage wrote:

"Enshi Yulu has an exceptional aroma, and its rich, full flavour is more than a match for Japanese gyokuro – in fact, it surpasses it."

Hand-Picked Excellence

At a Fraction of the Price

Japanese gyokuro commands premium prices but is largely machine-harvested, resulting in fragmented, broken leaves.

Our Enshi Jade Dew is 100% hand-picked to strict standards – selecting tender buds and young leaves with uniform size, deep green colour, and excellent freshness. Every single leaf and bud is chosen by hand, not by machine.

Yet despite this meticulous handcraft, and according to Japanese experts themselves delivering quality that surpasses gyokuro, our Jade Dew remains significantly more accessible in price.

Superior craftsmanship. Superior flavour. Superior value.

Grown naturally in open-air organic farms alongside legume, native crops and medicinal plants – no pesticides, just pure ecology.

This balanced ecosystem contributes to the tea's exceptional freshness and tenderness.

From Leaf to Cup – Completed in One Day

Unlike traditional methods that stretch across a week, our Jade Dew is processed within a single day – capturing the freshest possible expression of the leaf.

Machine Precision, Human Touch

We use modern machinery for most of the process, ensuring consistency and efficiency. But the critical moments remain in human hands:

Gather · Lift · Toss – these essential movements are performed by our tea masters, their decades of experience guiding each leaf.

The Process:

Fresh leaves are steam-killed within hours of harvest and wither, then shaped, sorted, and sealed – all before the day ends. The result: tea that tastes of the morning it was picked.

The wisdom of Tang Dynasty. The precision of today.

The Heart of Jade Dew: Steam-Kill

The most crucial step is the steam-kill process, which directly determines the tea's colour, aroma, and flavour.

Fresh leaves are exposed to high-temperature steam for seconds only – rapidly halting oxidation while preserving the leaf's natural compounds. This locks in the signature jade-green colour, fresh vegetal character, and distinctive seaweed aroma.

Timing must be perfect – too short and oxidation continues; too long and leaves overcook. Our tea masters have spent decades perfecting this moment.

The Treasure of Three Greens

Enshi Yulu is celebrated for its precious "Three Greens"– the signature of authentic, well-crafted Jade Dew and visible proof of the steam-kill method's superiority in preserving chlorophyll.

Dry Leaf:
Jade Green

Liquor:
Clear Green

Infused Leaf:
Tender Green

The Aroma

Seaweed · Roasted bean · Creamy chestnut · Candy-like sweetness

"A gentle fragrance rises in wisps, with subtle milky notes seeping into the heart."

Tasting Notes

Dry Leaf: Tiny jade needles, scent of seaweed and chestnut, covered in fine white hairs.

Liquor: Clear bright green, luminous, alive with floating tea hairs rich in L-theanine.

Flavour: Fresh, lively, crisp. Sweet and tender. Thick umami, no bitterness.

Infused Leaves: Vibrant, tender, whole – proof of authentic steam-kill.

China's Selenium Capital

Enshi – "China's Selenium Capital" Selenium is an essential trace element that the World Health Organization calls "the miracle element of life" – regulating immune systems, helping the body resist viruses, and providing powerful antioxidant protection.

Our Jade Dew grows on this unique mineral-rich land, naturally absorbing selenium into every leaf.

Antioxidant

Rich in polyphenols

Mental Clarity

Calm, focused alertness

Reduces Blood Lipids

Promotes fat metabolism

Weight Management

Boosts metabolism

Cancer Prevention

Rich in protective compounds

Oral Health

Inhibits oral bacteria

Premium Grade

The top tier of each harvest. Leaves show perfect uniformity in size and colour – each needle a mirror of the next. The jade-green is at its brightest, the aroma most intense, the mouthfeel thickest with umami. Every sip is a statement.

For those who seek the absolute finest.

First Grade

Excellent quality with charming natural variation. Leaves may show slight differences in size and shade, but deliver the same authentic flavour profile – full umami, sweet, smooth. The everyday expression of a legendary tea.

For daily enjoyment and culinary applications.

Brewing Guide

Different ways to experience enjoy Enshi Jade Dew

Cold Brew

5g leaves
No rinsing

Quick
500ml room temperature water
3 min
Grab a bottle, drop the bag, go.

Full Immersion
500ml cold water
Refrigerate 30+ min
Pure refreshment

Hot Brew

5g leaves
75–85°C water
No rinsing

Glass Cup (300ml)
3 min
+1–2 min per brew after 1st infusion
Best : 3 infusions

Gaiwan (120ml)
20 sec
+10-15 sec brew after 1st infusion
Best : 5 infusions

The Skin and The Bones

Cold water draws out the tea's "skin" – the most delicate aromatic compounds, leaving a brew that is pure, refreshing, and subtly fragrant. Hot water reaches deeper, releasing the "bones" – the full structure, umami, and layered complexity locked within the leaf. Jade Dew is the rare green tea that reveals itself beautifully through both.

Choose Your Form