First cup. Steep 2.5 minutes.
This green tea comes in the japanese style with no buds – only leaves – similar to one of my other favorite green teas from the An Hui province, the Green Monkey King. However, the taste of Melon Seed is drastically different. While Green Monkey King bears a more toasted flavor, Melon Seed is much more delicate. The scent of the actual tea has a kind of light buttery quality like hazelnut or white chocolate and the taste is very mild. There is an arid sweetness to it though that blossoms at the back of your tongue the more you drink. Perhaps similar to what an actual melon seed might taste like. The tea leaf has a slight peppery essence after it is steeped, which adds subtle complexity underneath the otherwise pure flavor.
