I have tried several longjing’s and I believe I’ve developed a good palate for determining what is and is not authentic west lake longjing. This one would fall into the latter category for me, the flavour was very mild, the scent equally faint, the infusion very light. This is not a bad introduction to longjing as it captures some of the characteristics of the real thing, but please to anyone don’t be dissuaded by this experience to foresake longjing in the future from other suppliers. What really disappoints is the pricetag on this, $10 for 50 grams here.. David’s tea might be a bargain to your average starbucks consumer, where $10 buying you several cups worth of tea is better than $10 for one cup of fancy coffee, but this is still very expensive, especially for an inauthentic longjing. There are many reputable suppliers online for this wonderful tea and you don’t need to spend a fortune either, unless you are wealthy or a connoisseur a 3rd Grade longjing should only cost about $30 – 45 for a lb! Compare to David’s tea $90/lb. This 3rd grade dragonwell will also be authentic and you will know it’s authentic because the scent and flavour will be far more pronounced and lingering, not this tepid concoction David’s tea is passing off.
