Three Hangzhou Teas to Know in 2026: Longjing, Jasmine Longjing & Jiuqu Hongmei
Hangzhou is often introduced to international visitors through West Lake, gardens and classical Jiangnan scenery, but tea is one of the strongest threads connecting the city’s landscape, hospitality and everyday rituals. Longjing is the name most people recognise first, yet Hangzhou’s tea identity is broader than a single famous green tea.
For anyone building a thoughtful Chinese tea collection, three styles offer an especially useful introduction: classic Longjing green tea, Jasmine Longjing and Jiuqu Hongmei black tea. They sit surprisingly far apart in aroma, colour and mood, even though all three can be connected to the wider Hangzhou tea tradition.
1. Classic Longjing: The Essential Flat-Leaf Green Tea
Longjing, also known as Dragon Well tea, is instantly recognisable by its flat, blade-like leaves. That shape is part of the tea’s identity rather than a decorative accident. Pan-firing and shaping create the smooth, pressed appearance associated with the style, while also helping build the gentle roasted and chestnut-like character many drinkers expect from Longjing.
In the cup, a classic Longjing should feel fresh but not aggressively grassy. It can show soft savoury notes, a rounded sweetness and a clean finish. For people who find some Japanese green teas too marine or umami-heavy, Longjing can offer a drier, more pan-fired interpretation of green tea.
Our Classic Hangzhou Longjing Green Tea – Traditional Paper-Wrapped Dragon Well leans into the visual language that makes this category so attractive: restrained packaging, flat green leaf and a quiet, traditional presentation that works equally well for daily drinking or gifting.
How to brew it
Start with water around 75–85°C rather than a full boil. A clear glass is particularly satisfying because the flat leaves become part of the visual experience as they soften, rise and settle. A porcelain gaiwan offers more control if you prefer short, separated infusions.
2. Jasmine Longjing: A More Fragrant, Gift-Friendly Direction
Jasmine Longjing takes the clean green character associated with Dragon Well-style tea and adds a floral dimension. The result is not simply “green tea with perfume.” When the balance works, jasmine lifts the aroma while the tea underneath provides freshness, structure and a soft vegetal base.
This makes Jasmine Longjing particularly useful for drinkers who enjoy floral teas but still want the visual and cultural appeal of Chinese green tea. It is also an easy gift choice because fragrance is immediate: the recipient does not need an advanced palate to understand why the tea is distinctive.
The Jasmine Longjing Green Tea – Floral Dragon Well Tea in Jiangnan-Style Tin is designed around that dual identity. The decorative tin gives it more presence as a gift, while the tea itself offers a lighter and more aromatic route into the Longjing family.
How Jasmine Longjing differs from plain Longjing
Classic Longjing puts more emphasis on pan-fired leaf character, soft nuttiness and restrained freshness. Jasmine Longjing shifts the first impression toward fragrance. The best way to choose between them is not by asking which is more premium, but by deciding whether you want the tea itself or the floral aroma to lead the experience.
3. Jiuqu Hongmei: Hangzhou’s Darker, Red-Gold Counterpoint
Jiuqu Hongmei is one of the most interesting teas for anyone who only associates Hangzhou with green tea. It is a fully oxidised black tea—called red tea in Chinese—and its visual and sensory character is dramatically different from Longjing.
The dry leaves are darker and more twisted, the liquor moves toward amber and red-gold, and the flavour can feel warmer, fruitier and more rounded. Local Hangzhou tea culture has long treated Jiuqu Hongmei as an important counterpart to Longjing, giving the region a “red and green” pairing rather than a single-style identity.
Our Hangzhou Jiuqu Hongmei Black Tea – 250g Traditional Paper-Wrapped Chinese Red Tea makes that contrast especially clear. The traditional wrapping gives it a scholarly, old-tea-shop feel, while the darker leaf and richer liquor create a more warming profile for afternoon or cooler-weather drinking.
Three Teas, Three Different Moods
One of the best reasons to own all three is that they do not duplicate one another.
Longjing suits quiet mornings, clean food and minimalist tea sessions.
Jasmine Longjing works beautifully for afternoon tea, gifting and anyone who enjoys fragrance.
Jiuqu Hongmei feels richer, warmer and more comforting, especially with pastries, darker chocolate, nuts or a more substantial meal.
How to Build a Small Hangzhou Tea Tasting
If you want to compare the three at home, brew them in separate neutral vessels and taste from lightest to darkest. Begin with classic Longjing, then Jasmine Longjing, and finish with Jiuqu Hongmei. This prevents the stronger black tea from overwhelming the more delicate green teas.
Keep the green teas below boiling and use hotter water for the black tea. Use the same cups if possible so the differences come from the tea rather than the vessel.
Why This Trio Works for Gifting
A three-style tea selection tells a stronger story than three similar packets of green tea. It introduces processing, aroma and colour in a way that is easy to understand. The paper-wrapped Longjing feels traditional and understated; the jasmine tin feels decorative and celebratory; the Jiuqu Hongmei brings depth and contrast.
For housewarmings, host gifts or anyone interested in Chinese culture, this kind of trio can be paired with one clear glass, one porcelain gaiwan or a simple tea tray rather than an oversized ceremonial set.
Styling Tea at Home
Tea can be decorative without becoming theatrical. A paper-wrapped pack beside a small ceramic bowl, a green floral tin on a shelf, or a tea tray next to a stack of books can create a subtle East-meets-West interior detail. Keep the environment dry, cool and away from direct sun. Good styling should never compromise storage.
FAQ
Which Hangzhou tea is easiest for a beginner?
Classic Longjing and Jasmine Longjing are both approachable. Longjing is cleaner and more restrained; Jasmine Longjing is more immediately aromatic.
Which one is best for someone who normally drinks black tea?
Jiuqu Hongmei is the closest fit because it has a richer liquor and fuller flavour than green tea.
Can these teas be re-steeped?
Yes. All three can be infused more than once. Later infusions are often softer and can reveal different aromatic details.
Do I need special Chinese teaware?
No. A heat-resistant glass, porcelain cup, small teapot or gaiwan is enough to begin.
Which tea is most visually interesting to brew?
Longjing is particularly striking in clear glass because its flat leaves open gradually and remain visible throughout the session.
A More Complete Picture of Hangzhou Tea
Longjing deserves its global reputation, but the most interesting way to understand Hangzhou tea is to place it beside other local expressions. Classic Longjing shows precision and restraint. Jasmine Longjing adds fragrance and gift appeal. Jiuqu Hongmei introduces warmth, oxidation and red-gold depth. Together, they turn a single famous tea name into a much broader cultural and sensory story.