Cui Luo is a spiral-rolled green tea produced in Yuanling, western Hunan. The picking standard is one bud and two top leaves. The tea grows in an organic garden in Liang Shui Jie at an elevation of around 1000 meters. Surrounded by deep forests, the garden is almost completely isolated from any potential sources of pollution. The cultivar used is Fuding Xiao Ye, and the tea bushes are seed-grown. Harvested just before the Qing Ming festival, the leaves are hand-rolled into a distinctive spiral shape. The infusion is a fresh green color, a result of the fine early-spring leaves. The name “Cui Luo” (??), meaning “Jade Snail,” reflects both the shape and the vibrant green hue. The taste is delicate, sweet, freshly vegetal, and bursting with the essence of spring.
