A thick broth of steamed crab, chestnut, hamhock, and umami rolls around in the mouth as this straightforward sichuan style unfolds over a brew session.

While Meng Ding Mountain is renowned for its legendary history and still-favored classics like Gan Lu and Huang Ya, it also produces several understated little brother styles, Mao Feng being one of them.  The somewhat generic title 毛峰 máo fēng (literally "hairy tip") still aptly describes these trichome-rich, downy buds that not only look cool, but can only be found on recently sprouted tea buds, an indication of choice spring tea.

Think of this tea as a more simplified, slightly later harvested Gan Lu (featuring a bit more leaf grown out), without the prestige-influenced price tag.  This year's Sichuan Mao Feng was harvested on April 6th, grown at 1100 meters on the slopes of Meng Ding.  Brothy, juicier, grounded, this is an ideal early spring green tea at a daily drinker price.