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Also known as Zhucha or “pearl tea” because of the small, grayish green rolled leaf balls that resemble old gunpowder pellets. Gunpowder tea has the longest “keeping quality” of all green teas. It was developed during the Tang dynasty to preserve freshness over long voyages. It is one of the best-known green teas and is still popular for traveling because of its long shelf life. It is not quite as delicate as other green teas, being tightly rolled and pan-fired for a bit longer, giving a hearty flavor with a hint of smokiness. The caffeine level also tends to be a bit higher than other greens. While most modern gunpowder green tea is machine-rolled, this traditional farm in Jiangxi still rolls the young, medium-sized leaves by hand; therefore, it is considered higher quality. When your friends ask what you’re drinking, you can tell them it’s gunpowder, the ultimate traveler’s tea!
