Mighty Leaf’s Organic Green Dragon: A Review
Mighty Leaf hits another high note with its Organic Green Dragon tea. Made from the unique Dragonwell green tea leaves, Green Dragon, which contains less caffeine than black teas, offers a complex tea experience that is at once soothing and invigorating.
Dragonwell tea leaves, grown in China’s Zhejiang Province, are valued for their aroma and flavor, as well as the color of the tea they produce. Mighty Leaf wok-fires the tea leaves, creating an end product that steeps into a surprisingly full-bodied cup of tea. With an almost buttery mouthfeel, there is a barely perceptible sweetness and nutty undertones. Be careful to observe the steeping time; as with most green teas, allowing this tea to steep too long will result in a bitter cup of brew.
While this tea is perfectly enjoyable on its own, I think it makes a particularly good companion beverage to fruit desserts. In particular, I would choose Organic Green Dragon to serve alongside plum or apricot cake, fruit crisps or cobblers, fruited shortcakes, or pound cake with fresh fruit.
Savory foods like mild soft cheeses, chicken or shrimp salad, and seafood would be well paired with this tea.
The color of the brewed tea is lovely - a striking jade green at first that gradually eases toward a pale olive shade at the end of brewing time. I enjoyed it hot, without adding a thing to it. I believe this is probably the best way to appreciate the subtleties of its fine flavor. However, if you prefer to add a sweetener, I think orange-blossom honey would be a very good choice.
This tea can stand up to icing, but again, be careful not to oversteep or the end result will be bitter. To sweeten iced tea without gritty undissolved sugar lingering at the bottom of the pitcher, try making a simple syrup by combining equal parts sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, let boil for 1 minute, and remove from heat. Let syrup cool completely, chill in refrigerator or ice-water bath, and then add to cooled tea. Enjoy!
Photos by me.
