Gunpowder Green Tea is a Chinese green tea whose name comes from the tightly rolled pellet shape of the dried leaves — said to resemble musket gunpowder. The rolling is done mechanically (sometimes by hand at artisan scale) while the leaves are still warm from pan-firing, compressing them into dense little spheres that expand dramatically when hot water is added. The tight rolling also aids preservation: the pellet form resists oxidation better than open-leaf styles, giving Gunpowder a longer shelf life than most green teas.
Gunpowder is produced primarily in Zhejiang Province, the same region as Dragonwell, and is the traditional base for Moroccan mint tea — the North African style where strong-brewed Gunpowder is combined with fresh spearmint and sugar, steeped and poured from height to create a characteristic froth.
In the cup, Gunpowder Green brews a yellow-green to olive liquor. The aroma is slightly smoky and mineral, more assertive than delicate Chinese greens. The body is medium-full and bold for a green tea, the finish clean and slightly smoky.
Use 1.5–2 grams per 6-ounce cup.