Anji Bai Cha vs Lu'an Gua Pian

Anji Bai Cha

Despite the name, Anji Bai Cha is a green tea made from a rare cultivar whose pale spring leaves give it the 'white' label. The cup is delicate and refreshing, with a distinctive orchid floral note, mild chestnut sweetness, and a silky light body. It is gentle, low in bitterness, and approachable for green tea newcomers.

Lu'an Gua Pian

Lu'an Gua Pian is unusual among Chinese greens: mature leaves are picked without buds, giving a cup that is refreshingly smooth with toasted chestnut, fresh green depth, and a gentle natural sweetness. It is pan-fired like Longjing but tastes less nutty and more crisp. The leaves resemble melon seeds, which give the tea its name. It is one of Anhui's historic famous teas.

Anji Bai Cha

Water temperature

80–85°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

2–3 min

Re-steep

2–3 times

Lu'an Gua Pian

Water temperature

75–85°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

2–3 min

Re-steep

2–3 times

Anji Bai Cha

Low caffeine — roughly 15–30 mg per brewed serving

A gentle lift that rarely interferes with rest.

Lu'an Gua Pian

Medium caffeine — roughly 20–40 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Anji Bai Cha

China · Zhejiang

Anji county in Zhejiang is the only origin of this cultivar, harvested in a short early-spring window.

Lu'an Gua Pian

China · Anhui (Lu'an)

Lu'an Gua Pian comes from the Qiyun mountain area near Lu'an in western Anhui.