Bird’s Tongue Premium Green Tea

Bird’s Tongue – Rare Spring Green Tea (贵州雀舌)

Delicate, Bud-Only Green Tea from the Mountains of Guizhou, China

Tender as spring, light as air.

Guizhou Bird’s Tongue (贵州雀舌, Que She) is a rare, bud-only green tea grown in the remote highlands of Guizhou Province. Named for its shape—each tiny leaf bud curled like the tongue of a bird—this tea captures the essence of early spring: crisp, bright, and lightly sweet.

Carefully hand-plucked in the first days of the season, this tea uses only the most tender single buds. Its flavor is clean and mellow, with notes of spring greens, toasted bean, and a lingering floral aftertaste.

For those who appreciate refined green teas like Huangshan Maofeng or Biluochun, Bird’s Tongue is a hidden gem—gentle in energy, luminous in character.

If you'd like to know what drinking this tea is like, you can read this: Bird’s Tongue Green Tea: The Delicate Whisper of Spring

Why You’ll Love Bird’s Tongue Tea

• Made exclusively from early spring buds
• Delicate and smooth with no bitterness
• Fresh vegetal notes with hints of wildflowers
• Grown in the pristine mountains of Guizhou
• Ideal for morning calm or afternoon clarity

Tasting Notes

• Aroma of fresh grass, orchid, and chestnut skin
• Clean, light-bodied infusion with floral sweetness
• Silky texture and refreshing brightness
• Lingering aftertaste of spring rain and young shoots

Tea Profile

• Type: Chinese Green Tea
• Cultivar: Local Guizhou bud-leaf variety
• Origin: High mountains of Guizhou Province, China
• Elevation: 1,000–1,300 meters
• Harvest: Early spring (pre-Qingming)
• Craftsmanship: Bud-only hand-picking, pan-firing, light rolling, slow drying
• Appearance: Tiny, down-covered buds curled like bird tongues; pale jade liquor
• Collected: 2025

Processing

Bird’s Tongue is made using careful low-heat traditional methods that preserve tenderness:

1. Early Spring Bud Plucking – Only single buds are selected
2. Withering – Indoor air withering to reduce moisture
3. Shaqing (Fixation) – Light pan-firing to halt oxidation
4. Rolling – Gentle shaping to retain the "bird tongue" form
5. Drying – Low-temperature drying to preserve color, aroma, and leaf structure

The result is a pure and vibrant green tea that reflects the untouched beauty of Guizhou’s misty forests.

Health Benefits

This gentle, bud-only tea offers clear and clean energy, with excellent antioxidant support:

• Promotes mental clarity and calm focus
• Rich in chlorophyll, catechins, and amino acids
• Naturally low in caffeine
• Supports detox, digestion, and gentle hydration

Brewing Instructions

Gongfu Method (5 oz / 150 ml)

• Tea amount: 5-6 grams
• Water temperature: 75–80°C / 167–176°F
• Rinse: Usually skipped for such tender buds
• Infusions:
• 1st: 20–30 sec
• 2nd: 30–40 sec
• 3rd+: Increase gradually
• Tip: Use glass or porcelain to enjoy the visual dance of the buds

Cup Method (8.8 oz / 250 ml)

• Tea amount: Adjust based on personal preference for tea strength.
• Water temperature: 75–80°C / 167–176°F
• Steep time: 2 minutes
• Re-steep: 2–3 times
• Note: Watch the buds stand vertically and gently fall—known as “sparrow tongue play”

Cultural Significance

Guizhou Bird’s Tongue is a lesser-known treasure of Chinese green tea, traditionally prized for its lightness and purity. In local culture, it symbolizes elegant simplicity, the return of spring, and the spirit of awakening.

Its name reflects the tea’s visual beauty—slender, pointed, and full of life. This tea embodies the art of doing less, seeing more, and drinking with quiet appreciation.