Xinyang Maojian: One of the Top Ten Chinese Teas 中国十大名茶：信阳毛尖

信阳毛尖，亦称"豫毛峰"。产于河南大别山区的信阳市信阳县（现为浉河区），因条索紧直锋尖，茸毛显露，又产于河南信阳，故取名"信阳毛尖"。信阳毛尖品质高上，外形细秀匀直，显峰苗，色泽翠绿，白毫遍布。内质汤色嫩绿、鲜亮，香气鲜嫩高爽，叶底嫩绿明亮、细嫩、匀齐。特级品展开呈一芽一叶初展。
Xinyang Maojian is also called "Yu Maofeng" (Yu is shorthand for Henan Province in Chinese tradition). The name can be divided into two parts: "Xinyang" is its area of production - Xinyang County (now Shihe District) of Xinyang City in Dabieshan Mountainous Area of Henan Province; "Maojian" describes the shape of the tea leaves - hairy and with straight edges. Quality Xinyang Maojian tea has a jade-green color, straight and delicate edges, and white fur all over. The leaves are tender, verdant, and neat, and have a fresh fragrance. Premium Xinyang Maojian tea is made up of "one bud, one leaf".
信阳毛尖是河南省著名特产之一，素来以"细、圆、光、直、多白毫、香高、味浓、汤色绿"的独特风格而饮誉中外。继1915年在马拿马万国博览会上获金质奖，1959年评为全国十大名茶之后，1985年又获升国家金质奖，1991年在首届杭州国际茶文化节上被授予"中国茶文化名茶"称号，成为河南省茶叶生产上的瑰宝。
Xinyang Maojian is a specialty of Henan Province, famous around the world for its "thinness, ball shape, brightness, straightness, furriness in white, fragrance, strong taste, and jade-green tea color". In the 1915 Panama Pacific Interactional Exposition, Xinyang Maojian won the gold medal; in 1959, it made it into the Top Ten Chinese Teas; in 1985, it was awarded National Gold Medal; in 1991, it was given the title "Famous Tea in Chinese Tea Culture" at the First Hangzhou International Tea Culture Festival. All the above honors mark Xinyang Maojian as an important piece of Henan tea production.
信阳毛尖属于锅炒杀青的特种烘青绿茶。茶叶形状为条型，干茶色泽翠绿或绿润；汤色属浅绿型，汤色、叶底均呈嫩绿明亮；茶叶香气属清香型，并不同程度地表现出毫香、鲜嫩香、熟板栗香；茶叶滋味浓醇鲜爽、高长而耐泡。叶底芽叶完整，匀称。依品质优次，分为特级、一至五级、级外。
Xinyang Maojian leaves are dried by parching them in a wok. Bar-shaped Maojian tea leaves are jade-green when they are dry; the steeped tea leaves produce pale green soup, emanating a subtle flavor of pekoe or ripe chestnut. Even after several infusions, Maojian tea's aroma is still present. Xinyang Maojian tea falls into several grades in decreasing order of quality: premium, first to fifth grade, and ordinary tea.