From Lianxiang to Zaohua - Zaohua tea e-liquid

“Lianxiang yesterday, Zaohua today” — why use such a title? Those who have only recently come across this e-liquid may not know that 22’s tea e-liquid line used to be called Lianxiang. However, the name “Lianxiang” has already been registered and is in use as a trademark by China Tobacco Guangdong Branch. To avoid possible trouble in the future, the former Lianxiang handmade tea e-liquid brand has now been renamed Zaohua Tea E-Liquid.

China is the homeland of tea, and it is said that the Chinese began drinking tea as early as the era of Shennong, at least 4,700 years ago. Even today, tea remains part of Chinese custom and etiquette. Tea is also a culture, encompassing the cultural characteristics formed around tea-drinking activities, including the tea ceremony, tea virtues, tea spirit, tea couplets, tea books, tea utensils, tea paintings, tea studies, tea stories, and tea art. Today, let’s talk about tea-flavored e-liquid.

The products reviewed here are five flavors from the Zaohua e-liquid line: Jade Guanyin, Melon Tea, Longxian Tea, Passion Tea, and Zaohua. The e-liquid comes in a portable light-resistant refill bottle with a 30ml capacity. This bottle is exclusively custom-made for 22, and the label clearly lists the product name and relevant warning information. It is very complete. The e-liquid contains 2mg nicotine with a VG70 ratio, making it quite suitable for drippers and fancy coil builds.

Jade Guanyin: This uses the Jiaonan Jade Guanyin tea variety. As the saying goes, gold has a price, but jade is priceless. Jade Guanyin is made from high-quality Tieguanyin tea through a special handmade refining process. Because of the labor involved, the output is very limited. It has the purity and natural qualities of jade, as well as a fresh and natural character, hence the name “Jade Guanyin.” When you open the bottle, you get the elegant fragrance of Tieguanyin tea, slightly accented by osmanthus, along with a hint of mint. On the inhale, the icy mint is not as soft as it smells and hits the throat more directly, followed immediately by the fresh taste of Guanyin tea. The flavor is rich and pure, with a lingering and full-bodied aroma. The exhale leaves a pleasant after-fragrance that lasts for quite a while.

Melon Tea: At first I thought it might be Lu’an Melon Seed tea, but once I opened it, that was clearly not the case. It smells more like a mixed melon fruit drink, and you can clearly distinguish Hami melon, oriental melon, watermelon, and papaya, along with a fresh mint note. On the inhale, the various melon flavors complement the aroma of fresh green tea. The medium mint level works as a balancing element, though the melon fragrance feels slightly too dominant and overshadows the tea. At first the melon and tea are evenly matched, but after a few tankfuls, you may find the melon becoming a bit too rich.

Longxian Tea: What is “Longxian”? Literally, it means dragon saliva—haha. In ancient legend, Longxian was said to be the saliva of dragons; it is also associated with ambergris, as well as names like Longxian Well and Longxian Wine. It is tied to ancient Chinese myths and legends, in which dragons were regarded as mystical creatures with auspicious symbolism. When opening the bottle, I first thought it smelled like an energy drink. On the inhale, there is a refreshing green tea flavor along with another aromatic note that doesn’t appear in the other e-liquids. It’s hard to describe—fresh plus fragrant—and perhaps this is what they mean by “ambergris.” The mint is slightly lighter than in the previous two flavors, which is nice, since I personally do not like e-liquids that are too icy.

Passion Tea: No need to say much here—the bottle smells exactly like a passion fruit tea drink when opened. On the inhale, the vapor feels full-bodied, with a very rich passion fruit flavor, slightly tart, and highly aromatic. In the aftertaste, there even seems to be a hint of other fruits mixed in. After checking 22’s store, I learned that it includes passionflower fruit, known as the “king of fruit juice.” No wonder it is so fragrant. Even the exhaled vapor carries a noticeable aroma. Mint level is medium.

Zaohua: Here comes the big move—watch out. It also has another name, “Thirty Fragrances.” On a whim, 22 mixed all of the e-liquids together, and in order to give it a proper fixed name, it was finally called “Zaohua.” Quite a bold move. Don’t ask me exactly what it tastes like—I can’t sort it all out anymore. It is a blend of many tea types, including Tieguanyin, green tea, jasmine, fruit, and even a fresh woody note. In one word: fragrant. This e-liquid can also be used as a versatile base liquid—just add in any flavor you like. After mixing in other flavors, the main note may shift ever so slightly, but the overall profile remains unchanged.

Summary: Why did I test them in this order? Because each one is more fragrant than the last—just a personal habit, really. All five of these tea-flavored e-liquids perform very well, with distinctive flavors and strong layering. The mint is a little too heavy, but otherwise they are excellent. I have tried 22’s tea e-liquids before, including Iced Tieguanyin and Charcoal-Roasted Cigar, which could be called signature flavors, though they used to have serious coil gunk issues. The current Zaohua series has improved this problem to the point where it is no longer an issue. I chain-vaped eight dripper sessions in a row with no coil buildup at all. If you enjoy tea-flavored e-liquids, these are well worth trying.