2021 Fuding Shoumei White Tea
Harvest: May 2021
Cultivar: Fuding Da Bai Hao
Flavor: Sweet, woody, spicy, herbal
Weight: 100g pressed tea
What is Shoumei? Four grades of Fuding white tea
Fuding white tea has four varieties: Silver Needle, Pai Mu Tan, Gong Mei, and Shoumei. Silver Needle consists only of tea buds without leaves. It is usually picked between February and the end of March. Pai Mu Tan consists of a single-leaf or double-leaf bud. It is usually picked from the end of March to the last week of April. Gong Mei and Shoumei are similar varieties—Gong Mei has a few buds, but Shoumei has only large leaves. They are usually picked from the end of April until before the start of summer, as well as in the fall. Good tea plantations generally do not pick in the summer, as summer tea has the least flavor.
Shoumei and Gongmei have significantly more mature flavors than Silver Needle and Pai Mu Tan. While Silver Needle and Pai Mu Tan are known for their fresh, nutty, and floral aroma and flavor, Gongmei and Shoumei generally have a more mature flavor, reminiscent of Chinese red dates, dried plums, and dried berries, with a certain herbal medicine aroma.
Preparation of a Shoumei tea
Traditional Chinese Method (Kungfucha / Gongfucha)
You can of course also prepare this white tea using the Gongfu method :
- Use water that is 90 °C hot.
- Use enough tea and brew it in a gaiwan or small teapot (we recommend 5 g for 100 ml of water).
- Let the tea steep for about 15 seconds.
- You can prepare this tea at least 8 times.
If you're brewing the tea in a large teapot, also use 5g of tea and let it steep in boiled water for 3 minutes. In a large pot, the tea can be brewed approximately 3 times.