Description
Best Before: 30 years from date of harvest, when stored in good conditions.
Altenative Names: Date of harvest: 14th April 2017 PaiMuTan / Pai Mu Dan, BaiMuDan / Bai Mu Dan, white tea.
Description of Packaging: Pouch
Storage guide: Store away from strong smells and out of direct light. Best kept in an air tight container.
White Tea
White tea is often known to be one of the most delicate tea varieties. However, white tea includes a wide range of varietals, picking standards and processing techniques. These factors means there is actually a wide range of finished tea styles available, from the delicate, Caffeine & L-Theanine packed buds of silver needles, through the deep, almost black tea noted Shou Mei teas.
Fuding, Fujian 福建省福鼎市
Zhenghe, closer to Wuyi than Fuding, and sandwiched between two mountain chains (Wuyi 武夷山 and Jiufeng 九峰山), experiences colder winters than coastal Fuding which, in contrast, is subject to a milder, maritime climate with more rainfall and greater humidity.
Zhenghe (Minbei 闽北)and Fuding (Mindong 闽东)are two main white tea regions in China. Traditional processing styles vary slightly with Zhenghe favouring natural indoor withering while Fuding tea makers commonly employ a combination of both indoor and outdoor (solar/sun) withering. The total growing area in Fuding dwarfs that of Zhenghe producing more than double the volume.
Zhenghe Dabai 大白 and Fuding Dabai 大白 are cultivars of choice for both districts; the latter is known for its superior 'downy' aroma and flavour, the former for full-bodied liquors. Due to the upturn in the domestic white tea market, production has now spread into other tea-producing regions, such as Guizhou and Yunnan, though yield and quality remain inconsistent. The best white teas are still produced in the traditional regions.
Brewing White Tea in a Glass Mug or Teapot
Vessel Capacity: 150 - 200ml
Tea Quantity: 3 -5g (loose leaf)
Water Temperature: 60 - 80c
People / Servings: 1 - 2
Medthod: Pre-warm the teapot or gaiwan with hot water and empty. Add the chosen amount of tea leaf, rinse the tea with a little hot water and then discard the water. Next refill the tea pot and follow the infusion times below.
Note: These temperatures are specifically for silver needles and other white tea buds. For white tea grades such as ShouMei white tea and BaiMuDan white it is recommended to experiment with brewing times and water temparatures outline for green tea and oolong tea.
Infusion Times (in seconds):
1st = 60.
2nd = 90.
3rd = 120.
Please visit our online tea brewing guide, which includes different methods and infusion times for all tea types.