Archive Research

2014 Fuding Shou Mei

• Type: Bai Cha
• Harvest: 2014
• Cultivar: Fuding Da Bai
• Elevation: 800m
• Location: Panxi Town, Fuding City, Fujian Province

Tasting Notes

• Dry Leaf: Wild Honey. Chinese Dates.
• Wet Leaf: Warm Air. Sugar.
• Liquor: Pale Yellow.
• Taste: Dried Apricot.

Aged White Tea

There is a famous saying about aging white tea: 一年茶，三年药，七年宝。In English, we can say, "One year, tea. Three years, medicine. Seven years, treasure". Anyone tasting these leaves side-by-side with shou mei recently plucked will understand the sentiment behind the slogan.

During the withering process, immature chlorophyll on the young leaves dies off, leaving a lovely silver sheen on the buds. This color lends the name to more bud-heavy varieties of Bai Cha, like 'Silver Needle.'

Fuding Shou Mei 福鼎寿眉

Shou Mei is the 4th (lowest) grade of white tea. It features a leafy mix with relatively few buds, producing a darker, more tangible liquor often drunk with dim sum. It features a slightly higher oxidation level than other white teas, but not to a level that approaches a Wu Long or Hong Cha.

Fuding is a city historically celebrated for its Bai Cha. It is located in Fujian Province.