I had this tea, and I said to myself, how come such a fresh white tea have so much character? Developed flavours, almost like an aged shou mei. Today, I got my answer which surprised me because I thought I had some of the best white teas and whatever I drink will be similar to them. I was wrong!
This tea is different because its material is the other cultivar than usual fuding da bai cultivar. It is called Meizhan, and usually, they are made into highly oxidised oolongs. I did find some Meizhan white tea in the market, but the limited quantity and seller which either means that this is a new trend, or that it has not been proved successful and became a fashion yet. I think it is likely to be the former. Just because it is a decent tea and satisfies with mature flavours to an extend that I have not tasted in fresh white tea.
The seller coded this tea as second grade white peony. To be honest, while drinking, I thought this should be shou mei. It had uneven picking standard, some big leaves, some delicate buds and some stems. Possibly, a proper white peony Meizhan would be even more enjoyable.
I’ll try and see.
Tea Profile:
Type: White
Origin: Zhenge, Fujian
Harvest time: April 2020
Leaf colour: Tones of green with visible fuzz
Liquor colour: Yellow
Tea aroma: Vegetal (freshly cut grass)
Tea taste: Slightly spicy with mineral and floral notes and a sweet finish
Steeping/brewing: Place 5 g of this tea in a teapot or gaiwan and add about 100 ml water at around 90°C. Rinse after 5 sec. Steep for 15 seconds for the second time and increase the consecutive steeping time by 10 seconds each time. You can steep this tea multiple times.
Shelf life: Can be aged