Fuding Yufan Tea Co., Fujian, China
Patience certainly pays on this Sanming brand offering, taking out first prize in the Fujian Tea Cup White Tea Award. Top Fuding shou mei pickings were harvested in 2016 and set aside until 2020 for ping cha pressing. Aging the white tea in its loose form perhaps sped up the post-drying oxidation, giving the tea an earthier, lasting mellow - less bitey young greens, more yam, turnip and maybe a sprinkle of shaved truffle.
Note that it is possible to “cook” the tea leaves for latter infusions. See below.
Dry leaf: a balanced mix of green and darker leaf with buds present.
Taste: Turnip, radish, mushroom
Process: sun-withered, sun-dried, aged loose then compressed
Storage: Keep in dry, cool, dim place. Once opened, transfer to clay caddies.
Brewing:
1. Warm a 125ml gai wan with water just off the boil
2. Add 8-10g of tea and rinse the leaves
3. Brew using 90C water for 15 seconds
4. Infuse 4 times
5. After fourth gai wan infusion, you can do subsequent infusions using the “cooking” method. Bring 300ml water in a saucepan to a simmer and add used leaves. Bring that to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Strain and serve.
