In a Chinese popular saying, white tea is described as "tea after one year, medicine after three years and a treasure after seven years". According to these words, this Shoumei white tea from 2012 is aged enough to be widely considered a treasure.
We encountered these precious leaves in one of our frequent visits to Fujian white tea producers that have conquered our admiration and trust over the years. As we tasted this tea taste for the first time we immediately found ourselves in front of the meaning of the popular saying above.
A gentle honey sweetness envelops the mouth immediately, opening the mind to a taste that will grow in intensity over the future brews. Notes of dried flowers and wild herbs come along the sweetness and make the taste of this aged Shoumei complex and layered, full of all the richness in body that comes with time.
With ageing, white tea content in flavonoids increases, while caffeine content lowers. More flavonoids translate into a more sweet, malty taste and a darker colour of the liquor, while with less caffeine comes also less bitterness.
We chose to press the big and fierce leaves of this aged Shoumei into cakes to enhance its ageing process, looking forward to retaste its more precious brews over the time that will come.
Origin: Fuding, Ningde, Fujian province
Altitude: 300 m asl
Flush: Spring 2012
Pressed: September 2024
Producer: Zheng Xiaodan
Format: 50 gr (1,76 oz) stone-pressed cake
Infusion Parameters
GONGFUCHA EASTERN BREWING
Quantity: 1 gr. of tea every 20 ml of water
Rinse: before starting the infusion, rinse the leaves with a very fast washing in order to let them rehydrate and release a more intense brew. Gently cover the leaves with boiling water and pour it after a few seconds.
Brewing time: Begin with a 40 second brew. Increase with each successive brew as needed.
Water temperature: 90-95°C
Number of brews: 8-10
WESTERN BREWING
Quantity: 1 gr. of tea every 100 ml of water
Brewing time: 4-5 minutes
Water temperature: 90-95C
COLD BREW
Quantity: 1 gr. of tea every 100 ml of water
Brewing: put the tea leaves in room temperature water and steep for 3-4 hours, or in the fridge for 6-7 hours. Filter the liquor and drink within 24 hours.
