This white tea is from a Hong Kong dealer who carries truly excellent teas. I had never tried the family's white tea offerings before, but I was asked to source some aged white tea, and decided to give their new white tea a try while I was at it! This is the vendor's highest grade, and is sold as White Peony King. Am I ever glad I bought some to try! This is by far and above the best fresh baimudan I have ever had. This vendor has very strong connections with producers in Fujian, and these relationships go back for generations.
The aroma of the dry leaf alone was enough to convince me to purchase some, and I was only looking to buy aged white tea that day! The aroma was savory and spicy, which are characteristics I associate with baimudan, but there was also freshness to this tea, of course, since it is from this spring.
In the cup, this tea was much sweeter than I expected from the dry leaf. It was smooth and sweet, with lovely huigan (sweetness that arises after swallowing the liquor). The savory notes were still present, but well balanced with sweeter floral and fruit notes, along with a touch of spice. I even detected caramel, which is not something I've ever encountered in a white tea!
I found the energy from this tea to be very calming, which is something I love about fresh white tea. This tea was more calming than the sencha and matcha I drink regularly: I may actually make the switch to morning white tea instead!
When pushed for longer in infusion two, I got a little bitterness, along with thicker liquor (hey, that rhymes!) and more intense flavor. The sweetness and huigan were both present.
The leaf quality used for this baimudan is obviously excellent, and the leaves are very flavorful with great longevity.
Please note that only a limited quantity (a few kg) of this tea is available!
