Fuding White Tea: A Delicate Symphony of Flavor and Wellness

White tea is mainly produced in Fuding福鼎, Zhenghe政和, Jianyang建阳, and Songxi松溪 in Fujian福建 Province, China. Fuding is known for producing the best white tea.

Due to its unique environmental conditions, tea tree varieties, and the slightly fermented processing method without frying or rolling, white tea has a characteristic appearance of being covered with white hair on the surface of the dry tea leaves. Its color is silver-white with a hint of grayish-green, which is why this type of tea is also called white tea.

Fuding white tea is a type of lightly fermented tea. It is made from fresh leaves of high-quality tea tree varieties such as Fuding Dabai福鼎大白茶 and Fuding Dahao tea福鼎大毫茶. 

The processing involves two steps: withering萎凋 and drying干燥. The entire production process does not include rolling揉 or frying炒, which helps to preserve the tea's intrinsic components to the fullest. 

Fuding white tea is renowned for its reputation as "the world's white tea is in China, and China's white tea is in Fuding" and its aging characteristic of being "tea for one year, medicine for three years, and treasure for seven years."

The initial processing method of white tea is basically the same. It is mainly divided based on the different tea tree varieties and the standards for picking the raw materials (fresh leaves). The main types include White Hair Silver Needle白毫银针, White Peony白牡丹, Gong Mei贡眉, and Shou Mei寿眉. 

White Hair Silver Needle is the highest grade of white tea, known for its exquisite selection. It must be made from the complete buds picked from the new shoots of tea trees in early spring. The finished tea is plump, heavy, and straight like needles, with a fresh white color and a shiny, silver-like appearance.

Identification of White Hair Silver Needle: Visually, White Hair Silver Needle consists only of needle-shaped buds without any leaves.

Drinking White Hair Silver Needle白毫银针, you taste its freshness鲜

Drinking White Hair Silver Needle is all about savoring its freshness and hair aroma. A good Silver Needle tea has a pure aroma, without any impurities, with a clear and bright soup color, and a refreshing and tender taste. The term "hair aroma" is quite abstract and requires a gradual appreciation.

The taste of White Hair Silver Needle is light but not insipid. When drinking white tea, you will find that the tea soup has thickness, similar to the rice soup on top of congee, which feels thick and smooth when drinking, with a sense of swallowing, completely different from the thinness of plain water.

White Peony tea is made from one bud and one or two leaves, with the two leaves embracing the heart of the tea resembling a flower bud about to bloom. The buds and the back of the leaves are covered with white hairs, and the color of the leaf surface is grey-green.

Identification of White Peony tea: It has needle-shaped buds, but each needle can only carry one or two tea leaves, and the tea leaves cannot exceed three leaves.

Drinking White Peony白牡丹, you taste its sweetness甜

When drinking White Peony tea, you taste its sweetness and richness. It has a pure and authentic fragrance, with a hint of hair aroma and a mellow and sweet taste. The tea soup also feels thick. Its taste is fuller with both buds and leaves, and the variations are more diverse. Different processing methods produce rich flavors, such as floral, fruity, and more.

Gong Mei is made from one bud and three or four leaves, with strong and stout tea, buds and leaves connected, and leaves yellow-brown with a hint of green.

Identification of Gong Mei: It has buds, and the tea leaves carried by one bud are three or four leaves, and the buds and leaves are connected.

Shou Mei is made from mature leaves, with a slightly lower bud content, thick and stout tea stems, and yellow-brown leaves.

Identification of Bai Cha Shou Mei: There are basically no buds, all are mature tea leaves.

When drinking Shou Mei/Gong Mei, the emphasis is on tasting its sweetness. The older leaves and stems of the tea plant make the tea soup sweeter.

However, compared to the delicate and smooth taste of Silver Needle and White Peony, the tea soup of Shou Mei/Gong Mei is slightly milder. But if the raw materials are too old, it may feel rough on the tongue.