2018 Sun-Dried White Peony — Fuding Guanyang · Compressed Biscuit
This is a 2018 spring White Peony from Guanyang Town, one of the higher-elevation growing areas within Fuding — the heartland of Chinese white tea. The leaves are Fuding Dabai cultivar, processed the traditional way: spread outdoors under direct sun rather than dried indoors in a controlled environment.
Sun-drying runs warmer and faster than indoor withering. It pushes oxidation a little further, which tends to produce a thicker, darker, and sweeter cup than shade-withered white tea of the same age. If you've only tried the pale, grassy style of young white tea, this one will feel noticeably different.
After six years of loose-leaf aging at the Yunwu Tea Factory, the material was compressed in 2023 into these small single-serving biscuits. By now the transformation is well along: the liquor pours a deep reddish amber, and the dominant note is a warm, dried-date sweetness with a clean, lingering finish. There's no bitterness, no astringency — just a mellow, full body that comes from time.
Each biscuit weighs around 4.2g and is sealed in its own wrapper. It fits in a pocket or a bag without any fuss, which makes it genuinely useful outside the house.
The tea meets Chinese national food safety standards (GB). There is no organic certification.
At a Glance
| Tea type |
Aged White Peony (白牡丹), compressed |
| Harvest |
Spring 2018 |
| Origin |
Guanyang Town, Fuding, Fujian |
| Cultivar |
Fuding Dabai |
| Process |
Sun-dried withering; pressed 2023 |
| Per piece |
~4.2g |
| Liquor |
Deep reddish amber |
| Flavor |
Dried date, sweet, full body |
| Certification |
China national standard (GB) / food safety |
Brewing
Gongfu (recommended): Use one full biscuit in a gaiwan or small teapot. Water at 95–100 °C. First steep 20–30 seconds, then extend each steep by 10–15 seconds. Expect 7–9 rounds before the flavor fades.
Grandpa / long steep: Half a biscuit in a mug or thermos, 95–100 °C water, drink as it steeps. Refill when the cup is about a third full.
Western / pot: Half to one full biscuit per 300–400ml. Steep 3–4 minutes at 95–100 °C. Works well for a relaxed morning brew without fussing over timing.
The biscuit will break apart naturally in hot water — no need to pre-break it.
Packs
Available in 2, 5, 10, and 50 biscuits. The 50-pack is the most economical option and keeps well at room temperature in a dry, odor-free space.
A note on this style of tea: Sun-dried aged white tea is still a relatively small category outside China. If you're new to it, think of it as sitting between a lightly aged pu-erh and a classic Fuding white tea — the patience of one, the sweetness of the other.
Curious how the same harvest tastes with a different process? Our 2018 Indoor-Withered White Peony comes from the same Guanyang spring 2018 harvest, withered slowly indoors rather than under the sun — the result is brighter, more floral, and gentler than this sun-dried version.
