2016 Aged Gongmei “Honey Bear” White Tea

To maintain high quality white tea, the year of harvest matters greatly. However, the tea material is equally crucial. Similar to fine wine, the quality of white tea cannot be enhanced solely by the harvest year. A good white tea should offer a clean taste with a rich texture and mouthfeel, leaving you fully satisfied. Over steeping a high-quality white tea won’t result in bitterness easily, ensuring that with time, this tea will only improve in taste. Such is the exceptional nature of this white tea – it matures beautifully over time. A similar, lower quality white tea will make your throat feel scratchy or dry – that is often a result of overly used pesticides or chemical. The taste might be similar, but the experience how your body feel would be completely different!

Achieving the best white tea, which ages well, hinges on the quality of the tea leaves. We aim for white tea aged at least seven years to refine its flavor. This particular tea, aged since 2016, surpasses expectations with its golden flavor profile. Optimal body, texture, and flavor in white tea are achieved through a minimum 7-year aging process. The key attribute to seek in aged white tea is its clean and refreshing essence, exemplified in this premium white tea.

This white tea will make one of the best investments for those who want to start aging their first white tea. This gongmei white tea has a lot of potentials and I am excited to see how it develops over time.

Notes: Honey, Dark Cherry, Chrysanthemum, Oak

Gongfu brewing recommendations:

Use 5g of this tea in a gaiwan. Rinse the tea with boiling water real fast. After rinsing the tea. Steep the using 205F water for about 30 seconds for your first infusion. Once the tea leaves open up, you can steep for about 5-10 seconds on your second infusions. Add an extra 5 seconds for each additional infusion. You should be able to get at least ten infusions.