Highlight of Our Shou Mei White Tea
- Origin: Harvested from the serene tea gardens of Fuding, renowned for producing top-tier white teas.
- Vintage Years: Offering premium selections from 2015 and 2019, capturing the essence of each season’s unique character.
- Grade: First-class Shou Mei White Tea, known for its quality and exquisite flavor profile.
- Aroma: Characterized by a distinctive date-like aroma, providing a sweet and inviting olfactory experience.
- Leaf Quality: Utilizes mature leaves that are slightly plump yet tender, meticulously curled resembling an eyebrow, symbolizing its name, “Prestigious Eyebrow.”
- Infusion Color: Yields a beautiful amber-colored brew, reminiscent of amber, clear and inviting.
- Taste: Delivers a mellow sweetness complemented by a fresh, lingering aftertaste. The flavor is rich, refreshing, and pure, with a hint of jujube fruit.
- Leaf Texture: Post-brew leaves are bright, plump, and resilient, indicating high-quality tea with a great capacity for multiple infusions.
- Harvesting Process: Crafted from one bud and two leaves, picked after the first flush of Silver Needle and White Peony, reflecting the careful selection of raw materials.
- Production Season: Harvest begins in late spring, capturing the full maturity of the leaves for a deeper, more developed flavor profile.
- Experience: Offers a tranquil tea-drinking experience, perfect for those seeking moments of calm and contemplation, along with a deep appreciation for the art of tea.
- Packaging: Elegantly packaged to preserve the freshness and essence of the white tea, ensuring a premium tasting experience every time.
Aged Shou Mei White Tea as a Better Choice
About New Shou Mei White Tea
Appearance: The leaves of new Shou Mei are vibrant and green, showcasing a fresh, lively hue that resembles the rejuvenating colors of spring. This fresh appearance is indicative of its recent harvest and minimal processing.
Aroma: Freshly harvested Shou Mei emits a crisp, refreshing aroma. This fragrance is clean and invigorating, capturing the essence of springtime and the freshness of young, tender leaves.
Taste: The taste of new Shou Mei is characterized by its sweet moistness. It offers a delightful sweetness paired with a hydrating quality, making each sip refreshingly palatable.
About Aged Shou Mei White Tea
Appearance: As Shou Mei ages, its leaves transition to a camouflage palette, predominantly featuring yellow-brown tones. This color change reflects the natural aging process, during which the tea develops deeper, more complex characteristics.
Aroma: With age, Shou Mei’s aroma evolves into a richer, denser fragrance. The mature scent is indicative of its aged quality, offering a more profound and enveloping aroma compared to its newer counterpart.
Taste: The flavor profile of aged Shou Mei becomes mellow and smooth, distinguished by its thickness and smoothness on the palate. This aged tea offers a complex, rounded taste experience, with a depth that only time can impart.
Why Aged Shou Mei White Tea Is More Popular?
Reason 1. Complexity of Flavor: Aged Shou Mei White tea unveils a richer, more intricate flavor profile over time. The slow oxidation process transforms the initial flavors into a complex array, introducing distinctive notes such as earthy, woody, and sweet caramel that are absent in new Shou Mei.
Reason 2. Smoothness and Mellowing of Taste: The aging process eliminates any bitterness or astringency present in new tea, resulting in a smoother, more harmonious taste. Aged Shou Mei is celebrated for its exceptional smoothness, making it a highly palatable choice.
Reason 3. Enhanced Aroma: The aroma of aged Shou Mei intensifies and diversifies, moving away from the fresh, vegetal notes to embrace richer, deeper aromas like dried fruits and spices, enriching the sensory experience of the tea.
Reason 4. Health Benefits: Aged white teas, including Shou Mei, possess transformed antioxidants and compounds that offer distinct health benefits compared to their newer counterparts, making them a unique addition to a health-conscious lifestyle.
Recipes of Shou Mei Tea
How to Brew Shou Mei White Tea
Brewing Shou Mei white tea, with its nuanced flavors and aromatic depth, is an art that honors the tea's rich heritage. Here's a refined guide to brewing both loose leaf and cake forms of Shou Mei, tailored to provide a fulfilling tea experience.
Required Tools to Make Shou Mei Tea
Required Materials for Preparing Shou Mei Tea
Steps to Brew Shou Mei Tea
Three Common Mistakes while Brewing Shou Mei Tea
Mistake 1: Incorrect Water Temperature
- Mistake: Using boiling water directly can damage the delicate flavors of Shou Mei tea, leading to a loss of its subtle floral and fruity notes.
- Avoid by: Opting for water at a slightly cooler temperature, around 85°C to 95°C (185°F to 203°F), to extract the best flavor profile without scalding the leaves.
Mistake 2: Oversteeping
- Mistake: Allowing Shou Mei tea to steep for too long can result in a bitter and overly strong brew, overshadowing its natural sweetness and nuanced flavors.
- Avoid by: Keeping the initial steeping time short, about 1 to 3 minutes, and adjusting based on personal preference in subsequent brews. This preserves the tea’s delicate balance.
Mistake 3: Improper Water-to-Tea Ratio
- Mistake: Using too much tea for the amount of water, or vice versa, can lead to a brew that is either too strong or too weak, failing to capture the essence of Shou Mei tea.
- Avoid by: Starting with a general guideline of about 5 grams of tea per 100 milliliters of water, then adjusting to taste. This ratio ensures a balanced extraction of flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shou Mei White Tea
Shou Mei white tea, also known as "Longevity Eyebrow" for its beautifully curved leaves, stands out for its fuller flavor and robust body. Unlike the delicate Silver Needle or the floral White Peony, Shou Mei offers a more mature, nuanced taste due to its blend of leaves and tips harvested later in the season. This gives it a distinct, mellow sweetness paired with a fruity and slightly earthy aroma, making it a favorite among white tea enthusiasts seeking depth and complexity in their cup.
To preserve the delicate flavors of Shou Mei white tea, store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, moisture, and strong odors. An airtight container is ideal to prevent exposure to air, which can accelerate oxidation and alter the tea's natural taste. Proper storage will help maintain the tea's freshness and aromatic profile, ensuring each brew is as delightful as the last.
Absolutely, one of the joys of Shou Mei white tea is its ability to offer multiple infusions without losing its captivating flavor. Typically, you can expect to enjoy 3 to 5 infusions from one serving of tea leaves. The first infusion awakens the leaves, while subsequent brews gradually unfold the depth of flavor, with each steep revealing new layers of taste. To get the most out of each serving, adjust the steeping time and water temperature slightly with each infusion.
Shou Mei white tea is not only cherished for its taste but also for its health benefits. Rich in antioxidants, it helps combat free radicals in the body, supporting overall health. It's also known for its calming effects, aiding in relaxation and stress reduction. Additionally, Shou Mei contains lower caffeine levels compared to other teas, making it a gentle choice for those looking to reduce their caffeine intake without sacrificing the pleasure of a full-bodied tea.
Shou Mei white tea, while infused with the natural uplift of caffeine, contains significantly less caffeine compared to coffee. On average, an 8 oz cup of Shou Mei white tea offers about 15-30 mg of caffeine. In contrast, the same serving of coffee can contain 95-200 mg of caffeine, depending on the brew. This makes Shou Mei an excellent choice for those seeking a gentler, more sustained energy boost without the potential jitters and crash often associated with higher caffeine intake from coffee.
Choosing between Shou Mei white tea and coffee largely depends on personal preference and sensitivity to caffeine. For those looking to decrease their caffeine consumption or seeking a more subtle, relaxing beverage, Shou Mei white tea is an ideal alternative. Its lower caffeine content, combined with a rich array of antioxidants, offers a soothing cup that nurtures well-being while providing a mild stimulant effect. Enjoying Shou Mei white tea can be a delightful way to embrace a moment of calm in your day, making it not just a beverage, but an experience that enriches your sense of tranquility and focus.
Shou Mei white tea greets the palate with a delightful interplay of sweetness and subtle earthy undertones, reminiscent of a serene, forested landscape at dawn. Its initial mild sweetness, akin to the soft notes of apricot or ripe pears, gracefully transitions into a richer, slightly woody flavor, evoking the serene essence of nature. With each sip, you might also discover a whisper of floral and nutty nuances, adding layers of complexity to the tea. This complexity is cradled in a smooth, velvety texture that culminates in a refreshingly clean finish, leaving a memorable aftertaste that invites you to delve deeper into its serene world. Shou Mei's unique flavor profile is a testament to its heritage and craftsmanship, offering a tea experience that is both grounding and elevating
To discern the quality of Shou Mei white tea, begin with the appearance of the leaves: higher quality Shou Mei will have fuller, more intact leaves and a visible mix of silver buds, indicating careful handling and selection. The color should be a vibrant mix of light and dark leaves, hinting at its nuanced flavor. Upon brewing, the tea should yield a clear, bright liquor, ranging from pale yellow to amber, with a fresh, inviting aroma that combines sweet, fruity, and slightly earthy notes. The taste is the true marker: it should be smooth and mellow, without any harsh bitterness, embracing your palate with a delicate balance of sweetness and a clean, refreshing finish. A lingering, pleasant aftertaste is a sign of a superior Shou Mei, revealing the tea's depth and the skill behind its production.
Aged Shou Mei white tea is often considered superior due to its enriched flavor profile and enhanced smoothness. Over time, the tea undergoes a natural fermentation process, which deepens its flavors, transforming them into a complex symphony of sweet, earthy, and sometimes fruity notes, with a hint of matured, woody undertones. This aging process mellows any initial astringency, resulting in a tea that's smoother and more rounded, offering a velvety texture that gently unfolds with each sip. The depth of taste and aroma in aged Shou Mei also reflects a concentration of its beneficial antioxidants, which evolve, potentially offering a richer array of health benefits. Connoisseurs treasure aged Shou Mei not just for its taste but for the experience it brings – a sip of history that grows more profound and captivating with time.
Learn More About Shou Mei White Tea
What Counts as Shou Mei
In the world of white teas, Shou Mei stands out with its distinct identity, offering a blend of tradition and flavor that is both nuanced and inviting. Understanding what sets Shou Mei apart is essential for enthusiasts looking to explore its unique characteristics. Here’s how to recognize and appreciate Shou Mei white tea among the plethora of options available.
Origin and Harvest
Shou Mei, meaning “Longevity Eyebrow,” originates from China’s Fujian province, known for its prestigious white teas. Unlike its counterparts, Shou Mei is harvested later in the season, allowing the leaves to mature and develop a fuller body and richer taste. This tea incorporates a blend of leaves and tips, presenting a more robust profile than the delicate buds of Silver Needle.
Leaf Appearance
The leaves of Shou Mei are distinctively larger and somewhat irregular compared to other white teas. They exhibit a beautiful spectrum of colors, from green to brown, with white fuzzy tips indicating quality and careful processing. This visual diversity is a hallmark of Shou Mei, reflecting its comprehensive use of the tea plant.
Flavor Profile
Shou Mei offers a unique flavor that sets it apart. It strikes a fine balance between sweetness and earthiness, layered with hints of fruit and a subtle, floral undertone. This complexity develops further with age, making older Shou Mei a sought-after variety for its deep, mellow, and enriched taste.
Aroma
The aroma of Shou Mei is a delightful precursor to its taste, offering a sweet and slightly earthy fragrance. A quality Shou Mei will have a clean and inviting smell, without any hint of mustiness, which can indicate poor storage or low-quality leaves.
Brew Color
Upon brewing, Shou Mei yields a liquor that ranges from golden to amber, a deeper hue than most white teas. This color depth signifies its rich flavor and full-bodied nature, distinguishing it from its lighter counterparts.
Recognizing Shou Mei white tea involves an appreciation of its unique origin, appearance, flavor, aroma, and the beautiful color of its brew. Each of these aspects contributes to the identity of Shou Mei, making it a beloved choice for those seeking depth and complexity in their tea experience
Health Benefits of Drinking Shou Mei White Tea
Embarking on a journey through the health benefits of Shou Mei white tea reveals a path to well-being steeped in tradition and natural goodness. This remarkable tea, cherished for its gentle flavors and soothing properties, offers more than just a delightful beverage experience. Here are four compelling health benefits of making Shou Mei white tea a part of your daily ritual.
Cooling and Detoxifying
Shou Mei white tea possesses remarkable cooling and detoxifying properties, akin to the revered rhinoceros horn in traditional medicine for its ability to clear heat and toxins from the body. It’s particularly noted for its efficacy in reducing high fevers and combating “heatiness” within the body, akin to the concept of “big fire disease.” In places like Vietnam, it’s even used as a natural remedy to alleviate fevers in children, showcasing its gentle yet powerful cooling effects.
Metabolic Enhancement
The balanced nature of Shou Mei, neither too cold nor too hot, makes it an excellent antioxidant powerhouse. It aids in flushing out toxins and boosting metabolism, marking it as an exceptional wellness tea. Regular consumption of Shou Mei can invigorate the body’s metabolic processes, facilitating a smoother flow of energy and enhancing overall vitality.
Heat Relief and Summer Refreshment
Shou Mei white tea serves as an excellent antidote to the sweltering heat, offering heat relief and a cooling sensation that makes it a perfect summer drink. Its ability to refresh the spirit and clear the mind, while also quenching thirst, is unparalleled. Rich in amino acids, tea polyphenols, minerals, and a variety of vitamins, including trace elements like zinc and selenium, Shou Mei revitalizes the body, promotes liver health, sharpens vision, and awakens the mind. These attributes make it not just a beverage but a summer elixir that cools and refreshes from within.
Antioxidant and Immune System Support
Shou Mei white tea is abundant in antioxidants, which play a crucial role in neutralizing harmful free radicals in the body. This antioxidant power supports the immune system, helping to fend off illnesses and promote overall health. By incorporating Shou Mei into your diet, you embrace a tea that offers protection and strength to the body’s natural defenses, ensuring you remain vibrant and healthy.
Embracing Shou Mei white tea as part of your wellness journey opens up a world of natural health benefits. From its cooling and detoxifying properties to its ability to enhance metabolism, provide relief from heat, and support the immune system, Shou Mei stands as a beacon of health and well-being, making every cup a step towards a more balanced and revitalized self.
Where to Buy Shou Mei Tea? Why Choose Chasourcing:
When seeking out the finest Shou Mei white tea, choosing ChaSourcing guarantees a selection that stands apart for its quality, authenticity, and commitment to the tea tradition. Here’s why ChaSourcing is the preferred choice for Shou Mei white tea enthusiasts:
Direct Sourcing from Origin
ChaSourcing prides itself on direct sourcing, ensuring that each leaf of Shou Mei white tea comes straight from the esteemed tea gardens of Fujian, China. This direct link not only supports the local farmers but also ensures the tea’s freshness, authenticity, and supreme quality, delivering a genuine farm-to-cup experience that’s hard to find elsewhere.
Expert Curated Selection
At ChaSourcing, our Shou Mei white tea is curated by experts with a deep passion and understanding of tea. This meticulous selection process guarantees that only the best, most flavorful, and aromatic leaves make it to your cup. Our commitment to excellence means you’re enjoying a tea that’s not just good but exceptional, chosen for its unique character and superior taste profile.
Commitment to Organic and Sustainable Practices
ChaSourcing is dedicated to organic and sustainable farming practices, ensuring that our Shou Mei white tea is not only good for you but also for the planet. By choosing our tea, you support environmentally friendly agriculture and a healthier ecosystem, enjoying a cup that’s clean, pure, and free of harmful chemicals.
Unparalleled Customer Experience
Choosing ChaSourcing’s Shou Mei white tea means more than just buying tea; it’s about embracing a full tea experience. We offer detailed brewing guides, insights into the tea’s origin and benefits, and personalized customer service. Our commitment to your satisfaction ensures that each purchase is more than a transaction—it’s a journey into the rich world of tea, guided by our passion and expertise.
By selecting ChaSourcing for your Shou Mei white tea, you’re not just buying a premium product; you’re becoming part of a community that values quality, tradition, and the profound joy of tea.
I like that it’s not overpowering. Just a gentle, soothing taste with a hint of floral notes. I usually drink my tea in the afternoon to get a little break from work, and this one fits perfectly into that routine. It’s like a little escape in a cup.