Wild White Peony (Bai Mudan)
As its name implies, the appearance of the white peony (also known as Bai Mudan) should resemble a flower shape, with plucking standard of a bud and two leaves. White peony is a class of white tea that falls between silver needle and shoumei. Therefore, its aroma and flavor profile spells out characteristic flavor that is bolder than silver needle and yet more refreshing and sweeter than shoumei.
Let's take a closer look at the making of white peony.
These slim shrubs belong to the Fuding Dahao cultivar of White Peony. Unlike the plantation shrubs that are usually trimmed to about a meter (3ft) in height, these wild ones can reach over 3 meters (10ft) in height.
These shrubs are about 50 years old.
After plucking, the fresh tea leaves will undergo outdoor and indoor withering. This step is critical for white teas to develop the taste and aroma compounds for that smooth and refreshing cup.
The final step is drying under the sun. The entire tea making process takes about a week. But the process can be much shorter if machine withering and drying are used. However, what you get in your cup of tea would be much different than the manually processed ones, which tend to carry better aroma and aftertaste.
Only a limited quantity of 2016 Wild White Peony is available at the Qi Aerista Shop. Don't miss it and order yours today!