2020 High Mountain Gongmei White Tea

This beautifully aged Gongmei opens with the warm aroma of cinnamon bark, oak barrels, rose, and brown sugar. The first sip reveals a rich brown-sugar sweetness layered with oak-vanilla woodiness and a delicate wildflower bouquet blooming at the back of the tongue. As the flavors settle, a lingering aftertaste of oak barrel, cinnamon bark, and a dusting of cocoa powder unfolds. The tea has a solid, satisfying body and a silky, thicker texture that makes each cup comforting.

Gongmei is a traditional white tea grade, typically harvested as one bud with two to three leaves. Processing is minimal—long withering (sun or indoor) and gentle drying, with no kill-green or rolling—preserving the tea’s natural character. In the white tea grading spectrum, it sits between Bai Mudan and Shoumei, using more mature leaves that are excellent for aging when made and stored well.

High Mountain Origin
This tea is from Fuding (Ningde, Fujian), one of China’s most renowned white tea regions. The high mountain gardens—at altitudes above 800–900 meters—benefit from cooler nights, frequent mist, and clean, crisp air. These conditions slow leaf growth, concentrate aroma precursors, and give the tea a denser texture and a refined high-mountain “yun” (韵) in the cup.

Why Age White Tea
Stored clean and dry, white tea transforms over time. Leaves darken from greenish to golden-brown, the liquor shifts to a glowing apricot-amber, and sharp edges mellow. Sweetness and body deepen, and a gentle “chen” (aged) fragrance emerges—adding layers of complexity.

Brewing Recommendations (Gongfu Style)

• 3g in a 90-100ml gaiwan

• Quick rinse with boiling water

• 1st infusion: 185°F (85°C), steep 45 seconds 

• 2nd–4th infusions: steep 10 seconds

• Add ~5 seconds for each subsequent infusion

• Yields at least 10-14 infusions; best enjoyed with quick steeps to preserve its elegant balance

Notes: Brown Sugar, Cinnamon Bark, Oak Barrels, Wildflowers, Rose, Cocoa Powder