Shou Mei
Shou Mei is a later-harvest, leaf-heavy Fujian white tea with few buds, darker and fruitier than Bai Mu Dan, often pressed into cakes and aged.
Definition
Shou Mei, "longevity eyebrow", is made from larger and more mature leaves than Bai Mu Dan, with few or no buds. It is often harvested later in spring or in summer and autumn after the bud-heavy grades. The processing is the same wither-and-dry method used for all white tea, but the bigger leaves undergo more natural oxidation during withering, so the dry leaf is a mix of green, olive and brown. A closely related grade, Gong Mei ("tribute eyebrow"), is traditionally made from the smaller-leaf Cai Cha cultivar group; in practice the two names overlap in the market. Both come mainly from Fuding, Zhenghe and Jianyang in Fujian. Young Shou Mei tastes of hay, autumn leaves and dried fruit, with more body than the higher white grades. It is the white tea most often pressed into cakes and aged. After five to ten years it develops dates, jujube, herbal and medicinal notes, and aged Shou Mei is sold at prices well above fresh leaf.
In Depth
Brew with hotter water than other white teas: 90-100°C (194-212°F). In a gaiwan, use 5-6 g per 100 ml with 20-40 second infusions. Aged Shou Mei cakes can be simmered: 5 g in 500 ml of water for 3-5 minutes on low heat produces a thick, sweet, dark liquor, a common practice in Fuding.
Shou Mei is the least expensive Fujian white tea by grade, but vintage cakes vary widely in price. Age claims are hard to verify; the leaf should smell clean, sweet and woody, never musty or damp.
Caffeine is generally lower than in bud-heavy grades because mature leaves contain less, roughly 15-35 mg per 240 ml, though brewing strength matters more than grade.
See Also
- Aged White Tea
- Fuding White Tea
- Pressed Tea Cakes