The aged white tea collection market is gradually heating up.

　　The "old tea craze" is sweeping through, first hitting pu-erh tea, then spreading to oolong tea, and now even catching on with white tea.

　　Old white tea has been cherished in folk traditions for generations, but its collectible value began to "come to light" last year after a single aged white tea cake sold for a staggering 188,000 yuan at a domestic auction. Since then, the market for old white tea collections has gradually heated up—particularly in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

　　Last week, Haidu’s *Tea Weekly* received a sample of old white tea from Shanghai, reportedly aged “50 years.” However, after being examined by experienced tea enthusiasts, it was identified as an "artificially processed product." Interestingly, such counterfeit aged white teas are surprisingly common in China’s burgeoning market for collecting vintage white teas—so collectors eager to build their portfolios of aged white tea should remain vigilant and avoid being misled.

　　A 50-year-old aged white tea is full of off-flavors and a musty aroma.

　　"This is a 50-year-old aged white tea collected by my friend in Shanghai. Since neither of us knows much about it, we’d like to ask Haidu Tea Weekly to help authenticate it."

　　Ms. Chen, who brought a tea sample, told reporters that her friend in Shanghai enjoys collecting unique teas—and recently, aged white tea has been particularly popular in the Shanghai market. That’s why her friend was instantly captivated by this particular old white tea, said to have been aged for 50 years. "Although the price is quite high," Ms. Chen revealed, "my friend didn’t hesitate for a moment before placing the order." She added that the purchase price for this rare old white tea starts at 5,000 yuan per 500 grams—or even more—and noted that only two pounds of it are available.

　　A reporter from *Tea Weekly* immediately invited several seasoned tea enthusiasts to brew this aged white tea at a Fuding white tea specialty store on Guping Road in Fuzhou. To everyone’s surprise, the tea experts unanimously agreed: the dry leaves had a dull, dark appearance, the aroma was heavy, muddy, and off-putting, the tea liquor was murky and cloudy, and the taste was overwhelmingly stale and musty. Even after brewing, the spent tea leaves remained stubbornly dark and uninviting—clear evidence that this was an artificially aged white tea, deliberately manipulated to appear older than it actually is.

　　The shopkeeper, Lin Chenjun, also brewed a sample of the store’s six-year-old aged white tea for comparison. The reporter noted that the dry leaves of the six-year-old aged white tea had a darker color compared to the white tea produced in the same year. However, the tea strips were neatly shaped, clean, and appeared remarkably lustrous. When brewed, the tea liquor revealed a clear, orange-yellow hue, with a pure, mellow aroma carrying a subtle honey-like fragrance. The taste was rich yet refreshingly smooth, while the tea leaves themselves remained bright, soft, and vibrant.

　　Lin Chenjun pointed out that white tea production is inherently limited, and even fewer varieties are suitable for long-term aging. "Generally, white tea aged five or six years can already be considered old white tea, while white tea aged over ten or twenty years is exceptionally rare."

　　Old white tea fetches sky-high prices as out-of-town investors ramp up their buzz, while local markets remain calm.

　　White tea is famously known as "tea in its first year, medicine in three years, and a treasure after seven." The belief that "the longer white tea is stored, the higher its medicinal value becomes—and thus the greater its collectible appeal"—is widely accepted across the industry.

　　At the auction held during last year's Yuyuan International Tea Culture and Art Festival in Shanghai, a 20-year-old Fuding Old White Tea cake weighing 375 grams was sold for 188,000 yuan to a middle-aged "tea enthusiast" who specializes in rare finds. Notably, the starting price for this prized old white tea cake was also remarkably high—reaching 138,000 yuan.

　　The sky-high prices fetched for aged white tea cakes have ignited a surge in the aged white tea collection market. "Aged white tea" is steadily becoming the new favorite among tea enthusiasts looking to "hunt for treasures," while some savvy tea buyers are even treating it as a fresh investment opportunity. Industry insiders note that the market for aged white tea has already heated up significantly in regions like Guangdong and Hong Kong, where annual appreciation potential is estimated at over 30%. Meanwhile, the aged white tea markets in Beijing and Shanghai are also gradually gaining momentum—but in contrast, the provincial market remains surprisingly quiet.

　　"It's undeniable that as the market for aged white tea from other regions heats up, consumption of white tea within the province is also shifting toward older varieties." An industry insider pointed out that the main reason behind this shift is the high profitability of aged white tea, making it more appealing for merchants to sell—and consequently boosting the overall consumer market. "For instance, an 18-year-old aged white tea can fetch over 10,000 yuan per 500 grams, whereas ordinary fresh white tea typically sells for just a few hundred to a few thousand yuan, depending on its quality."

　　Collecting aged tea? Don't fall for scams—white tea can be enjoyed while you build your collection!

　　The industry discourages the hype surrounding tea, as everyone learned the hard way from the wild price swings of Pu-erh tea in recent years—no one can afford to take such risks again. Veteran Lin, who has been in the tea business for over a decade, points out that white tea is a lightly fermented variety, making it less suitable for brewing with the traditional Gongfu-style methods commonly used by tea enthusiasts. Additionally, given white tea’s naturally delicate flavor profile, it’s best enjoyed when brewed in a large Yixing clay teapot or ceramic ware.

　　"Fu Ding white tea, especially its aged varieties, is becoming increasingly scarce, which is why many people are now treating it as an investment," explained the head of a well-known white tea company. "The longer aged the tea is, the richer and more robust its flavor becomes when brewed." However, he added, "It’s hard to predict exactly how much value each year's batch will gain." Experts caution that purchasing tea should be done rationally—advocating against blind speculation or impulsive investments in this niche market.

　　A tea expert advises tea enthusiasts to view the trend of "following the crowd in collecting aged tea" objectively, cautioning against blindly jumping on the bandwagon. When building a collection, it’s crucial to pay attention to proper storage conditions—such as maintaining optimal dryness and humidity levels, protecting the tea from light, and ensuring adequate ventilation—to prevent mold and spoilage. Meanwhile, tea merchants are urged to practice cautious and responsible business practices.

　　"Old white tea is rare and hard to come by—so beginners are advised to enjoy it while also collecting it. As long as it’s stored properly, even new white tea can naturally mature into aged white tea over time," the expert noted. "Aged Tieguanyin, aged Rock Oolong, and aged White Tea have been cherished in folk traditions for centuries, often used medicinally. Though there are still enthusiasts, these teas remain relatively niche products." Regarding the recent trend of high-priced aged teas appearing on the market, the expert explained that it’s not hard to understand. "Genuine aged teas are scarce, and those with exceptional quality and older vintages naturally become highly sought after by consumers." In fact, in traditional practices across Fujian and Guangdong provinces, aged teas have long been valued not just for their flavor but also for their medicinal benefits—such as aged pomelo tea, which is known to relieve heat, detoxify the body, and ease digestive issues like bloating and diarrhea.