The color and flavor of Fuding white tea
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Release date:
2013-12-17
According to "The Chinese Tea Classic," the descriptions of white tea's color and taste are as follows: Baihao Yinzhen features a pale apricot-yellow liquor with a fresh, crisp, and delightfully smooth flavor; Bai Mudan boasts an apricot-yellow or orange-yellow infusion, delivering a rich yet mellow taste; Gongmei (Shou Mei) presents an orange-yellow or deep yellow brew, offering a pure, refreshing, and remarkably fresh flavor; and the newly crafted white tea varieties exhibit an orange-red liquor, characterized by a clear aroma and robust, full-bodied taste. These distinct white tea types vary in both color and flavor, primarily due to differences in their raw materials—each type, when brewed, produces a unique hue and taste profile. Overall, white tea is predominantly known for its yellowish hues, while its flavors generally lean toward being fresh, mellow, and delightfully sweet.
A few years ago, a tea enthusiast from out of town told me he wasn’t fond of white tea—though he appreciated its ability to withstand multiple infusions, he found the flavor too subtle, failing to spark his desire to drink it again. This year, I invited him to Fuding in Fujian province and brewed several white teas for him to sample. I prepared samples from different vintages: White Peony, Silver Needle, and Gongmei (also known as Shou Mei), each offering a unique sensory experience. Some teas revealed delicate floral notes with hints of honey, while others unveiled intriguing aromas like toasted wheat, dates, lotus leaf, or even orchid-like fragrance. To really surprise him, I even brought out a tightly compressed white tea that had been aged for over 10 years. First, I steeped it in a covered bowl; the first three infusions produced only a faintly reddish brew, with neither robust aroma nor lingering sweetness. But after a few more rounds, I transferred the leaves into a teapot and gently simmered them. Gradually, the tea liquor deepened in color, evolving into a rich, amber hue. At this point, an unexpected yet captivating aroma emerged—earthy, slightly medicinal, and subtly reminiscent of dried dates. At last, my guest couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment: “Is this really white tea? Could it possibly be white tea?” Indeed, the transformation of both color and taste completely shattered his preconceived notions about what white tea should—or shouldn’t—be.
Today, many people’s understanding of Fuding white tea—specifically its color and flavor—still remains tied to the fresh, newly produced teas of years past, or to their earlier perceptions of white tea. Meanwhile, there’s still limited awareness about white teas that have been aged for many years. In recent years, however, with the emergence of white tea cakes within the Fuding white tea family, more and more older, collectible white teas have become available. As a result, enthusiasts and researchers alike are increasingly drawn to these aged treasures, developing their own unique insights into the evolving flavors and textures of Fuding white tea over time.
The author once compared the color and flavor of the same batch of Bai Hao Yin Zhen, Bai Mu Dan, and Gong Mei (Shou Mei) teas that had been stored for 3, 5, and 7 years, respectively. The findings revealed numerous differences among them—ranging from aroma and taste to the actual color of the tea liquor. Meanwhile, white teas aged for more than 10 years develop an entirely distinct character altogether. One experience stands out vividly: while visiting the Baiyun Temple on Mount Tai’ao, I happened to sample Bai Hao Yin Zhen that had been stored by Master Changjing for 20 years. After being brewed over charcoal fire, the resulting tea liquor was richly reddish in color, exuding a captivating blend of medicinal and date-like aromas. As the saying goes in Fuding’s local folklore—“One-year tea is like fine wine; three-year tea acts as medicine; seven-year tea becomes a treasure”—this phrase perfectly captures the transformation of both the tea’s color and flavor over time, as well as its enhanced health-promoting benefits.
Why does the color and flavor of Fuding white tea undergo such significant changes? On one hand, Fuding white tea is a lightly fermented tea, and during storage, its internal compounds gradually transform. Additionally, during the withering process, biochemical changes involving substances like tea polyphenols, theanine, and carbohydrates become quite complex.
The production process of tightly compressed white tea also plays an important role. The processing involves reprocessing finished white tea leaves, softening them with steam before compressing. This step reactivates and accelerates enzyme activity within the tea, speeding up changes in its internal components. Then, the compressed white tea cakes undergo a drying process, which suppresses enzyme activity again. As a result, the color and flavor of tightly compressed white tea change more significantly.
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