Baimudan is a classic style of making white tea in China. It typically involves collecting the larger, broader tea leaves (leaving the skinny tippy shoots for preparing yinzhen teas), and withering them in the outdoors. This results in a very mild oxidation, and the intent is to leave them as pure and unoxidized as possible. After 1-3 hours of withering piled up, they spread the leaves and dry them, leaving them to bake in the hot sun for anywhere from 1-3 days. This gives the final product a mildly toasty flavor due to the sunlight.
Our White Peony Chinese Baimudan gets its name from the literal translation of baimudan, and is exemplary of the process. The mild toasty notes come out stronger than most white teas, but still lighter than any green tea, and the body of the tea leaf is entirely present. Less astringent than a shou mei, and fuller-bodied than a yinzhen, the White Peony reigns as the favorite traditional white of the shop.
Solar Sailor — Chinese Baimudan
- Use 7g (≈1 heaping tbsp) of leaf per ½ liter (≈17 oz) of water.
- Use 70°C/165°F water
- Steep for 4 minutes, strain leaves, and enjoy!
