桐木关老树白 2018 Tongmuguan Laocong Baicha, Fujian, 10 Portions x 6g/ Pack

Tongmuguan Ancient Tree White Tea: A Living Relic from the Shaded Valley

In the mist-veiled depths of Tongmuguan, where sunlight barely filters through the dense canopy, wild tea bushes have grown undisturbed for over 130 years. These venerable plants produce leaves of remarkable size, which transform in the teapot into luminous infusions of gold and green - the first hint of the extraordinary experience to come.

What sets this white tea apart is its birthplace. Unlike the sun-drenched plantations of Fuding, the perpetual shade of Tongmuguan's valley creates a tea of singular character. The first sip delivers a shock of coolness, as if you've drunk straight from a mountain spring. Yet beneath this refreshing clarity lies surprising depth - the sweetness of ripe apricots mingles with the delicate fragrance of lotus leaves, while a persistent mineral quality bubbles on the palate like an underground stream.

This is a tea that reveals itself slowly. Through twelve careful infusions, it unfolds like a well-kept secret. The much-anticipated huigan - that returning sweetness so prized by connoisseurs - makes its appearance only after several steepings. Remarkably, the tea reaches its zenith at the fifth infusion, maintaining its complexity through to the twelfth brewing, where it develops an almost honeyed intensity.

To fully appreciate this rare treasure:

Use a 100-150ml gaiwan

Water at full boil (100°C)

Begin with 30-second steeps

Gradually shorten to 10 seconds as the leaves awaken

Extend again in later infusions to tease out hidden depths

More than just a rare tea, this Tongmuguan ancient tree white is a journey through time and taste - each cup offering new discoveries, proving that true excellence reveals itself only to those willing to wait.