老寿眉小饼 Lao Shou Mei Lao Baicha 2017, Panxi, Fuding Fujian, 100g Cakee

Tasting note at 25.06.25

The Fragrance in the Warm Teapot

A quiet aroma unfolds—dried figs, the pages of old books, and a whisper of sandalwood.

First Infusion
Gentle and amber-hued, like liquid autumn light. An unbelievably soft, almost oily texture coats the mouth, with notes of candied orange peel, dried dates, and a trace of cedar. These flavors meld into a deep, earthy sweetness reminiscent of long-aged oolong. Yet the tea retains white tea's characteristic clarity—quiet as mist weaving through this interplay of aromas.

Evolving with Each Steep
The tea transforms with subsequent infusions. Darker notes emerge: raisins, lightly charred caramel, a fleeting hint of mushrooms—always subtle, never overpowering. With every steep, the tea grows more meditative, more serene, like a companion whose words become increasingly poetic with time.

This Shou Mei Excels
 Leaf Selection: 1 bud + 3 mature leaves (unlike newer commercial grades)
 Slow Oxidation: Natural withering under mountain fog
 Compression: Medium-pressure cake allows gradual aging

Fuding's White Tea Sanctuary
 Elevation: 500-800m cloud belt
 Microclimate: 10°C diurnal swings + 2000mm annual rainfall
 Aging: Cellared in Fuding until 2023 (6 years humid storage)

Tasting Notes:

Dry Leaf Aroma
Antique parchment • Sun-dried hay • Distant sandalwood

Warmed Gaiwan Revelation
A whisper of:
Stewed persimmons
Vintage book pages
 Aged cedar chest

First Infusion (95°C, 15s)
Appearance: Liquid amber – autumn sunlight captured in a cup
Mouthfeel: Unctuous, oil-slick texture coating the palate
 Flavor: Candied kumquat peel • Medjool date syrup • Hinterland honey

Mid-Session Alchemy (3rd-5th Steeps)
As the leaves awaken:

 Raisins macerated in pu-erh liquor
Burnt caramel edges
Porcini dust (ghostly umami)

Late Steeps (7th+)
The tea becomes:
 A meditation in vapor
 Mist over a Fujian tea garden
 Echoes of its former richness

Brewing Guide

Gongfu Style
• Vessel: 120ml porcelain gaiwan
• Dose: 5g (break along leaf layers)
• Water: 90-95°C spring water
• Rinse: 5s flash rinse (discard)
• Steeps:

1. 15s • 2) 12s • 3) 10s
   4+) Add 5s per steep (yields 12+ infusions)

Grandpa Style
• Ratio: 2g/300ml thermos
• Time: 3 minutes initial, refill as needed