Wild Bai Mu Dan (White Peony) 白牡丹

Dian Tou, Fu Ding, Fu Jian Province, China (~500m elevation)

Tea Drunk's Bai Mu Dan hails from the birthplace of white tea, Fu Ding, in Fu Jian Province, China.

Category: White Tea

Sub-Category: Fu Ding (Southern Yin Zhen)

Cultivar: Da Hao (China Tea #2)

The official second grade of white tea, Bai Mu Dan, consists of one fat bud and two leaves. It is not always inferior in terms of picking time to Yin Zhen. The best Bai Mu Dan is harvested simultaneously with Yin Zhen, and it is simply the maker's choice whether or not to go through more steps to make it into Yin Zhen or sell as Bai Mu Dan. In this case, a Bai Mu Dan can be considered an un-de-leaved Yin Zhen, and it is commonly accepted as a preference in taste among professionals to choose Bai Mu Dan over Yin Zhen instead of a fail of expertise. However, even though Bai Mu Dan has overlapping seasons with Bai Hao Yin Zhen, Bai Mu Dan's making continues even when Yin Zhen's making has ended. Thus, the later harvested Bai Mu Dan is indeed more inferior to Yin Zhen. As the season goes into summer, the buds become skinnier, and the leaves become larger than the buds.

This tea reminds us of sun-soaked cotton, mead, apricot kernel and has a herbaceous note to it.

Please see above for the category specific brewing specs for Gong Fu brewing. For brewing in a teapot, mug, or single cup visit this article here.

This foundational course is a great resource to help you understand the methods and motions of Gong Fu Brewing.