Shou Mei (壽眉)
archetype: Young gardener
A young gardener at the start of autumn: a simplicity of leaf, an even sweetness, a quiet domestic warmth.
History
Shou Mei — 'longevity eyebrows' — is the most 'earthy' of the white teas. Made from a more mature leaf — without buds, or with very few — the leaf is larger and rougher than that of Bai Mu Dan. So Shou Mei traditionally costs less, but many love it for its honest household simplicity: a sweetness without strain, a warm hay note, an even character. With years of ageing it only deepens.
Terroir
Shou Mei is mostly made from the Cai Cha cultivar ('field tea'), more rarely from Da Bai. Picking comes after Bai Mu Dan, when the leaf is already larger.
Leaf
dry hay, ripe persimmon, a light woody sweetness, honey long, even, without sharpness; the aftertaste is a warm autumn trail
Properties
rich in antioxidants, low catechins because of the mature leaf; gentle stimulation, suits almost everyone even, soft, dispersing across the chest; felt as 'the calm of a household table' moderate (25–40 mg)
Brewing ritual
a large 200 ml gaiwan — the leaf is big; 92 °C; 6 g / 200 ml. 15s — the first warmth: hay, persimmon; 20s — the peak: a woody sweetness, a soft body; 30s — a long even note; 50s — a warm autumn trail.
When to drink
day and evening. autumn and shoulder seasons. when nothing special is needed, for everyday tea, for visits