White Peony

*New 2023 spring harvest has arrived!*

Fujian White Tea

One of our all-time favorites, this White Peony is the tea that started it all. Grown and masterfully crafted in Zhenghe, where the Teawala journey began, this tea is very near and dear to our hearts.

Picked once a year during the onset of spring, each bud is adorned with a thick layer of white hairs. The resulting tea is extremely fresh, exhibiting notes of muscat grape and flowers, a syrupy mouthfeel, and a beautiful, lingering aroma. 

In contrast to standard White Peony where the bud, larger leaves and stem are picked later in spring, we've selected a premium "King of Peony" (Mudanwang) grade that comprises of only buds and tiny sprouting leaves, bringing it closer to the coveted Silver Needle. Capturing the best of both worlds, Mudanwang boasts the tenderness and freshness of being the first pluck of the year, yet the fuller, more satisfying body of a White Peony picking. 

We are incredibly proud of our White Peony for earning a 98 / 100 on North American tea author Tony Gebely's tea rankings two years in a row. Read his 2021 assessment on Tea Epicure here. 

Nicole Wilson from Tea for Me Please also reviewed this tea here.   

Tea Specs

PICKED  March 2023 | Pre-Qing Ming (First pluck of the year)

ORIGIN  Zhenghe, Fujian, China

LEAF  Fu'an Dabai varietal | 1 bud 1 leaf | Premium White Peony (Mudanwang "King of Peony")

CRAFT  Tender buds picked during the onset of spring, naturally withered & sun-dried / gently charcoal-dried

NOTES  Muscat Grape, Fresh Flowers, Sweet Bread

BENEFITS The white hairs are packed with antioxidants that may keep the skin youthful 

CAFFEINE Yes

Brew Instructions

We recommend brewing this White Peony in a Gaiwan, to showcase the different layers and nuances.

Gongfu Brew (Gaiwan): 3g | 150ml | 85°C | 20 sec | +10 secs for additional brews | Can steep ~ 6 times

Western Brew (Mug / Teapot): 5g | 350ml | 85°C | 2 min | + 1 min for additional brews | Can steep ~ 3 times

Cold-Brew (Pitcher): 10g | 750ml | Room temp | 8 hours in fridge | Strain & serve in champagne flutes to enhance the aroma. 

Farm Story

Led by Tea Master Yang, Longhe Tea Co was created with the vision of bringing the traditional craft of white tea back to the Zhenghe region. Competing with the neighboring Fuding region, they produce some of Zhenghe's finest white teas and are committed to tea education. You can read about our experience there in this blog post!

We stayed on this tea farm as a volunteer, experiencing first-hand all the white tea processing steps: from picking and withering, to drying, sorting and even planting new seedlings. We are now super excited to share their specialty tea with you.