XANTOU MANDARIN WHITE PU-ERH

A new holiday classic! Cup is light with exotic mandarin sweetness. Orange peel imparts a natural flavor. Tastes like home.

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100 g	$19.12 / per cup $0.38
250 g	$37.18 / per cup $0.29
500 g	$56.30 / per cup $0.22
1 kg	$106.23 / per cup $0.21

Category: White

Type: Tea

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Description
Product Information
Brewing Instructions

In a country where tea drinking dates to 2737 BC, making news isn't an easy accomplishment. Essentially, everything's been done before. Every leaf style, production method and scenting technique has been experimented with and perfected 1000 times over by artisans from Anhui to Zhejiang. Still, developments are possible, but to make Chinese tasters and tea-traders stand up and take notice of them, they had better be spectacular. Now, while pu-erh teas and white teas are by themselves quite ancient, (white pu-erh alone dates to the Qing Dynasty around 1796) white pu-erh is not. In fact, this notable new arrival to the tea party was first manufactured around 2001. Initially, China's tea connoisseurs viewed its creation with skepticism and trepidation - until they tasted it. Once the playfully delicate infusion of the finely fermented silver buds began to tempt China's tea drinking populace, skepticism vanished and the tea began to fly from shelves. In fact, during the past half dozen years or so, collecting white pu-erh has become a popular pastime with the country's newly emerging middle class. Today, as white pu-erh, including this Xantou Mandarin White Pu-erh, steadily makes it way westward, it is finding converts everywhere it turns up. (Interestingly, white pu-ehrs have become highly sought after by German and Belgian collectors.)

White pu-erh's comparatively short lifespan, (by contrast there are aged black pu-erhs available that are hundreds of years old), makes it a young pu-erh. As such, the qualities one would look for in an aged, black or green pu-erh, musty character, assertive earthy tones, will generally not be found to the same degree in a white. Instead, white pu-erhs typically greet the pallet with warm notes of vanilla, early spring grass and the subtle character of a lightly roasted mountain oolong.

And now for the latest development in white pu-erh - Xantou Mandarin White Pu-erh. Besides the obvious fact that the tea is packed in an orange, the care of craftsmanship used to get it in there cannot be underestimated. From the careful plucking of centuries old tea bushes, to the rolling on wide wicker baskets to the natural wood fires used to flash heat the mandarin orange peel, everything is done entirely by hand. (Note: firing the orange peel serves to kill any microorganisms that may be present.) The cup it produces is outstanding. A light yellow liquor resembling camomile tea leads to a medium body with a gentle astringent assertiveness, sweet notes of citrus, honey and vanilla and a surprisingly clean finish. One of the China's most interesting and uniquely rare teas! (An excellent pu-erh for the first time drinker!) Make some news in your shop today.
Tea Type: White

Country: China

Region: Yunnan Province

Grade: Pu-erh OP (Orange Pekoe)

Altitude: 1500 ‰ÛÒ 4900 feet above sea level

Manufacturer Type: Special pu-erh process, Hand crafted.

Ingredients: White tea (Pu-erh style), and Mandarin pieces.

Cup Characteristics: A new holiday classic! Cup is light with exotic mandarin sweetness. Orange peel imparts a natural flavor. Tastes like home.

Infusion: Light greenish / brown.
Traditional Chinese brewing method: Break off enough tea for one cup, (about one gram), and a few pieces of the orange peel. • 1st brew 30 seconds • 2nd brew 40 seconds • 3rd brew 40 seconds • 4th brew 60 seconds • 5th brew 90 seconds • 6th 120 seconds With each subsequent brewing, note how the character of this wonderful black pu-erh subtly shifts in terms of strength and flavor.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Mandarin pieces are not intended for consumption. Please discard after brewing.

Hot tea brewing method:

Traditional method (see note below): When preparing by the cup, this tea can be used repeatedly - about 3 times. The secret is to use water that is about 180'F/82'C. Break apart and place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon in your cup let the tea steep for about 3 minutes and then begin enjoying a cup of enchantment - do not remove the leaves from the cup. Adding milk and sugar is not recommended. Once the water level is low - add more water, and so on and so on - until the flavor of the tea is exhausted. Look at the pattern of the leaves in the brew, not only do they foretell your fortune but you can see the bud and shoots presenting themselves, looking like they are about to be plucked.

Modern Method: Bring filtered or freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Break tea apart and place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea for each 7-9oz/200-260ml of fluid volume in the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Adding milk or sugar is not recommended.

Note: Traditionally, the recommendation has been that white tea be brewed at 180'F/82'C. Regretfully, modern society makes it necessary to consider that water may not be free of harmful bacteria and other impurities. Therefore you need to boil water to kill bacteria. If you wish to use traditional brewing temperatures bring the water to a boil and allow it to cool to the desired brewing temperature – it’s the food safe thing to do!

Iced tea brewing method (Pitcher): (to make 1 liter/quart): Break tea apart and place 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of loose tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 11⁄4 cups/315ml over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water. (Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about!)

Iced tea brewing method (Individual Serving): Break tea apart and place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea into a teapot for each serving required. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the tea. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea. Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional 1⁄2 serving. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted. (Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about!)