Fuding Silver Needles Vintage 2020

Origin: Fuding town, Fujian province, China
Cultivar: Fuding Da Hao
Elevation: 500 - 700m
Harvest: March 21 - 27, 2020

Fuding Silver Needles is a heritage white tea from the coastal town of Fuding, a famous white tea producing region situated on mist-enshrouded mountainsides that overlook an estuary leading out to the sea. The savory quality in the white teas grown here is attributed to the maritime air and oceanic mineral soils rich in basalt. This special batch was harvested during the Mingqian period in early spring, the most prized harvest of the year made from the first tea buds that sprout in the new season. These Mingqian buds are thickly coated in a downy white coat of sweet trichomes and are highly concentrated in amino acids and other nutrients that were stored in the plant's roots during winter. The result is a sublime and elegant balance of savory umami and floral sweetness with hints of lanhua orchid, maple sap and a gentle, herbaceous essence.