Chenpi Bai Cha, Gong Mei White Tea with Xinhui Tangerine Peel, 5g | Fuding, Fujian

Chenpi Bai Cha (陈皮白茶) pairs 2018 Gong Mei white tea from Fuding, Fujian, with aged tangerine peel from Xinhui in Guangdong, the most famous source of chenpi (陈皮, "aged peel") in China. Chenpi is usually paired with ripe pu-erh, but with white tea the combination becomes lighter and more fragrant. Made by Fuding Changpin White Tea Co. for Hualinchun (华林春), pressed into small 5 g pieces and sold individually.

White tea is the least processed tea of all, simply withered and dried. Gong Mei, made from leaves and a few buds, is fuller than Silver Needle, and several years of rest have given this 2018 tea a soft, honeyed sweetness with no bitterness. The aged peel adds a warm, mellow citrus aroma, closer to dried orange zest than to fresh fruit, plus a pleasant bittersweet edge. Expect a clear golden infusion that is smooth, sweet and fragrant, with the citrus note lingering after each sip.

Each piece is a ready-measured serving: brew it in a mug, a small teapot or a thermos with water just off the boil. It steeps well more than once, and the peel keeps giving aroma in later infusions.

An easy, fragrant everyday cup and a good introduction to the classic Chinese pairing of tea and chenpi, without having to buy a whole box.

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