2018 Pesticide-Free High-Mountain Shou Mei

This tea is naturally grown by teamasters Wu Hua and Hu Ailan without the use of pesticides.  Whereas Silver Needle is only the innermost bud leaves, and White Peony is a mixture, Shou Mei, while originating from the same varietal of tea bush, is almost exclusively composed of the more mature outer leaves.  If Silver Needle has the flavor of a meadow, Shou Mei has the flavor of the forest.   Dry, this tea has a smell that is dark and deep, reminiscent of cherries and chocolate.  As water falls onto its dry leaves, the sound is like the rustling of fall.  Wet, it smells like the countryside.  Its flavor is clean, smooth, subtle, complex, and well balanced, with a slight hay flavor and just the slightest hint of smokiness in initial brews.  This tea is subtle, yet satisfying, reminding me of the color of unglazed clay and a dry forest in autumn.  In a word, I would say that this tea is balanced.  Its energetics feel slightly cooling, but not overly so, making it suitable for a variety of