#4 wins again in the White Peony contest. #5, which means fifth day, was less of that syrupy sweetness than #4, like a melon fruit at peak ripeness, each hour makes a difference!
Day 7 harvest of the White Peony King and Day 4 of the White Down…
Day 7 harvest of the White Peony King and Day 4 of the White Down (Baihao Yinzhen) costs doubled this year, due to huge sudden demand for place of origin leaves. Word got around on the health benefits. In China, it’s just the opposite: good tea taste comes first, health benefits second. Place of origin is really important, since ‘white teas’ from anywhere other than Fuding origin white varietals can not claim those benefits, nor taste.
My face turned a scorching black. So, do we not import white teas this year, or make zero or lose money ? Raise the price? Sure. The Chinese economy clips along at a forced slowdown to 9% growth in GDP, while the US is lucky is we get to 3% growth. That and the currency exchange and other woes, pretty much gives us the following options:
1. Sell fake white teas like other tea merchants
2. Increase the price so we break even
3. Not raise the price and lose money
4. Not sell any white teas
Unlike green teas where I have numerous regions to choose from ( we are not carrying Taiping Houkui until prices get back to reasonable), only real white tea is what we will carry.
Stay tuned, our final prices will come in in a few days.
Tasting through the last 9 days of white tea harvests with Mr….
Tasting through the last 9 days of white tea harvests with Mr. Lin, whose family is the top producer and leader of the white tea industry in Fuding. He’s not happy today- the rainfall has made the wilting indoors really difficult and his staff were not paying enough attention.
We tasted through samples of each day, along with the senior tea buyer of Anxi Empereur Tea, who is responsible for purchasing for a mere 600 stores. It was nice to taste with other professionals much more senior to myself, and finding exact concurrence. Day 7’s harvest of the White Peony and Day 9 were the best. Day 7 was sweeter and smoother, day 9 was most flavorful. Though I agreed completely- Days 3 through 6 were too light yet – I chose Day 7. It represented bright clear Spring.
One year, I sat in that same room tasting white teas with some Russian buyers who knew little of what they were tasting. It was a far cry from tasting with real black belts and finding that after all, my choices matched theirs exactly. That means while tea tasting is subjective, judging is less so. If we ever get to 600 stores, I guess I would still be the teabuyer!