Wing Wah (Hong Kong)

Comparing Shou Mei and Bai Mu Dan. Gold diggers better take last one, as the color is very doré, as the French say. The Shou Mei has a more fruity touch, but this is a good bargain. The aftertaste of the BMD, as rappers call it, is very charming and long-lasting.

When I am looking over my tea collection, I often find that I am in the mood for this tea. I discovered it in the dim sum houses of Hong Kong, and even though it is a cheaper cousin of Bai Mu Dan, I enjoy its distinctiveness – soft and rich with flavours that suggest apricots, honey and chestnuts. This tea coats the mouth with a lingering sweetness. My tea manual refers to the understated vegetal quality of “steamed squash”, but I can’t pinpoint that yet.

Because it is light and fluffy, I fill half of my gaiwan with the leaf and then infuse for 15 seconds at only 160 degrees because it is such a delicate leaf. In fact, it crumbles to dust quite easily just from shaking the tin. A subsequent 3 or 4 infusions are longer in duration to get the necessary strength.

I have difficulty telling the difference between Bai Mu Dan and Shou Mei, if (in this case) the Shou Mei includes downy tips. In fact, I am not convinced yet that this isn’t a low-grade Bai Mu Dan. I note the low ratio of buds to leaves, and the dark overall colour of the leaves (leaves that have grown too long are dark and gangly). For Shou Mei, I understand that the pluck is a grouping of three or four large leaves with no bud. The Chinese on the box says 白牡丹壽眉, while the English simply says Shou Mei. Perhaps it is a blend of Shou Mei and Bai Mu Dan as the Chinese printing would suggest. Whichever it is, it’s always nice to find such a satisfying inexpensive tea.