Silver Needle, White Peony, Gong Mei and Shou Mei describe white tea product styles. They are a useful starting point for a brief, not a substitute for checking a particular lot.
Names help narrow a search. The sample, raw material, grade, harvest record, origin documentation and applicable testing still need to be reviewed for the batch being offered.
A white tea style centred on tender buds. Its presentation makes bud appearance and consistency important parts of a sample review.
Ask how the batch was graded, whether buds are uniform, and how the supplied sample compares with the offered lot.
A white tea style made with buds and young leaves. Picking composition and grade can vary between offers.
Compare the bud-to-leaf composition, cup profile and grade definition on actual samples.
A named white tea style whose raw material and grade should be stated by the supplier rather than inferred from the name alone.
Confirm the raw material, picking standard, grade and intended format for the specific batch.
A more leaf-forward white tea style. It may be discussed as loose leaf or pressed tea, depending on the actual offer.
Check the harvest year, leaf condition and, for pressed or aged tea, pressing and storage records.
These descriptions are educational. They do not represent confirmed stock, a particular origin, grade, harvest year or test result. “Fuding” is an origin claim to substantiate for each offered lot; it is not a property established by a style name.
