White Oriental Beauty is a rare white tea produced in the misty highlands of Fujian Province, China. At altitudes around 1,100 meters, the tea bushes are kissed by morning dew, mountain wind, and the occasional visit of the tiny Jacobiasca formosana — the same leafhopper that initiates the aromatic transformation in the classic Oriental Beauty oolong.
This tea is made from one bud and two leaves of the Qing Xin Da Mao cultivar. Originally developed in Taiwan, Qing Xin Da Mao was introduced to the mainland in the late 1990s by collaborative efforts between tea producers from both sides of the strait. The cultivar is known for its broad, downy leaves and gentle, sweet character.
Once bitten by the leafhopper, the leaves begin producing terpenes as part of a natural self-defense, resulting in floral, honeyed, and subtly fruity aromas. After careful handpicking in late June, the fresh leaves are gently withered in sunlight and then baked with precision at low temperatures. The result is a white tea with the elegance of Bai Cha and the layered complexity of Mei Ren Cha.
Its liquor is a pale gold, with soft, lingering aromas of orchid, nectar, and morning grass. The taste is light and graceful, yet lingers on the palate like a poem told in whispers — part mist, part sun, all patience.
