Gu Shu Bai Cha is now available in our store | HOJO Online Speciality Tea Shop

Ancient Tea Tree grown on high mountain

Gu Shu Bai Cha is made from the tea garden located at 2100 – 2200m in Zhenkang county of Lincang, Yunnan. The garden was owned by the manufacturer who are closely working with us every year. We have particularly selected fresh tea leaves from old tea trees. The tea trees in that garden are huge; the size of tree trunk was as bold as the waist of an adult man.
Most importantly, the tea garden is completely sustainable without any fertilizer or pesticide. Because of the high-altitude, sustainability and ancient tea tree, the tea of that garden grows very slowly. When other gardens are ready for plucking in April, the tea trees in his garden only had very tiny sprout. The first flush of spring tea from this garden was only ready in May. As tea trees spent a long time to grow, tea is very rich in poly phenols and minerals. Gu Shu Bai Cha gives a very complex, thick and long-lasting taste thanks to rich content of tea constituents.

Refreshing citrus flavour

We choose one bud and two leaves instead of one bud and one leaf to make Gu Shu Bai Cha. The single bud or one bud one leaf Bai Mu Dan contains higher ratio of amino acid and it enhances the creamy drinking sensation on palate. On the other hand, one bud and two leaves tea contains more poly phenols and taste becomes complex and rich in flavour.

It is also suitable for aging

Tea with high content of poly phenols is very suitable for aging. It is just like wine. In particular, the aged white tea without oxygen develops very sweet flavour that reminds us of fresh honey. With further aging, it also develops muscatel flavour.

White tea contains live enzymes

Unlike to other types of tea, white tea contains live enzymes. It is because in making white tea, there is no heating process. Traditionally, after tea plucking, the fresh tea leaves are spread on bamboo mat and gradually dehydrated. It is called withering process. During withering process, tea undergoes moderate oxidation and it develops floral flavour. For making oolong tea or black tea, tea leaves have to undergo pan-frying process in order to inactivate enzymes. As for white tea, the withering and drying process takes place at the same time and tea has never heated during the whole process. That is why white tea contains live enzymes.

It gives excellent result in cold water brewing

As white tea contains live enzyme, it catalyses moderate oxidation when tea is brewed in hot water. You may observe some changes of leaf colour from green to beige during brewing with hot water. The flavour of white tea brewed in hot water is relatively fruitier.
If you wish to maintain the fresh green colour of tea leaf and would like to enjoy very fresh floral flavour, please try brewing white tea in cold water. Usually we use 5g of tea leaf in 1.5 to 2 Litres of water. You will get a better result in flavour if you use the water that is boiled once and cooled down. All you have to do is to steep tea leaf in cold water and leave it in a refrigerator for more than half a day. Usually, children also love to drink cold water brewed white tea.