Cold Dew Shou Mei by Teakan
White Tea / Straight
$38 for 61g
Cold Dew Shou Mei is part of Teakan’s Volume 6 Exploration Kit, a collection of five single origin teas. Cold Dew Shou Mei makes up 6g of the 61g kit.
First Impressions
Cold Dew Shou Mei comes in a kraft paper pouch that’s sealed and resealable. Being part of a Teakan collection, I expect it to taste good. This particular shou mei is from Fuding, Fujian, China and was harvested in autumn of 2021, so late in the growing season.
The bag tears open easily, and reveals some gorgeous leaves. There’s a mix of of shades of green, but they’re primarily a similar shade to a fresh, live leaf – which is pretty amazing. The leaves of Cold Dew Shou Mei have some downy feathery bits to the leaves, and the aroma is very similar to stone fruit – think plums and apricots. It has a sweet undertone – and look at the gentle, and natural curls to the leaves that occurred in the drying process.
Preparation
Teakan recommends steeping Cold Dew Shou Mei in both western style (80°C/176°F for 1 minute) or gongfu style (90°C/194°F for 5-10 seconds).
I opted to do an initial steep of Cold Dew Shou Mei in 80°C water for 1 minute.
First Taste
Cold Dew Shou Mei steeps to a clear, pale yellow. The aroma is sweet, lightly floral, with a fruity undertone. The flavour of Cold Dew Shou Mei is crisp, sweet, and has a strong fruity flavour to it that reminds me of stone fruits, much like in the aroma of the dry leaf. Cold Dew Shou Mei has a pleasant mouthfeel, that is slightly drying after the end of each sip, but it’s not off-putting for me.
A Second Cup?
I resteeped Cold Dew Shou Mei five times (six steeps total), by adding an additional 30 seconds for each subsequent steep. The colour became a darker, more golden yellow. The flavour gets more fruity and a bit less sweet.
My Overall Impression
I loved Teakan’s Cold Dew Shou Mei. This white tea looks remarkably like someone just plucked some dry leaves off of a plant – especially considering how green the leaves are. The flavour of Cold Dew Shou Mei are a treat to the senses, and I find that the tea resteeps quite well so I’d highly recommend that.
Curious about the cup rating system? Click here to learn more.