{"product_id":"stacks-2016-orb","title":"Stacks: 2016 Orb","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/onerivertea.com\/collections\/white-tea\/products\/2018-shoumei\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTea:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2016 White Peony (Baimudan 白牡丹) \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e White Tea\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spring 2016\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePress Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e August 2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRegion:\u003c\/strong\u003e Panxi, Fuding, China\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProducer\u003c\/strong\u003e: Master Qiu\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dried Flowers, Vanilla, Butter, Violets, Honeysuckle\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eQiu’s aged tea always hits differently.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eAs the man who parted the veil on the ‘new production methods’ of white tea for us, he showed us how a lot of white tea is made to look aged these days.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eSee our blog post “The Browning of Green Shoumei” for more details.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eQiu fears that this new style of making brown shoumei creates a simulacrum of age that in truth does not age.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eIt’s the tradeoff of wanting aged tea now, without the wait. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eAs a result, Qiu is committed to pushing the pendulum the other way and creating beautifully green white tea that ages slowly but preserves the higher fragrances of white tea.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThe methodology is rather simple, instead of allowing heat and moisture to brown the tea, he keeps the withering temperature cool and does a more complete withering and drying phase.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eAs this creates a tea with less moisture content than others, his teas tend to stay greener for longer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eAs a result, this 2016 Baimudan looks incredibly fresh when compared to other “10-year-old” white teas.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThe tradeoff is a higher peak on the fragrances and a much cleaner flavor on the tongue.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eWe sampled a lot of material before pressing this cake and decided on it because it represents a different and less often seen side of the aged white tea market, slow and deliberate transformations over intense visual transformation.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eWhile we find merit in both camps, this cake represents an interesting insight into what a dry and clean white tea will become after 10 years of air-tight, low moisture aging conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThe leaves exude potent floral fragrances when added to a warmed gaiwan with spicy vegetal notes of vanilla and cream.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eWhen infused, the aged fragrances of butter and dried flowers become more pronounced.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThe brew itself is a rich gold that is pleasantly thick on the tongue and coats the mouth.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eThere is a pleasant sweetness which was once vegetal in the tea’s youth but now has transformed to a soft creamy floral sweetness like spring violets and honeysuckle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eAs the brews progress, the dried flower notes peak on the leaves around the third or fourth infusion, while the brew itself thickens up into a huigan-inducing brew before tapering back off into sweet flower water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis tea brews well at boiling temperatures, but also changes in texture and flavors as the kettle water cools. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend brewing this tea in a gaiwan or porcelain teapot.  Our brewing ratio is typically 6 grams of tea to 100-120ml of water in flash-fast infusions.  We enjoy using boiling water when brewing our whites, but experimenting with cooler temperatures can create a more textured cup of tea.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"One River Tea","offers":[{"title":"1 Orb (~7g)","offer_id":46208641499370,"sku":null,"price":1.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"3 Orbs (~21g)","offer_id":46208641532138,"sku":null,"price":5.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0007\/9681\/9516\/files\/MiniPhotosWrapped_e4e295c1-9b7f-4914-add9-a0b0659c59f4.png?v=1787567995","url":"https:\/\/onerivertea.com\/products\/stacks-2016-orb","provider":"One River Tea","version":"1.0","type":"link"}