Moonlight Imperial white tea from Jinggu

Moonlight Imperial White Tea from Jinggu, which is called yue guang bai in Chinese , presents some controversy as to its definition since, due to its processing, it can fall into as many as four of the six known types of tea. This tea essentially follows a processing similar to that of a white tea, so it is very basic, but during the same one part of the leaf oxidizes a lot almost resembling a red tea. Since part of the leaf is very oxidized and another part is not there are those who call this tea an oolong and even others place it in the pu er category since it is produced in Yunnan from a particular variety of camellia called taliensis found only in this region. We therefore leave it to those who will try The Moonlight Imperial White Tea the “task” of figuring out which definition is most suitable for these leaves also because even while tasting the infusion one will encounter different flavors that will range between the four categories named above. The drink will turn out to have an orange color and a very full body typical of a white tea although during the tasting one will distinctly feel the oxidized character of red tea combined with sweet and fragrant flavors typical of an oolong. At the end of the tasting in the mouth will persist quite a lot the sweetness of this tea as often happens when going to taste puer. Discover the entire selection of Tea Soul teas.

Tasting – Sight and smell

Moonlight Imperial white tea has surprisingly varied colors that one would not expect from a white tea: the leaves are in fact very dark, deep brown with brown highlights, while the many buds are green and silvery, covered with soft white fluff. Once infused, they release sweet aromas reminiscent of honey and floral, with a fresh note of very delicate green wood. In the cup, the tea is a beautiful golden yellow color, deepening in gaiwan as the infusions proceed until it almost approaches orange. There is no bitterness or astringency, just sweetness and a fruity smoothness that pleasantly envelops the palate.

Tasting Notes

GONG FU CHA

The first infusion of Moonlight Imperial white tea is sweet with sugary hints of acacia honey, with a slight woody note that suggests young branches and gives freshness. With the second infusion, hints of fruits such as yellow peach and apricot emerge strongly, as well as hints of wild flowers and a distinctive vanilla cocoa note. With the third and subsequent infusions, the sweet component prevails again, with notes of lime honey a little stronger than at the beginning; the floral part is also more intense, and the whole is somehow softer and perfectly balanced.

WESTERN

The first sip of Moonlight Imperial white tea gives fresh hints of green wood and floral notes of wildflowers and chamomile. The sweetness of lime honey then appears almost immediately, followed by notes of yellow fruits such as peaches and apricots, in the form of compote or jam. In the floral notes , which remain on the finish along with very sugary hints, osmanthus also seems to emerge now.

Place of origin

Jinggu, Lincang – China

Production

Moonlight Imperial white tea leaves are usually harvested very late in the day and then allowed to wither overnight inside the production facilities. After this process, the leaves are placed in heated chambers with temperatures around 40 degrees to allow for firmer oxidation while the product continues to lose moisture. This type of tea has a fairly recent production: for this reason there are various techniques and experiments around its processing, which may vary little from the method we have indicated above.

Preparation of Moonlight Imperial White Tea

We strongly recommend infusing Moonlight Imperial white tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, 5 grams of leaves (about 3 teaspoons) can be used in a gaiwan of about 150 ml to obtain multiple infusions with different tastes. After a quick rinse of the leaves in water at 85°C, an initial infusion of 40 seconds can be made, after which, keeping the water at the same temperature, the time can be increased by 10 seconds each time compared to the previous infusion (40-50-60…). This tea has a longevity of about 8 infusions. For a classic preparation according to the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 2 teaspoons) in a 200 ml cup with water at 85°C for an infusion time of 3-4 minutes.

The tea can be filtered for greater ease at the moment of tasting, and also the infusion times indicated above are intended to be purely indicative, so you can also adjust according to your personal taste.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

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