China Organic White Tea Moonlight Yue Guang Bai

The term “moonlight white” refers to the mix of leaves present in this style of tea — some leaves are dark and almost black like the night’s sky, while the buds are a pale moonlight color. Pleasant and sweet with a smooth mouthfeel, this easygoing tea will provide multiple infusions while maintaining its flavor. White teas are minimally processed and contain a considerable amount of down, a white-silvery hair, on the leaf buds. It is this down that gives the brew its smooth texture.

Moonlight White Tea or Yue Guang Bai in Chinese is made from a Yunnan white tea cultivar. The tea leaves for this tea cake are plucked from 100 – 300 Years old Jinggu arbor trees at an altitude of about 2200 meters. This tea is made with an unique processing method: The tea leaves are withered by moonlight instead of sunlight. The longer withering period causes more oxidation compared to Fuding or Zhenge white tea such as Peony white tea or Baihao Yinzhen. This gives a darker color and a deeper, more complex aroma to the tea. The flavor is smooth and fruity, with a full-bodied texture.

Yue Guang Bai (月光白) means moonlight white, the name comes from the appearance of dried leaves, which the silver-white colour of buds and outer surface leave and matt black of inner leaves looks like the moonlight in the night.

Moonlight White is a specialty tea in Yunnan, it is classified as a White Tea because it is processed with the similar methods as White Tea but using Yunnan tea bush varietals, which means that this tea has a very different flavour comparing to Silver Needle or White Peony because they are made with Fuding Da Ba varietals in Fujian province.

White tea ｜Fujian ｜ Semi-fermentation ｜ Spring and Summer