Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Two aged lower-grade white teas. The seed-grown stock behind Gong Mei makes it noticeably more variable batch to batch.
Point by point
| Dimension | Aged Shou Mei | Aged Gong Mei |
|---|---|---|
| Category | White tea · minimally oxidised · post-fermented (natural ageing) | White tea · minimally oxidised · post-fermented (natural ageing) |
| Production | In order: Withering → Drying → Ageing and storage. mature leaf and autumn harvest. | In order: Withering → Drying → Ageing and storage. bud and two leaves and spring harvest. |
| Origin | China — Fuding | China — Zhenghe |
| Flavour | sweet, fruity and woody. full bodied, smooth and rich in the mouth. Aroma: dried date, honey, camphor, old wood. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. | sweet, fruity and woody. full bodied and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: dried fruit, herbs, warm wood. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–100 °C, first steep 240s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 4–6 g/100 ml at 90–100 °C, first steep 20s of 5 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–100 °C, first steep 240s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 4–6 g/100 ml at 90–100 °C, first steep 20s of 5 authored. |
| Cultural context | Age claims on white tea are common and unverifiable. Colour deepens with age but can also be produced by warm storage in months rather than years. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.