2025 Phoenix Plume | Fuding White Peony King

Nestled in Fuding City 福鼎市, Fujian Province, Panxi Town 磻溪镇 is characterized by its mountainous terrain and high altitude, boasting several peaks exceeding one thousand meters. With a forest coverage rate surpassing 88%, the region's mountain streams are abundant with fresh bamboo shoots and a diverse array of fish, creating a unique ecosystem that provides an innate ecological advantage for tea cultivation. The fertile soil, a mosaic of yellow and red earth, is rich in a variety of organic nutrients. Amidst the high mountains and green waters, the air possesses an exceptionally high concentration of negative oxygen ions. Here, tea trees thrive naturally in an environment filled with birdsong, frog calls, weathered stones, and verdant moss, seamlessly integrating with the surrounding ecology to nurture outstanding tea quality.

"High mountains and mist produce fine tea." This exquisite Peony King (牡丹王, Mudan Wang) is selected from Panxi's high-mountain tea gardens where Silver Needle (白毫银针, Bai Hao Yin Zhen) has not previously been harvested. Plucked during the first flush of early spring, the tea buds are exceptionally tender, adhering to a picking standard of one bud with one leaf to one bud with two leaves, positioning it at the pinnacle of the White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) grade. Adhering to natural crafting principles to highlight its noble quality, the entire process employs traditional techniques: hand-picking of the fresh leaves, sun-withering, sorting, and drying. It is neither pan-fried nor rolled, thus preserving the most original flavor of white tea. The method for producing white tea is ancient and natural, believed to predate green tea, originating in the era of Shennong 神农. This tradition continues to this day, retaining its most authentic charm.

The dry tea leaves are generously coated in fine, silvery-white down, exuding a shimmering silver light. The buds are plump, full, and display a uniform, natural coloration. Upon brewing, an intense downy aroma, reminiscent of Silver Needle, immediately greets the nose, followed by a refreshing, wild floral fragrance. The tea boasts an exceptional aroma and a lively mouthfeel. The liquor is delicate and smooth, clear and bright, with a subtle herbaceous fragrance, akin to dew drops on grass leaves under the early morning sun. It is instantly sweet upon entry, offering a fresh, savory, and moisturizing sensation that awakens every taste bud, with a long-lasting finish. Even after multiple infusions, the aroma remains undiminished. The brewed leaves, green interspersed with silver downy buds, resemble freshly bloomed peonies, fully embodying the noble character and elegance of the "Peony King."

"Feng" (凤) means phoenix, and "ling" (翎) means feather or plume. So "凤翎" (Fèng Líng) refers to the feather of a phoenix. The exquisite shape of the tea leaves is strikingly beautiful, looking just like the delicate and elegant feathers of a phoenix.