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Tribute Eyebrow贡眉

leaf · Fuding, Fujian, China

Tribute Eyebrow is a leaf white tea from Fuding, Fujian, China. Brew it at 95°C with 5g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 9 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. No rinse needed.

Quick facts

Origin
Fuding, Fujian, China
Category
White tea
Cultivar
Xiao Bai (Small White) seed-grown bushes
Oxidation
light
Roast
None
Water temp
95°C
Leaf ratio
5g / 100ml
Infusions
up to 9
Rinse
No

Tasting notes

Gong Mei is the honest one in the Fujian white lineup — less pretty than the bud grades, cheaper, and frankly more interesting once you stop ranking teas by price. The seed-grown bushes throw out a thicker liquor than factory clonal whites, and the cup has a cinnamon-and-nectar register you don't quite get in Bai Mu Dan. Boiling water is fine. In fact it's better — anything cooler and the tea reads thin, because the leaves are coarse and need heat to open up. First steep fast, five to ten seconds, then build. By the third infusion there's a brown-sugar thickness that sits on the tongue. Where it falls down: cheaper Gong Mei can taste papery or generically sweet, like hay water with a caramel edge. Look for a brew that's actually syrupy in the mouth, not just sweet in flavor. Aged versions deepen into dried fruit and wet wood.

Flavor profile

A robust, full-bodied white tea with noticeable sweetness. The syrupy brew carries nectar and cinnamon notes, with more depth and darker character than higher-grade whites. Seed-grown bushes give it added complexity and a rounder, thicker texture in the cup.

Terroir

Coastal hills, subtropical climate, 300-600m elevation

Cultivar: Xiao Bai (Small White) seed-grown bushes

Brewing

  1. Steep 1: 10 seconds
  2. Steep 2: 10 seconds
  3. Steep 3: 15 seconds
  4. Steep 4: 20 seconds
  5. Steep 5: 25 seconds
  6. Steep 6: 30 seconds
  7. Steep 7: 40 seconds
  8. Steep 8: 50 seconds
  9. Steep 9: 60 seconds

Can handle boiling water, especially aged versions. The larger leaves extract quickly so keep early steeps short. Aged Gong Mei benefits from a brief rinse to wake the leaves.

Aroma & taste

Aroma

  • nectar
  • cinnamon
  • dried flowers
  • honey

Taste

  • nectar
  • cinnamon
  • brown sugar
  • dried fruit

Processing

  • withered
  • sun-dried
Start brewing Tribute Eyebrow

Sources