A young monk approached the wise tea master Lao Cha.
— Sifu, I am looking for a tea that encompasses the gentleness of the moon itself. One that is sweet, smooth, warm, and fuzzy. One that hosts no bitterness and will wash every last worry away.
Lao Cha extended a cup full of "Moonlight Beauty".
"Moonlight Beauty" Yue Guang Meiren is made exclusively from tender buds covered in soft fuzz. This tea also goes by the name "Yue Guang Bai Cha" (月光白茶). Farmers usually pick one bud and two leaves for this tea. However, our premium tea is a high-grade category that only contains tender and delicate single buds covered with a soft white fuzz. The taste is rich, with slowly unfurling honey notes and fresh sweetness.
"Moonlight Beauty" is a white tea because the tea undergoes the minimal processing proper to white teas from Fuding. Some consider this tea a Raw Pu-erh, given its Yunnan origin and the cultivar it's made of. Whichever category you place it in, the taste is so good – you won't regret drinking it.
The name "Moonlight Beauty" (月光美人 – Yue Guang Meiren) comes from a legend that spoke of beautiful young girls who would harvest the tea buds in the middle of the night, ensuring no sun exposure. While it is a legend, there is some truth to it:
Farmers usually harvest the tea leaves early in April. They pick tea leaves in daylight - like any other teas. However, they then spread them indoors to wither in the shade and dry them overnight. The tea leaves then are in very little - if any - contact with direct sunlight. Furthermore, the leaves don't undergo "kill green" or rolling during processing. It's tea in its most natural form. Heat and ultraviolet radiation from sunlight are two factors that can quickly destroy the volatile amino acids in tea leaves. Thus, keeping the tea leaves shaded and cool increases the overall amount of amino acids in Yue Guang Mei Ren. No wonder this tea is reputedly among the ones with the highest amino acid content, between 6-9%. Some samples reach a whooping 11,4% - twice that of an ordinary green tea! Thus, we get a tea with an added dose of fresh and delicate sweetness.
Tea's taste speaks for itself – sweet and smooth, without even a hint of bitterness. The brew has a delicate, pale yellow color, reminding of the soft moonlight glow. A poetic description of this tea says, "Its buds are white and bright like a curved moon. One bud and two leaves look like the moon in the night sky." Our "Moonlight Beauty" is a must for lovers of the sweetest, smooth, and mellow teas.
Brewing guidelines:
185℉ / 85℃
1g per 50ml 3-5min
1g per 20ml 10sec + 5sec for each subsequent infusion