This is one of the great white teas of China grown in the Fujian Province. Also known as White Peony tea it is made from the buds and two tip leaves. It has a good fruity flavour. This is the highest grade of white tea available before one enters the stratosphere in pricing for white teas such as Peony White Needle Tea. Pai Mu Tan leaves are plucked from a special varietal tea bush called Narcissus or chaicha bushes. Secondly the leaves are not steamed or pan-fired (the process used in green teas). The leaves are naturally withered and dried in the sun. If mechanical drying is required it is a baking process at temperatures less that 40. Only special 'two leaves and a bud' are selected. These leaves must show a very light green almost gray white colour and be covered with velvet peach fuzz down. White teas that are withered in conditions that are too hot with become reddish and in conditions that are too cold they will become blackish. You will see on this Pai MuTan that the tea maker struck the perfect balance between solar and indoor withering resulting in a perfect white tea.