Aged White Tea vs Gong Mei

Aged White Tea

Aged white tea, often called lao bai cha, is Fujian white tea stored for years until it darkens and transforms. The cup deepens from fresh hay and honey into jujube, herbal-medicinal notes, and a warm woody sweetness with a thick, coating body. Brewing is usually done with near-boiling water and many short infusions. The transformation rewards patience, and pressed aged cakes have become a popular way to cellar white tea at home.

Gong Mei

Gong Mei sits between Bai Mu Dan and Shou Mei, made from larger leaves with fewer buds than White Peony. The cup is mellow and slightly earthy with a soft hay-and-honey sweetness and a light floral edge. It brews a rounder, sweeter infusion than Shou Mei and handles repeated steeps gracefully. Traditionally tied to the Shou Mei cultivar, it remains a gentle, approachable white tea for everyday drinking.

Aged White Tea

Water temperature

90–95°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

1–2 min

Re-steep

3–5 times

Gong Mei

Water temperature

85–90°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

2–3 min

Re-steep

2–3 times

Aged White Tea

Medium caffeine — roughly 25–50 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Gong Mei

Low caffeine — roughly 20–40 mg per brewed serving

A gentle lift that rarely interferes with rest.

Aged White Tea

China · Fujian

Aged white tea is typically Shou Mei or Gong Mei from Fuding, Fujian, pressed into cakes for storage.

Gong Mei

China · Fujian

Gong Mei is made in Fujian, mainly in the Fuding and Zhenghe white tea producing areas.