The Shou Mei I get from Funalliance (Longevity Eyebrow King) is very
different from what you describe. Mine is almost all bud-and-leaf
sets with a few larger leaves and leaf fragments. Very sweet and baky
in a sort of cinnamon-toast way. This is my only experience with
white tea, but it's a positive one.

Cheers,

Cameron

Jason in Oakland wrote in message .. .
I got some Shou Mei white tea from Upton today...and was surprised a bit by
what it looked like and smelled like. First, I had read that white tea is
the bud and first leaf, and often covered with a silvery down (hence the
name). There supposedly isn't any fermentation/oxidation, so the leaves
should have a greenish hue, not a brownish one.

This tea I got smelled strongly of a black tea (not altogether unpleasant,
but not what I was expecting), had mostly brownish/reddish leaves, and a
very few smallish green leaves. The down-covered buds must be really
hidden...

There were other grades on Upton's site as well...but they looked
completely different. The flowery white pekoe tips and white paklum tips,
and white snow buds, look more like the type of tea I've read about. I can
imagine they taste quite a bit different from the Shou Mei I have too.

Anyone have any feedback? I'm probably going to send it back, and request
one of the others (higher price, but what's the point of drinking tea you
don't like)?

Jason