Buds only, picked before the leaf opens: this is the very definition of Yin Zhen, the “silver needles”, the most precious of China’s white teas. The Thé de la Longévité Suprême belongs to this family. It comes from Fujian, the province where white tea was born, and Mariage Frères presents it as a grand cru full of nuances, whose name calls to mind the serenity of long lives.

To the eye, the silvery jade buds are downy and even. On the nose, the infusion opens on a vegetal atmosphere, then crowns itself with a lovely apricot lift. The golden liquor rests on a texture the house describes as sparkling, fluid and chiselled, and on very fine tannins that let through an aromatic richness surprising in a tea so pale.

On the palate, mandarin gives the first note, fruity and clear. Then come hints of truffle and a subtle vanilla woodiness, followed by a lingering finish of aniseed that confirms the freshness and originality of this tea. It should be drunk on its own, in a fine cup, to perceive this play of nuances that unfolds along its length.

It is an afternoon tea, low in caffeine, best enjoyed alone or with delicate dishes: raw fish, fresh goat’s cheese, white fruit. It stands several successive infusions, each slightly different. Lovers of Yin Zhen will find in it an example of what Fujian does at its most refined.

Preparation calls for water at 85 °C, 5 g of buds per 200 ml, and seven minutes’ steeping time: white tea needs time and cooler water to release its sweetness. This plain white tea contains none of the allergens subject to mandatory declaration. It is weighed and packed to order in our shops in Bordeaux and Nice, from the 5 g sample to the kilo.