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