White tea guide
Shou Mei
Camellia sinensis · Fujian, China
What is Shou Mei?
Shou Mei is a white profile associated with Fujian, China. It is made from Camellia sinensis and described here by flavors including dried fruit, autumn leaves, and honey.
The short version
Shou Mei at a glance
Start here for the facts most people need, then use the guide for context.
White
Camellia sinensis
dried fruit, autumn leaves, and honey
Sensory descriptors, not necessarily added ingredients.
85–95°C · 4–7 min
4–6 g leaf per 250 ml.
Caffeinated; amount varies
Variable; mature material does not guarantee a caffeine-free cup.
Identity and classification
How is Shou Mei classified?
This map separates the named drink from its tea family, source plant and place of origin.
Shou Mei
壽眉
Wikidata Q4526292White
Wikidata Q238306Camellia sinensis
China
Fujian
Wikidata Q148- Processing identity
- Mature leaves and buds withered and dried
- Also known as
- Longevity Eyebrow
Name, language and meaning
How do you pronounce Shou Mei?
Use the simple guide for an English approximation, then the language note for the original name.
- Original name
- 壽眉
- Romanization
- Shou Mei
- Other forms
- Longevity Eyebrow
This is a practical English reading guide. Accent and regional-language pronunciation can vary; the native or botanical name is included so the term can be checked rather than guessed from spelling alone.
What does the name mean?
Shou Mei means longevity eyebrow, a visual and auspicious name for a leafier white-tea grade. The words are not evidence that the drink extends life.
Visual field guide
What does Shou Mei look like?
Each image is selected for identification, not decoration. The subject, creator, original file, and reuse license remain attached to the image.
Dry teaDry Shou Mei tea.
Photo: User:Matros · Public domain
- Creator
- User:Matros
- License
- Public domain; this optimized copy is published under the same terms.
- Original
- Shou_Mei_tea.JPG
- Identification
- Reference page · Selected from the reference article for Shoumei tea; the source file and license are linked below.
Cup character
What does Shou Mei taste like?
The profile uses dried fruit, autumn leaves, and honey as practical tasting cues. Harvest, storage, water, dose and technique can shift what appears in a particular cup.
Flavor notes to look for
Why does it taste that way?
Mature leaves and buds withered and dried
Identity and production
Where does Shou Mei come from, and how is it made?
This profile connects the named style with its documented place, plant material and processing rather than treating origin as decoration.
- Origin
- Fujian, China
- Origin group
- China
- Region
- Fujian
- Plant
- Camellia sinensis
- Native name
- 壽眉
- Also called
- Longevity Eyebrow
- Processing
- Mature leaves and buds withered and dried
Documented history and living practice
What is the history and tradition of Shou Mei?
Shou Mei uses later-picked white-tea leaf material, giving it a darker, broader profile than Silver Needle or Bai Mudan. It is sold loose and compressed. The grade commonly uses more mature leaf than Silver Needle or Bai Mudan, producing a darker and broader infusion. Modern cakes invite aging claims, but clean storage and sound starting material matter more than age printed without provenance.
Shou Mei uses later-picked white-tea leaf material, giving it a darker, broader profile than Silver Needle or Bai Mudan. It is sold loose and compressed. The reliable starting point is the named plant, place and process—not a dramatic origin story repeated without a dated source. For this profile, the geographic context is Fujian, China.
The grade commonly uses more mature leaf than Silver Needle or Bai Mudan, producing a darker and broader infusion. Modern cakes invite aging claims, but clean storage and sound starting material matter more than age printed without provenance. The production record describes it as mature leaves and buds withered and dried. That wording matters because a shared tea color or retail category can hide different harvest material, oxidation, roast, scenting, fermentation or added ingredients.
It can be steeped repeatedly or simmered when aged. Tea shops and collectors may store cakes, but age alone does not guarantee quality; clean provenance matters. Today the name appears across specialty shops, tea bags, blends and ready-to-drink products. Those formats are not interchangeable: the ingredient list, producer, origin, harvest or packing date and physical form determine what is actually being brewed.
Later leaf is withered
Mature leaf and some buds are dried into a robust white-tea grade.
Shou Mei is distinguished
Appearance and plucking standard separate it from bud-focused grades.
Cakes become common
Leafy material is pressed for storage, sale and repeated brewing.
Aged white tea expands
Storage history becomes essential as vintage claims increase.
Where is it enjoyed?
It can be steeped repeatedly or simmered when aged. Tea shops and collectors may store cakes, but age alone does not guarantee quality; clean provenance matters.
How people prepare and share it
- It can be steeped repeatedly or simmered when aged. Tea shops and collectors may store cakes, but age alone does not guarantee quality; clean provenance matters.
- For a Western-style starting point, use 4–6 g per 250 ml, water at 85–95°C, and 4 min–7 min. This is a starting range rather than a claim that every producer's leaf extracts identically.
- Serve it in a neutral, clean vessel for the first tasting and look for dried fruit, autumn leaves and honey. These are resemblance terms, not proof that those foods, flowers or flavorings were added. Check the ingredient list whenever the product is blended, scented, powdered or bottled.
Sources for this history and pronunciation guide
- Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in ChinaUNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage · Production geography, historical context or living tea practice relevant to the Shou Mei profile.
Starting ranges
How do you brew Shou Mei?
Start in the middle of a range, taste the cup, and change one variable at a time.
Western / mug style
| Water | 85–95°C (185–203°F) |
|---|---|
| Leaf | 4–6 g per 250 ml |
| Time | 4–7 min |
Gongfu style
| Water | 90–98°C (194–208°F) |
|---|---|
| Leaf | 6–8 g per 100 ml |
| First infusion | 20–40 sec |
| Infusions | 6–9 |
Quality, labels and storage
How do you choose good Shou Mei?
Use origin, processing and freshness information before relying on grade words or packaging.
Look for
- A specific origin or producer supporting the Fujian, China identity
- Processing described as mature leaves and buds withered and dried
- A clean aroma consistent with dried fruit, autumn leaves and honey, without damp, musty or stale notes
- An ingredient list and physical form that match the tea described on this page
Labels worth knowing
- Shou Mei: longevity eyebrow
- loose versus cake: shape is not quality
- vintage: requires credible storage history
Warning signs
- A premium price supported only by the style name, with no producer or origin detail
- Added flavor, sweetener or another caffeinated ingredient hidden behind a generic “tea” description
- Medical, detox, weight-loss or guaranteed-effect language presented as a substitute for product identity
- A vintage, harvest, cultivar or protected-origin claim with no traceable seller evidence
Freshness and storage
Protect the tea from heat, light, oxygen, moisture and strong odors. Prefer a recent harvest or packing date where the style rewards freshness, and do not treat bright color alone as proof of quality.
See the researched product pick ↓Handpicked tea to buy
Three Shou Mei picks for different priorities
Premium prioritizes provenance and production detail, best overall balances quality and confidence, and the popular pick emphasizes proven everyday demand. Each button opens the same package shown on the card.
Premium Shou Mei pick
Premium pick · Shou Mei · 79/100
Teavivre Shou Mei · 100g
Amazon listing: Teavivre Fuding Shou Mei White Tea Cake Fujian Baicha Chinese White Tea - 100g / 3.5oz
Best for buyers who prioritize provenance and production detail. This option provides the strongest available combination of origin, harvest or grade, processing, and leaf-format information.
- Brand
- Teavivre
- Package
- 100g
- Form
- Pressed tea cake
- Stated origin
- Fujian
Product details and sources
- shou-mei product page on AmazonAmazon · The current Amazon page for the same product and package shown here.
- Shou Mei options on AmazonAmazon · Alternative products used to compare sourcing detail, customer feedback, format, and value.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product information updated August 6, 2026.
Best overall Shou Mei pick
Best overall · Shou Mei · 78/100
LWXLJMJZC Shou Mei · 100g
Amazon listing: LWXLJMJZC 2016 Fuding Shou Mei Aged White Tea Cake, 100g/3.52oz light aromatic, earthy sweet, walnut notes, low caffeine, easy storage, multiple quality infusions, daily drink, tea gift
The strongest all-around choice for most buyers, balancing clear tea identity, sourcing detail, seller confidence, practical format, and value.
- Brand
- LWXLJMJZC
- Package
- 100g
- Form
- Pressed tea cake
- Stated origin
- Fujian, China
Product details and sources
- shou-mei product page on AmazonAmazon · The current Amazon page for the same product and package shown here.
- Shou Mei options on AmazonAmazon · Alternative products used to compare sourcing detail, customer feedback, format, and value.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product information updated August 6, 2026.
Popular everyday Shou Mei pick
Popular everyday pick · Shou Mei · 80/100
Brand: DIAN MAI HAO Shou Mei · 200g
Amazon listing: 云南月光白茶2021yr Shou Mei Aged White Tea Cake- Yunnan White Tea - 200g/7oz (1)
A practical everyday choice for buyers who value broad customer interest while still keeping the tea style and package clearly identified.
- Brand
- Brand: DIAN MAI HAO
- Package
- 200g
- Form
- Pressed tea cake
- Stated origin
- Yunnan
Product details and sources
- shou-mei product page on AmazonAmazon · The current Amazon page for the same product and package shown here.
- Shou Mei options on AmazonAmazon · Alternative products used to compare sourcing detail, customer feedback, format, and value.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product information updated August 6, 2026.
Choose by difference
What teas are similar to Shou Mei?
These comparisons explain the nearest practical alternatives instead of listing more teas at random.
White
White Peony (Bai Mudan)
White Peony (Bai Mudan) is buds and young leaves withered and dried and is associated with China. Compare its peony and apricot cues with Shou Mei's dried fruit and autumn leaves profile.
- Origin
- China
- Flavor cues
- peony, apricot, dry hay
White
Silver Needle
Silver Needle is young buds withered and dried and is associated with China. Compare its melon and hay cues with Shou Mei's dried fruit and autumn leaves profile.
- Origin
- China
- Flavor cues
- melon, hay, light honey
White
Moonlight White
Moonlight White is large buds and leaves withered and dried, often indoors and is associated with Yunnan, China. Compare its honey and apricot cues with Shou Mei's dried fruit and autumn leaves profile.
- Origin
- Yunnan, China
- Flavor cues
- honey, apricot, dry herbs
Health questions with practical consequences
Is Shou Mei safe with kidney disease, reflux or medicines?
These are the questions most likely to change whether, when, or how someone drinks this tea. The evidence indicator shows how directly research matches the exact tea and question.
Kidney failure / dialysis
Individual renal planIs Shou Mei safe for someone with kidney failure or on dialysis?
It contains caffeine, but that does not establish renal safety. Kidney-failure plans differ by dialysis type, laboratory results, fluid allowance and medicines, so count this drink toward the plan and ask the renal dietitian or nephrologist.
Kidney stones / oxalate
Varies by brew and patientIs Shou Mei low in oxalate or safe for kidney stones?
Tea oxalate varies with leaf, dose and brewing. Population evidence does not support a simple tea-equals-stones rule, but it cannot provide a low/zero rating or personal recommendation for this cup.
Acid reflux / GERD
Possible triggerCan Shou Mei aggravate acid reflux or GERD?
Possibly. Caffeine-containing drinks are personal triggers for some people; liquor pH alone cannot establish GERD safety.
Caffeine / sleep
CaffeinatedDoes Shou Mei contain caffeine, and can it affect sleep?
Yes. Variable; mature material does not guarantee a caffeine-free cup. Dose, serving size and timing matter; people who are sensitive should move it earlier or choose a verified caffeine-free product.
Pregnancy / medicines / allergies
Check personal compatibilityCan Shou Mei interact with medicines, pregnancy needs or allergies?
Caffeine limits may apply in pregnancy. Compatibility still depends on dose, product ingredients, medicines and medical history; check regular medicinal use with a clinician or pharmacist.
These statuses organize evidence; they do not diagnose, prescribe or replace a renal dietitian, physician or pharmacist.
Practical answers
Common questions about Shou Mei
Short answers for choosing, preparing and storing this tea, with the fuller context elsewhere in the guide.
How do you pronounce Shou Mei?
A practical English guide is “show may.” The native or technical form shown on this page is 壽眉. Pronunciation does not establish origin, grade or authenticity, so use the accompanying identity information as well.
What does Shou Mei taste like?
Shou Mei is commonly described with dried fruit, autumn leaves, and honey notes. These are sensory comparisons, not necessarily added ingredients, and the result changes with origin, freshness, water and brewing.
What should I check before buying Shou Mei?
Confirm the product form, ingredients, producer and the claimed origin of Fujian, China. Then look for the profile-specific labels and warning signs above. A famous name, unusual color, high price, marketplace rating or health promise cannot replace traceable identity and fresh, clean material.
How should a beginner brew Shou Mei?
Start with 4–6 g per 250 ml at 85–95°C for 4 min–7 min. Taste before adding more heat or time, then change one variable at a time. The calculator can rescale the leaf and water while preserving the same starting ratio.
What kind of tea is Shou Mei?
Shou Mei is a white tea made from Camellia sinensis. Its classification comes from the leaf material and processing method, not simply the liquor color.
Does Shou Mei contain caffeine?
Variable; mature material does not guarantee a caffeine-free cup.
What temperature and time should I use for Shou Mei?
A practical Western-style starting range is 85–95°C (185–203°F) for 4–7 minutes, using 4–6 g per 250 ml. Adjust one variable at a time after tasting.
Evidence in context
What does research say about Shou Mei?
Research is separated from tradition, marketing and assumptions about one untested cup.
Research summary
Aged-white-tea health claims are not established by its age or color.
Safety and practical cautions
Contains caffeine. Named tea styles do not have proven disease-treatment effects, and research on tea as a category cannot establish a result for this cup.
Traceable reading
Which sources support this Shou Mei guide?
Each source is labeled by scope so category-level research is not mistaken for proof about a named style.
- Acute change in resting energy expenditure and vital signs in response to white tea consumption in females: a pilot studyNutrition & Metabolism (PubMed) · A 32-person acute pilot using a measured white-tea preparation; short-term physiological measurements do not establish a durable benefit or prove an effect for a named white tea.
Useful equipment
Tools for brewing Shou Mei
Products matched to measurement, temperature or vessel needs for this style.
Best starter tea scale
Tea scales
KitchenTour Coffee Scale with Timer
A 0.1 g readout and built-in timer make leaf ratios and infusion timing easier to reproduce.
Best everyday value
Electric kettles
COSORI 1.7 L Glass Electric Kettle
The straightforward value pick when you mainly need fast boiling water, auto shutoff, and a wide opening for cleaning.
Best controlled-pour value
Electric kettles
COSORI Electric Gooseneck Kettle
Five presets, stainless-steel water contact surfaces, controlled pouring, and a 60-minute hold make it useful across tea styles.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Continue exploring
Related white teas
Compare nearby styles to understand what makes Shou Mei distinctive.