Specialty Tea Guide — White, Oolong, Jasmine & Pu-erh

Specialty teas carry the highest margins in the portfolio — and the highest fraud risk. This guide covers the four high-value categories and the discrimination skills that separate genuine quality from look-alikes. Specification: White Peony bulk · Jasmine tea bulk.

White Tea (GB/T 22291) — Graded by Buds

Minimal processing, maximal pedigree: Silver Needle (all buds), Bai Mu Dan / White Peony (bud + 1–2 leaves), Shou Mei (leaf-dominant, value grade). Fresh vs aged: genuine aging darkens leaf to amber-brown and deepens liquor to amber-red with jujube notes; wet-piled fakes smell musty-sour. Always demand declared storage years. Full Shou Mei vs Bai Mu Dan guide →

Oolong Tea (GB/T 30357) — Aroma & Roast

Tie Guan Yin (Anxi): granule curl tightness, sandy-green color, orchid aroma persistence and the “Yin Yun” aftertaste define grade. Da Hong Pao (Wuyi rock tea): judged by roast level and mineral “rock rhyme”. Oolong suits Southeast Asian, Japanese and EU specialty channels.

Jasmine Tea (GB/T 22255) — Scenting Rounds Are the Grade

Natural jasmine tea is scented by layering fresh blossoms with green tea — 1 to 7 rounds. The core test: natural aroma lives inside the leaf and persists 3+ infusions; artificial flavor smells sharp on opening and vanishes after 1–2 infusions. Spent petals in the dry leaf are normal for natural tea; uniformly pretty flowers are usually decoration.

Pu-erh (GB/T 22111) — Raw vs Ripe

Sheng (raw): grey-green dry leaf, golden-yellow liquor turning amber with age, bitter-then-sweet. Shu (ripe): deep ruby liquor, smooth woody-camel taste; check fermentation evenness (no sour pile odor). Pressed formats: cakes 357 g, bricks, tuo — moisture ≤ 12%.

Contract Parameters Cheat-Sheet

Category	Moisture	Total ash	Key extra
White tea	≤ 8.5%	≤ 6.5%	Declared age for aged lots
Oolong	≤ 7.0%	≤ 6.5%	Aroma persistence panel
Jasmine	≤ 8.5%	≤ 7.0%	Scenting rounds declared
Pu-erh (pressed)	≤ 12%	≤ 7.0%	Storage traceability