White Tea

White tea is a great starter tea for anyone new to tea. Its subtle flavor draws you in, while its refreshing mouth-feel captures your heart. Not only does white tea taste great, but it serves as a great base for tea blends. Another reason to let yourself fall in love with white tea is its high antioxidant level and low level of caffeine. 

Below we explain the process for creating white tea and explain some of the most famous types.

 

Processing

White tea is the least processed of all the tea types and most reflects the look of a natural, unadulterated tea leaf. Once the buds and a few of the freshest leaves have been gathered, they are allowed to wither slightly before being quickly baked dry. Many times, however, the withering stage can be skipped altogether. Due to the simplicity of this method, the processing of white tea is particularly susceptible to temperature or weather conditions, such as humidity, during drying. If the temperature is too hot during the drying process, the leaves may take on a reddish tint. Conversely, if it is too cold the leaves will acquire a blackish tint rather than remaining the silvery-white hue that white tea is famous for. 

White tea is native to southeastern China. Today, it is the specialty of the Fujian Province but is also produced in the Chongqing Province, as well as other parts of the world such as India’s Assam region, where production is rare but highly sought-after.

Famous White Teas

Bai Hao (Silver Needle): The finest white tea is made from only one unopened, tightly-curled bud with tiny silvery white hairs on its underside. According to legend, the very best Silver Needle is picked between March 15 and April 10, a time when there is little rain and the buds are at their freshest. The liquor produced from these particular leaves has a bright pale yellow color with a subtly sweet aroma. The flavor is light, delicate, slightly sweet and extremely elegant.

Bai Mu Dan or Pai Mu Dan (White Peony):  Considered the second grade of white tea, the best Bai Mu Dan is produced using only one bud and two leaves. The liquor created is a very pale hay or champagne color with a slightly nutty aroma. The taste is sweet, nutty and can be slightly vegetal with a smooth and velvety mouth feel.

Assam White:  Assam white tea is a rarely-produced and highly- sought after specialty. The liquor produced is slightly darker than that of a Chinese white tea, while the flavor is definitely fruitier with slight hints of maltiness. 

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