Although White Tea is becoming more common today, a few years ago, many had never heard of it. It is a beautiful, elegant type of tea, and in this post, I will share eight facts you should know.
What is it?
White tea is made from the newest leaves of the Camellia sinensis tea plant, the same plant used to make black, green and oolong tea.
There are two different ways to define white tea. One way is that it can be called white tea only if the leaves are from a specific cultivar of the tea plant (Da Bai Hao), grown in a specific location (Fujian, China) and processed in a specific way.
Others say white tea is defined solely by its processing. So, any tea leaf from any origin, processed in the same manner as white tea manufactured in Fujian province, may be called white tea.
Where is it grown?
Originally, white tea came only from Fujian province in China. Today, you may also find white tea grown in other provinces of China, as well as other countries such as Sri Lanka, India, and Taiwan.
Why is it called "White" tea?
It is named for the white down that covers the new leaves. These are tiny hairs that protect the new bud from insects, winds, sun, rain, etc.
How is it processed?
White tea is the least processed of any type of tea. You may wish to review our Tea Primer for a general overview of how tea leaves are processed and made into different types of tea.
Historically, white tea in China was made from the earliest spring flush/harvest. Even today, some argue that this early plucking is a minimal requirement for white tea's authenticity. Others maintain that the tea is defined by the process, not by the time of year for plucking.
There are two types of pluckings, depending on which white tea is desired. One is where only the downy leaf buds are plucked without any open leaves. This is what is done for Yin Zhen and Silver Needles. Other white teas, such as Bai Mu Dan (White Peony) and Shou Mei, are made from a mixture of buds and young leaves.
After plucking, the leaves are spread out on bamboo racks and left to air-dry for 12-24 hours, though some speed up the drying process with fans.
After drying, the leaves are sorted to remove any broken leaves or other debris. Every effort is made to preserve the whole buds & leaves. This is a process that can be done by hand or machine.
One step missing from the above processing is any discussion of oxidation. From our Tea Primer, you will recall that black and oolong teas undergo oxidation, whereas green teas are unoxidized because they are heated to inactivate the enzymes that catalyze oxidation.
What about white tea? That is a debate in the tea community. Because nothing is done to encourage oxidation, as with black and oolong teas, many consider these teas unoxidized. However, nothing is done to inactivate the enzymes, as with green teas. The leaves are handled very gently so the cells are not ruptured or bruised. However, some disruption of leaf integrity will likely occur, leading to minor natural oxidation.
Does white tea contain caffeine?
You may have heard that white tea is lower in caffeine than other teas. However, the leaf buds contain a high level of caffeine, which acts as an insecticide to protect the new shoots. Depending on how you brew it, your cup may or may not be high in caffeine. I will have a future post to discuss caffeine in tea.
Are there different kinds of white tea?
At Tea Journeys, we carry Silver Needles (Yin Zhen Bai Hao, Bai Hao Yin Zhen, Yin Zhen). It comes from a specific tea plant cultivar called Da Bai or Da Hao.
Traditionally, Silver Needles comes from plants grown in China's Fujian province. It is harvested early, from late March to early April. Only carefully hand-selected unfurled leaf tips (buds) are plucked. It takes more than 4,500 hand-sorted leaves to make a pound of tea, which contributes to its cost.
The leaves will indeed have the look of "silver needles." The tea in the cup will be very light yellow with a sweet, nectar-like flavor and a rich, savory finish that some compare to straw and mushrooms.
Although we do not carry plain White Peony (Bai Mu Dan), we do carry Red Rose White. The base of that flavored white tea is White Peony. With this version of white tea, two leaves are plucked in addition to the buds. It is then processed in the same manner as Silver Needles. It has a slightly stronger body than Silver Needles with mellow-sweet notes of fresh hay and accents of honey and nectar.
Some outlets may carry a third type called Tribute Eyebrow (Gong Mei). Although it looks similar to White Peony, the leaves are from a different plant varietal and are smaller and thinner. It brews up a much darker amber color with a stronger taste. As it is considered a lower-grade tea, it is less in cost.
A final type is Longevity or Long Life Eyebrow (Shou Mei). It is a coarser tea made as a by-product of Silver Needles & White Peony production, or sometimes with a plucking later in the season. It is a much lower grade of white tea, often made from older leaves lower on the branch. It may even undergo some intentional oxidation. This, of course, affects the flavor, leading some to describe it as oolong-like.
How should you brew it?
You may want to review our post on brewing loose-leaf tea for general guidance. Here are the key parameters for white tea:
- Amount of tea – We recommend one rounded teaspoon of tea for six ounces of water. However, white tea leaves are larger than those of many other teas, so you will need more. If you do not have a scale to weigh the leaves, start with two teaspoons per six ounces of water and adjust to suit your tastes.
- Water temperature – The typical recommendation is to use water between 165° and 185°F. There is some disagreement on this point — the contrary thought is that the protective coating on the tea buds somewhat repels water, so hotter water (a minimum of 195°F) may be needed to release the buds' flavor.
- Brewing time – The same expert who recommends hotter water advises a brewing time of only 30 seconds to a minute, then adjusting to your preference. Some professionals brew for 3–5 minutes; many others recommend 2–3 minutes.
Flavored white teas
The flavor of white tea is elegant and refined. Because it is so mild, it does take on other flavors very well. Often, white teas are blended with green teas and other flavors. Our Red Rose White is a blend of white and jasmine green tea and floral notes.
White tea is a light, bright, refreshing and elegant tea we hope you will try. Let us know what you think!