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What is, White Tea?
White tea is barely oxidized and has a sweet, subtle flavor. White Tea is mainly processed from the bud only but can incorporate the first or second leaf. White tea is the least processed of all the tea types.
What makes this tea so different than others from the same plant?
White tea is a tea style from the Camellia sinensis plant that is minimally processed and not oxidized like black and oolong tea. In most cases, the leaf bud alone is selected for use in white teas.
Only the bud-sets, which are the immature leaves, shoots, or tea plant tips, are harvested. Traditionally white tea in China could only be produced from the Camellia sinensis cultivar Da Bai.
While some styles of white tea are steamed, and some are rolled before packing, most are not. This makes it the least processed tea. Once the tea is harvested, it is processed by first going through a withering and drying phase to reduce moisture. For white tea, this takes about 2 to 3 days.
What are the types of White Tea?
Most white teas are produced in China with two prominent varieties,
White Peony
Silver Needle
If you look closely at the Silver Needle pictured, you can see it is produced from the plant's fresh new bud with its characteristic fine white fuzz.
Where are the best White Teas grown?
Traditionally, white tea came from the Fujian Province in China.
Today it is produced in other Chinese provinces and other tea-producing regions throughout India, Sri Lanka, South Asia, and Rwanda
Bai Hao Yin Zhen, Silver Needles or Flowery White Pekoe. Made from 100% buds. Fujian Province China.
Bai Mu Dan (Pai Mu Tan) White Peony. Peony. Made from buds and the first leaf together. Fujian Province China.
Shou Mei, Long Life Eyebrow. Eyebrow teas are named for their delicately curved shapes. They are made from the leaves only. Fujian and Guangxi Province China.
Gong Mei , Tribute Eyebrow. Historically a tribute tea comes from the custom of giving the finest tea to the emperor.
Monkey Picked White Tea, High-quality Chinese tea from the buds and young leaves of the plant.
Darjeeling White, Himalayan White is from the Darjeeling region of India.
Does White Tea Have Caffine?
The caffeine and polyphenols can vary widely, but white tea does contain caffeine.
The exact amount of caffeine in any tea will vary depending on the processing methods, along with the amount of leaf used in brewing and the length of time the leaf is infused in the water.
As a reference, black tea is reported to have about 40 mg of caffeine per cup. This is half the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.
What Does White Tea Taste Like?
White Tea has a smooth, delicate flavor making it perfect for any occasion, it is very mild. It's light with an almost honey-like sweetness.
White tea has a clean, fresh taste, sometimes floral and often sweet. It is very smooth with no astringency.
If I were to compare this tea to wine, I would say it's delicately light and sweet like a Prosecco or a Cava without the addition of sparkling fermentation. Tasting notes can vary widely depending on the leaf origins and style, along with the processing and brewing methods.
How do you brew White Tea?
Brewed white tea, despite its name, is a pale yellow. The fine silvery hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant give white tea its name.
You can brew white teas at a range of temperatures depending on the flavors you want to extract. Most tea connoisseurs will suggest brewing at the same temperature as green tea.
However, white teas do not turn bitter so that you can brew them at slightly higher temperatures from 185 - 200°F (85-93°C) with 190°F (88°C) the ideal.
-Leaf quantity: 2-3 grams
-Brewing time: 4-6 minutes
-Temperature: 185 - 200°F (85-93°C)
As always, it's best to use filtered water
What are the health benefits of White Tea
The bud used in white tea contains a high concentration of catechins and polyphenols, making it one of the healthiest teas. These antioxidants are known to help support the immune system.
We know that immune system imbalance can lead to a variety of diseases, nutrition plays an essential role in immunity, and Polyphenols play a vital role in nutrition.
Polyphenols are the most abundant chemicals in the plant kingdom and support immunity to foreign pathogens.