What is white tea?

White tea is the least processed variety of tea. Most varieties of white tea are produced simply by withering and drying the immature leaves.

What makes it so special?

Leaves used in making white tea must be plucked shortly before the buds fully open. If the buds are plucked before they begin to open at all, they are used in making silver needle, the finest white tea there is. If the buds have begun to slightly open, with two small leaves, they are used in making white peony tea, which is also a high quality tea. Small, immature leaves may also be used to make other kinds of white tea, but you’ll find the two mentioned here are the most aromatic and delicate.

White tea is also high in nutrients due to its low amounts of processing. It is also low in caffeine.
What kinds of white tea are there?

White Peony Tea - Pai Mu Tan, also known as Bai Mu Dan or White Peony tea, comes from Fujian province in China.

Silver needle -Yun Shan Yin Zhen tea (or Jun Shan Yin Zhen) is one of China’s finest teas, indeed one of China’s 10 Famous Teas. The name means Silver Needle of the Gentle Mountain.

What does white tea taste like?

White tea has a delicate, almost floral flavour. It is quite aromatic, and must be properly brewed to retain its light taste.

So, how do I brew it properly?

Use cool, filtered water to start. Bring the water to a boil, then let it cool for several minutes before adding your white tea to steep. Temperatures that are too hot will cook the leaves rather than steeping them, leaving you with a bitter cuppa. The proper temperature will be between 50 and 85 degrees Celsius. Different sources say to steep the tea for vastly different lengths of time. Some say to only steep Silver Needle for 45 seconds, while others swear that “the longer the better.” Truly, steeping time is a matter of personal taste, but the water quality and temperature are the most important factors in making sure you enjoy your tea.

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