White Tea
Named for the silvery white hairs of unopened tea plant buds, white tea is sometimes called the healthiest of all teas. The silver buds and high grade leaves that are used to produce organic white tea undergo less processing than other varieties of tea, resulting in a nutrient-packed, well-rounded tea. Unlike green and black varieties, white tea contains low levels of caffeine, which makes it the perfect choice of those who prefer less caffeine in their tea. It is a favorite of tea lovers world wide.
Chinese white tea comes from a unique tea bush that must be grown at a certain altitude under the right climatic and soil conditions. Once planted it is painstakingly taken care of for several years before its first harvest. When harvest time finally does arrive it is a very short season and the silver buds and white tea leaves must be hand-picked under ideal circumstances. Usually it is harvested on clear days at the beginning of spring.
Unlike most other fine teas that are rolled after harvest, white tea is simply steamed and dried, which results in much less oxidation. The lower oxidation levels are thought to contribute to its wide range of health benefits. Studies have shown white tea promotes a healthy immune system and improves blood circulation while helping prevent heart disease and cancer. It's also said that it promotes recovery from a wide range of other illnesses and is great for your teeth, bones and skin.
There are many varieties of white tea on the market, the core varieties being; Silver Needle, White Peony, Tribute Eyebrow and Long Life Eyebrow.
Silver Needle or Silver Tip white tea (Baihao Yinzhen), produced in the Fuding and Zhenghe regions of China is the best white tea available. There are no leaves in the Silver Needle variety, only beautiful silver-white buds. It has a deliciously sweet, buttery (almost nutty) flavor.
White Peony (Bai Mu dan) tea is made of silvery white buds and leaves. This variety of white tea has a stronger nutty taste and is much darker in appearance than Silver Needle tea.
Tribute Eyebrow (Gong Mei) comes from a different bush than the other white tea varieties, the bushes are called "chaicha" tea bushes. The processing method used to create Tribute Eyebrow is also quite different than other white teas. Its flavor is much stronger than Silver Needle and is often compared to Oolong tea.
Longevity Eyebrow (Shou Mei) is made of sun dried leaves that are partially steamed during withering. It is grown in the Fujian region and harvested from April-June. It is more of an economical variety. Serious tea connoisseurs do not drink this variety of white tea.
Many other varieties of premium white tea are available, including fruit infusions and herbal infusions. Some are named for their added ingredients and others are named for their origin. In true tea connoisseur style I personally like to try as many as possible and have an ever growing diverse collection. I highly suggest never settling for one variety and trying different flavors from different regions, it's truly one of life's true joys.
When you buy tea online for the first time I suggest a gourmet tea gift box of loose-leaf white tea. This way you get a nice selection and aren't bound to just one flavor. It is always best to buy loose leaf teas over bagged varieties. Loose-leaf tea is of much higher grade than the shavings you find in teabag varieties.
Buying from a reputable gourmet tea dealer is also of great importance. Reputable tea suppliers list the origin of the tea varieties they sell along with other detailed information. I always like to make contact with tea suppliers via email before I make a purchase to make sure they offer quality customer service.
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