The sophisticated and healthy white tea is growing in popularity. White tea is the least processed tea, and the leaves and buds are usually air dried and steamed. Poetic names may add an air of mystery to a variety of tea, but it does not tell you much about the tea itself. White tea is a specialty of the Fujian province in China. But it is also commercially grown in other provinces in China, as well as in India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya.
There are many different types and varieties of white tea, but it might be hard to find a specific type of white tea in the supermarket, or specialty tea shop. There are online vendors, and they may offer the best selection. White tea is rare and more expensive than other varieties of tea. Loose leaf tea costs more than white tea in bags, but tea bags expose the tea to oxygen. This can affect the taste and reduces the antioxidants in the tea; white tea has more antioxidants than green tea. Leaf teas provide the purest taste.
1. Flavoured Teas
If you have just decided to try the sophisticated and healthy tea, a good place to start is with a flavoured tea. White tea has a very delicate and subtle flavour, and when paired with fruit, or flower scented the tea is richer, bolder and fuller. There are many different fruit flavours to choose from, some of them give the tea a citrus tang or finish, others common flavours are peach, pear, melon, strawberry, and blueberry. White tea can be mixed different flowers as well as spices, for example, jasmine, hibiscus, rose petals, lavender, mint and vanilla. If you like it hot try white tea with chilli for a nice kick. Flavoured tea can be made from many different varieties of white tea, try a sampler to see which ones you prefer.
2. Chinese White Teas
There are four main groups of Chinese white tea; Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yinzhen), White Peony (Bai Mu Dan), Long Life Eyebrow (Shou Mei), and Tribute Eyebrow (Gong Mei).
Silver Needle - Bai Hao Yinzhen
The highly prized Silver Needle is the highest quality tea. Tea brewed with Silver Needle is pale and this indicates a high proportion of buds (the paler and more buds included in the tea, the higher the quality). There are no leaves or steams in Silver Needle tea, and the buds should stand upright when infused. The highest grade should be fleshy and covered with tiny white hairs. The tea is clear, and straw-coloured with a fresh and sweet taste, and a clean and airy fragrance. Note, that the taste is delicate, and may be a disappointment the first time.
White Peony- Bai Mu Dan
This the second highest quality tea, and the buds and leaves are covered in the same white down as Silver Needle, however, the buds are harvested with two leaves. Traditionally this tea is known as Bai Mudan. Tea is very voluminous; you may need two full teaspoons for a serving. The tea is darker in colour compared to Silver Needle and the aroma is bolder. The peony aroma is sweet and mild.
Tribute Eyebrow -Gong Mei
This type of white tea contains a few buds; however, it mainly consists of young leaves.
Long Life - Shou Mei
This variety of white tea is made from a different kind of tea plant than the three types of tea mentioned above. It has a darker appearance, and a stronger flavour than other white teas. It is a fruity, strong tasting tea, which is a mix of tips and upper leaf. The taste is often compared to Oolong tea.
3. Other Chinese Teas
A good white tea to start your tea drinking with is the full bodied slightly smoky white tea Old Man's Eyebrows - Sow Mei. Another white tea is White Puerh, and comes from the mountainous Yunnan province of China. This tea might be even of finer quality than Silver Needle. Unfortunately this tea is practically unobtainable in the West.
3. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka produces a Ceylon White variety, and this tea has a light liquoring with notes of pine and honey.
4. India
If you like Indian teas try some white varieties than are grown in India. Darjeeling White commonly consists of the buds of the leaves. This tea is fluffy and light with a delicate aroma with a mellow taste and a hint of sweetness. There are also Assam white tea, which has the characteristic malt flavour and honeyed richness taste of Assam.
5. Kenya
Kenya has also started produced the white tea, and their care and handling are apparent, though the Silver Tips may not be as downy as the Chinese Silver Needle. Some of the white tea leaf may have a pale green hue. The liquor is smooth and make a nice change from the traditional white teas.
White tea brews to a pale yellow colour, and adding milk or sugar masks the subtle fragrances. It requires a generous brewing time; Silver Needles 5 minutes. White tea should be brewed with the water just off the boil.
