Learn more about white tea through its types, identification, processing techniques, storage, and brewing methods
Get to know white tea in more detail
The main characteristic of white tea is its silvery-white colour, making it a rare treasure among Chinese teas. It is primarily produced in Fuding, Zhenghe, Songxi, and Jianyang in Fujian Province, and is mainly exported to countries in Southeast Asia. In recent years, it has also gained a foothold in the American market. White tea is a lightly fermented tea with a fermentation level of 10%. It has a mild, cool, and balanced taste, and is known for its health benefits, including aiding digestion, refreshing the mind, and alleviating dampness and fever.
Types of white tea
Bud tea: Bai Hao Yin Zhen
Leaf Tea: Bai Mu Dan, Gong Mei, Shou Mei, etc.
Identification of White Tea
Appearance: Plump buds and tender leaves are superior; slender and sparse buds with thin leaves are inferior; unevenly matured buds or the presence of old leaves or waxy leaves are the worst.
Colour: Silver buds with green leaves and a white base are the best; iron plate colour is the next best; grass green, yellow, red, black, or dark brown with a waxy sheen are the worst.
Aroma: A rich, fresh, and pure aroma is superior; a weak, musty, or off-odour is inferior.
Taste: Fresh, mellow, and sweet taste is preferred; coarse, astringent, or weak taste is inferior.
Leaf base: Uniform, tender, and soft leaf base with robust buds and bright leaf colour is preferred; coarse, hard, dark, mottled, reddish, yellowish, or scorched leaves with red edges are inferior.
Purity: No seeds, old stems, old leaves, or waxy leaves are allowed.
Form: Buds and leaves should lie flat and spread out, slightly clustered, with leaf edges curling towards the back of the leaf, raised ripples on the leaf surface, and tips curling upward without breaking for the best quality; leaves that are spread out, wrinkled, curled, or broken are of lower quality.
White Tea Processing Techniques
1. Wilting
Wilting is the key process for forming the dense, white downy quality of white tea. It is divided into indoor wilting and outdoor wilting methods, which should be flexibly applied based on climatic conditions. For example, during rainy or snowy weather, indoor wilting can be used, while during sunny days in spring or autumn, outdoor wilting can be employed.
2. Drying (Roasting)
White tea does not undergo pan-frying or rolling processes. Instead, it is simply roasted or dried according to the specific variety. The roasting temperature must be carefully controlled; excessive heat results in a lack of freshness and aroma, while insufficient heat leads to a bland aroma. White tea that has undergone roasting is referred to as ‘raw tea.’
3. Packaging
Baked raw tea must undergo sorting or refinement before packaging. Since white tea leaves easily absorb moisture after unfolding, raw tea that is already 80–90% dried must undergo a second baking before final packaging to remove excess moisture, fix the tea shape for storage, and enhance the tea’s colour, aroma, and flavour through heat synthesis.
In a dry, cool place.
Storage of white tea
1. Quicklime storage method
Pack the quicklime in cloth bags, seal the tea leaves in airtight packaging, then layer the sealed tea leaves around the sides of a ceramic jar. Store the jar in a dry, cool place.
2. Charcoal Storage Method
Place an appropriate amount of charcoal in a small cloth bag and place it at the bottom of the tea canister. Then arrange the sealed tea bags in layers inside the canister, seal the lid tightly, and store in a dry, cool place.
3. Thermos Storage Method
Place the tea leaves in a clean thermos, seal it tightly, and store.
4. Refrigeration Method
Seal the tea in small bags or jars, then store them in the refrigerator at a temperature of around 5°C.
White Tea Brewing Method
Prepare utensils, admire the tea, place the tea, rinse, brew, serve, and enjoy.
