White tea is one of the most precious and rare types of teas in existence today. Its taste and its incredible characteristics recommend it not only for tea lovers but also to those concerned about their health and keen on consuming things that will benefit their overall wellbeing. White tea is harvested only in certain weather conditions (no rain, no frost), and only in spring time, which only gives white tea a narrow harvesting window, making it all the more precious. Widely unknown outside China and surrounding Asian regions up until recently, it has been made popular by the countless studies attesting to its incredible attributes.
White tea is only harvested from very young leaves and tea buds, which enhance its curative properties. The fact that the tea is harvested so young, along with the fact that its processing does not involve any oxidation accounts for the reduced amount of caffeine it contains. Even though white tea is harvested from Ceylon, Assam or Darjeeling buds as well, the traditional white tea is either the Silver Needle, the White Peony, the Tribute Eyebrow or the Noble, Long Life Eyebrow teas.
The Silver Needle is the most precious and sought after type of white tea. Its name comes from the minuscule white hairs that cover the bud. For the bud to be of prime quality, it should be unopened and should lack any other leaves. It is a specialty of the tea growers from the Fujian province in China. The taste of Silver Needle infusion is soft and sweet and it's light in color.
The White Peony is considered the runner up to the Silver Needle as far as quality goes. The White Peony bud usually comes with little leaves and is, as its superior counterpart, also covered with tiny white needles. The flavor of this type of white tea is far stronger than that of the Silver Needle, and the color of the infusion is usually darker as well.
The Tribute Eyebrow is considered a lesser quality white tea, and it consists entirely of white tea leaves. The Tribute Eyebrow infusion is less sweet than the other types of white tea, and its color is even darker.
The Noble, Long Life Eyebrow is considered to be of even lesser quality than the other white teas, and it consists of a mix of tips and leaves, which get harvested later than the Siler Needle and the White Peony. The infusion is darker in color than all the other types of white tea, and it has a stronger, fruitier flavor.
Due to the rarity of white tea, it tends to be more expensive than other teas, with Silver Needle white tea being the most expensive of all, but when one weighs in the health benefits white tea can bring (antioxidants that help fight off cancer, antifungal and antimicrobial properties, immunity stimulating properties), the choice to spend a little more money in order to acquire it stops being as difficult as one might imagine.
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White tea is one of the most precious and rare types of teas in existence today. Its taste and its incredible characteristics recommend it not only for tea lovers but also to those concerned about their health and keen on consuming things that will benefit their overall wellbeing. White tea is harvested only in certain weather conditions (no rain, no frost), and only in spring time, which only gives white tea a narrow harvesting window, making it all the more precious. Widely unknown outside China and surrounding Asian regions up until recently, it has been made popular by the countless studies attesting to its incredible attributes.
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