Knowledge
Active dropdown icon
Knowledge
Active dropdown icon
Apple Logo
App Store
Google Play Logo
Play Store
Knowledge
->
Tea Type
->
White Tea
Loose leaves of white tea.

White Tea

White tea is one of the most recent tea types out there. It is the least processed tea type and has only been lightly oxidized. But just because of that, it does not necessarily mean that it is simple in taste. In fact, the processes it goes through are very meticulous and important for its taste development.

Its production center is in China, especially in the Fujian province. In the last few years the production areas of white tea are increasing thanks to its gaining popularity.

No items found.
No items found.
Table of Contents
Loose leaves of white tea.
No items found.
No items found.
No items found.

History

White tea has a pretty recent history, in fact it is a relatively new type of tea which gained popularity especially in the last few years.

Origins and myths

While Dian Tou is the original birthplace of white tea, it is said that Tai Mu Shan is its spiritual home, where the origin story comes from: the myth about a woman in the 13th century that made tea from a divine tea tree in the Tai Mu mountains to cure deadly measles made the place overflowing with tourists even today.

Contrary to some beliefs, white tea was not born in the Song dynasty. Instead, Dian Tou in Fu Ding is the birthplace of white tea in the 1700s. Farmers produced white tea with the method still in use today. The name refers to white hairs found on unopened buds which are used for some white tea styles.

The tea produced nowadays is still from bushes transported from Tai Mu mountain. White tea production then spread to Fu Ding and Zheng He, the two famed areas for white tea production today.

At first, white tea was not popular in the domestic market in China and the majority was for the international export to be sold abroad. Around 10 years ago people started to realize the benefits of white tea and found out about the aging potential of white tea.

One-year tea is tea; three-year tea is medicine; seven-year tea is treasure.

Production

The process for making white tea is very simple: it’s essentially a controlled drying process. However, this is also the reason why it has to be done with precision and control.

Process

The leaves are picked from the mountain, left to wither and break down, while chemical compounds combined with the air will change the flavor. Smoothness, nuttiness and sweetness are some of the characterizing flavor notes.

The point of this is to allow just a light level of oxidation and certain flavors to develop and then stop it at the right point by drying out the leaves. The drying phase can also be done in the sunlight: the full spectrum UV develops a particular flavor profile and volatile aromatics within the leaves as it is withering and drying. It is a very skilled process: you cannot hide any kind of procedures when it comes to white tea.

After the drying phase, traditionally the leaves are baked over charcoal with low temperature. This changes the profile from a very cool tea to a warm heating energy. However nowadays, farmers rarely produce white tea this way.

The reason why the tea is suitable for aging is essentially determined by the fact that the leaves are not cooked or baked fully: the enzymes in the leaves are still present and active in a very slow speed.

Key factors

The key factors when producing white tea after plucking the bushes is playing with temperature and moisture. They have to be combined perfectly in order to produce good flavor and maturation.

  • There is a sweet spot for temperature when it comes to producing white teas. That’s because the higher the temperature, the faster the enzymatic action and therefore the more oxidation; but the leaves are gonna get dry quicker so that means there is going to be less time for oxidation.
  • This is similar with moisture: the higher the moisture, the longer it’s going to take for the laves to dry out and therefore the longer the flavor maturation and longer oxidation.

Naming of white tea styles

White tea is the only type of tea that is named according to the picking convention. Most other teas are usually named according to the area they are grown, their production process or myths and legends.

There are four different grades of picking:

  • Yin Zhen – just buds;
  • Mu Dan – a bud and a few leaves;
  • Gong Mei or Tribute Eyebrow – mostly leaves, picked in autumn (second picking season of the year);
  • Shou Mei – no buds, just leaves, picked in late spring.

There are also different cultivars:

  • Xiao Cai – small leaves.
  • Da Bai – big leaf.
  • Da Hao – improved yield, consistency, resistance.
Show Sources
Dropdown icon
Further Reading
Continue learning with related articles
Loose leaves of black tea.
Black Tea
Tea Type
·
Black tea is a highly oxidized type of tea. It is higher oxidized than Oolong, yellow, white and green tea giving the leaves a dark color and the brew a strong flavor. The tea has its origin in East and Southeast Asia, with both the variety sinensis and assamica being used to make it. The western term black tea refers to the color of the oxidized leaves. Black tea is known as hong cha in Chinese which translates to red tea. It was named red tea because of the color of the liquid. Black tea should not be confused with dark tea which is a post-fermented tea called Hei Cha in Chinese which translates to black tea.
Loose leaves of green tea.
Green Tea
Tea Type
·
Green tea is a very lowly oxidized type of tea, unlike oolong and black teas which go through an oxidation process. Leaves of Camellia sinensis var. Sinensis are better suited for producing green tea than those from Camellia sinensis var. Assamica which are usually used to make black tea. Originating in China, production spread out into other areas of Eastern Asia. There are many styles of green tea that differ substantially in flavor, leaf look, and production process. Green tea is a type of tea with the highest antioxidant properties. There are many research studies on its health effects, but there is little evidence showing any effects on people's health.
Tie guan yin loose leaf oolong tea balls on bamboo basket
Oolong Tea
Tea Type
·
Oolong tea is a semi-oxidized type of tea ranging from approx. 10 to 80% oxidation. Being more oxidized than green tea and less oxidized than black tea it is often describes as an in-between type of tea. Due to the great range of oxidation, oolong teas have a widely varying flavor profile including sweet, fruity, honey, woody, thick, roasted, green and fresh notes. The leaves undergo the most complex production process of all tea types. It includes plucking opened buds, withering under the sun, bruising to start and heating to stop the oxidation, shaping into a strip or half-ball shape, drying and roasting. Originating in China, many oolong styles, especially ones from the Wuyi mountains, hold the Chinese famous tea title.
Tea leaves on a bamboo basket and in hands
Oxidation
·
Oxidation describes the process of enzymes in the tea leaves reacting with oxygen. During oxidation, leaves undergo changes in their chemical composition turning them brown and changing the flavor and aroma profile. Oxidation is an essential step in the processing of tea. Depending on the type of tea which is made, oxidation is either fully prevented or intentionally caused and stopped at a certain level. Whereas green, white and yellow teas are unoxidized or lightly oxidized, black teas are highly or fully oxidized. In between are oolong teas, which cover a wide range of oxidation levels from lightly oxidized to highly oxidized. The process of oxidation is intentionally caused by crushing, rolling or tumbling the leaves. Thereby the walls of the cells are damaged, exposing the inside of the leaves with oxygen, resulting in a series of chemical reactions. In order to stop the oxidation at a certain level, leaves have to be heated or dried. Heat denatures the enzymes responsible for oxidation.
Mengding huang cha yellow tea loose leaves in gaiwan
Yellow Tea
Tea Type
·
Yellow tea is a rare and expensive type of tea with a low oxidation. The processing is similar to that of a green tea but with an additional step of keeping the leaves in a hot environment. This leads to a more mellow taste and yellowish colored leaves. The tea is mainly produced in China and Korea.
Pu'er dark tea pressed leaves as tea cake
Dark Tea
Tea Type
·
Dark tea is a microbially fermented type of tea. The fermentation continues several months to many years and the leaves are often pressed in cake or brick shapes. The most famous dark tea is Pu’er from Yunnan, China.
By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.
PreferencesDenyAccept