The Tea Association reported that in 2021 USA consumed almost 85B servings of tea (more than 3.9B gallons). About 84% of all USA consumed tea was black tea, 15% green Tea, and 1% was oolong, white and other dark teas. I believe that most are not familiar with white tea, so I tasted Chinese White Tea from Verdant Teas.
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Tea in Detail
As you probably know, tea leaves come from the camellia sinensis plant, an evergreen bush that is actually a tree that can grow up to 45 feet tall (1a). This plant is native to certain geographical areas in southern Japan, Korea and the southern half of China, and also reaches into parts of North-Eastern India (1). Over time, this plant evolved into two sub-species, known as camellia sinensis var. sinensis and var. assamica.
Now, of course, tea is grown in many areas of the world, including the USA.
- Wikipedia: Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, which is used for most Chinese, Formosan and Japanese teas, and C. sinensis var. assamica, used in Pu-erh and most Indian teas (but not Darjeeling). Within these botanical varieties, many strains and modern clonal varieties are known.
Like all the variations of tea we can buy, it is not just the plant that imbibes aroma and flavor, but also the climate, soil (aka the terroir), harvest times, and processing of the tea buds or leaves, that make the variations of teas (green, black, white).
White Tea Harvest
White tea is made from new, young buds and tea leaves that grow on the camellia sinensis var. sinensis plant. Harvesting this type of tea usually happens during limited times, often between March and April. White tea is harvested before the tea plant’s leaves fully open, and when the young buds are still covered by fine white hairs, hence the name “white” tea. To be formally called White Tea, however, some believe it must come from the Fujian district in China (2), which Verdant’s white tea does originate from. But in reality, white tea is harvested in other places as well.
Only the upper leaves of the blossom bud of the tea plant are harvested, which are only slightly oxidized, before being dried. White tea is processed so little, in fact, that some people refer to white tea as “raw.”
- Oxidation means that the harvested part of the plant’s cellular enzymes, and other ingredients of the tea, are activated by oxygen. This oxidation process discolors the green leaves and buds, and allows various aromas to form.
Because of how white tea is processed, it can be aged (3): A slogan appeared in 2013, “one-year tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure.” This concept bolstered the aging benefit of white tea, increased export demand.
History + Varietals
White tea dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when it was mainly a drink for royalty. It was processed and served differently than now. But, this tea is still appreciated, often drunk with the belief that it is the freshest and healthiest type of tea. Teatulia writes, The white tea we know today was first commercially produced from the very first white tea plant varieties discovered in China’s Fujian province in the 1700s—Da Bai and Da Hao. A loose leaf version of white tea was developed from these plants known for producing large and beautiful tea buds.
White tea comes in many varietals, here are a few noted by various tea sellers:
- Yin Zhen Bai Hao (Silver Needle): spring harvest of leaves + unopened buds
- Bai Mu Dan (White Peony): new leaves + the center needle sprout of the plant
- Gongmei (Tribute Eyebrow): comes small white trees with young leaves that are slightly bent (hence the name) and no buds
- Shou Mei (Noble, Long Life Eyebrow): naturally withered upper leaves and tips of white trees
- Fujian New Craft (DaBaiCha or DaHoaCha)
- Fuding Da Bai or Yunnan Da Bai (regional Big White)
- Darjeeling White Tea: Similar to Chinese processing, but differing flavor profile.
An indigenous cultivar, the Fuding Da Bai or “Big White,” was discovered in its wild state in 1857 in the mountains near the city of Fuding in Fujian Province. Its growth period was noted as it is from early March to mid-November, longer than the average cultivar. These wild plants were robust, with downy silver buds that have the advantage of remaining tender for a longer time than most tea buds.
Other provinces in Asia also support old-to-ancient tea trees, such as the Yannan province in China and Hà Giang province in Viet Nam. One writer and tea lover writes, that while it is believed the ‘wild’ tea trees are actually planted by local people and not truly wild. Most of the trees are not older than 150 years. While some claim 1000 year old tea trees are unlikely in Viet Nam, they are likely in China: in the most South-Western part of China, the mountainous Yunnan province bordering Myanmar and Laos, there are wild tea trees (Camellia Taliensis) that have stood there for thousands of years (4).
White Tea Preparation
White tea is special as the downy hairs discussed above, actually come out into the water when you brew it and give a beautiful sweetness and a little density to the water (3a).
It is often recommended to use 1T tea per 8oz cup of mildly heated (175F to 185F) water, steeping 1-2min. The tea is generally colored a pale yellow, and smells a bit flowery and sweet.
And, since it is consumed with nothing added, it has lower calories than many drinks we consume. In fact, I think it is probably one of the better non-water-only drinks environmentally.
Pharmacological Elements
This tea has polyphenols, amino acids, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, catechin, gallic acid, theobromine and caffeine (4).
It is understood that most Black Tea, especially those exported to the West are from India and the Camellia assamica plant. This tea plant is grown to produce higher levels of caffeine than the Chinese Camellia sinensis variety. HeathLine reports that one cup (250 mL) of white tea contains roughly 6–55 mg of caffeine. However, it largely depends on the type of tea buds and leaves, their size, brand, brewing temperature, and steeping time.
Traditionally it is believed that white tea can:
- Reduce inflammation caused by arthritis
- Control insulin secretion
- Provide Vitamin A to prevent dry eyes and night blindness
- Reduce radiation levels and repair DNA damage
Storage
In general, I think this type of tea has a delicate flavor and aroma, is easy to drink, and has no hint of astringency. In fact it has a genteel, almost sweet flavor as I wrote above. Based on 1C servings, I steeped the tea 4 times; the first was about 20 seconds, but it steeped longer as the number of steeps increased. Often I combined all the steeps into a thermos, for a good consistency of flavor and aroma.
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White Tea Tasting
Wang Yanxin: Yunnan White Jasmine
There came a time when my spouse, who drinks iced tea, became tired of regular black iced tea. Then, I started to prepare Earl Grey iced tea. It was a hit, so I started making batches weekly. One time I ran out of my Earl Grey, and made a batch of white jasmine. OMG, since then I have made this weekly as the favorite go-to iced tea. This tea has been in my house for 6 years now, I even make a gallon of this tea for our occasional week-long RV trips.
Da Bai is a variety of Camellia sinensis var. sinensis from which this white tea is made (3) and it follows traditionally-scented process over 6 days. This white tea is not sprayed with artificial oils or aromas, but, is dried together with fresh jasmine blossoms scattered among the buds, with fresh blossoms added each day. Thus, allowing the natural aroma of the jasmine to absorb into the tea itself.
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Wu Family: Tea 2023 Wild Bai Hao Yin Zhen Mini Cake
The Wu family lives in Wuyang Village, located in Fijian, China. Verdant Teas describes the location as a small tea-growing village nestled between the famous white tea mountain regains of Fuding and Xiapu in Fujian. The Wu family is described as a multi-generational tea farmers that pick and process wild arbor leaves for especially clean and nuanced white tea. This farming family keeps organic, and wild picking tea plants that cover rolling hills.
This family has preserved their wild tea groves. These groves were untended for so long, according to Mr. Wu, that they returned to a more naturally balanced ecosystem. That is they are a mashup of bamboo forest, wildflowers, birds and other plants growing between tall white tea bushes.
As Verdant Teas writes, the oldest and most established wild plants, growing among rich biodiversity on a mountainside fully devoted to organic practices are carefully selected and the first budding of the year is hand-picked and meticulously finished to lock in the sweet complexity of the terroir, the early harvest nutrients, and the natural quality of the established deep-rooted bushes.
For those not used to caked tea, this process is also known as a “compressed tea,” or “brick tea,” which are the loose tea steamed into forms, or are mixed and then pressed into the forms. To use the tea, just gently pry a piece off, without breaking the whole cake apart. I use a sharp knife.
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Wu Family: 2023 Bai Mudan Dragon Pearls
I bought a 25 gram pouch of these “balls” and put 1 in my teapot with 2C hot (176F) water and steeped ~40 seconds. It smelled floral and sweet, and it tasted slightly vegetal with those floral hints I tasted with the other white teas.
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Wu Family: Shou Mei + Mandarin Peel Pearls
This tea is a combination of aged Shou Mei White Tea and local, wild-grown mandarin peels, pressed into 5g balls that are individually wrapped. Verdant has the 2018 harvest, which is what I tasted, and a Shou Mei + Mandarin Peel pearls from 2023.
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Teabox: Darjeeling Silver Needle White Tea
This is an Indian white tea from Darjeeling that I had on hand, so threw in this one to compare to the Chinese teas. The color of this tea is more champagne color than yellow, and it has a cereal flavor to me, less sweet, but it also has a creamy mouthfeel. The shipper, Teabox, suggests you can add honey, lemon, or sugar if you want, in addition to drinking it plain. Teabox also suggests that this particular tea should be made differently than the Chinese teas described above. They write, 2T of tea should be steeped with 5oz water for 5 min.
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My Conclusion
In general, my take on this tea is that it has a delicate flavor and aroma, is easy to drink, and has no hint of astringency. In fact it has a genteel, almost sweet flavor as I wrote above. Based on 1C servings, I steeped the tea 4 times; the first was about 20 seconds, but it steeped longer as the number of steeps increased. Often I combined all the steeps into a thermos, for a good consistency of flavor and aroma.
I will consume more white tea on this taste testing. The hint of flavor makes a nice break from the black, heartier teas I tend to drink. It is refreshing, yet close to drinking plain hot water with a touch of caffeine and sweetness. Great for when you want to ease into your day.
—Patty
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