About White Tea

The name ‘white tea’ is rather mystifying. One would assume it refers to the light colour of the brewed tea, but actually it’s a nod to the fine silvery-white hairs found on the plant’s youngest buds.  White Tea is one of China's special treasures, made from the youngest and most tender hand-picked leaf tips and buds. These give a fresh and delicate flavour and a snowy/silver coloured brew from which White Tea gets its name.

Because of the laborious and detail oriented process, it's also one of the most expensive teas produced.For purists, white tea only comes from China, where it was first developed. For fanatics, it only comes from Da Bai (‘big white’) bushes in the Fujian province. In a nice role-reversal from China’s usual position as king of knock-off goods, other countries have jumped on the white tea bandwagon. Some, especially in Africa, are doing a pretty good job too. Those foreign pretenders are still a long way off from unseating the undisputed king and queen of the white tea dynasty, which both come from China. 

The most popular types of White Tea are White Peony and Silver Needle (Bai Hao). White Peony that is made from the first and second tips of a tea stem is the best quality and gets its name from the way the brewed leaves seem to bloom like the buds of the first flowers in springtime.

Silver Needle is the most famous, the most expensive and the most elegant. It is made only from the single tips of the tea stem which when dried, look like silver needles. The long, thin, silver buds produce a soft and subtle flavour, with notes of honey and cucumber (yes, really). In China they say: ‘White Tea aged 1 year is still tea. After 3 years, it becomes a medicine. And after 7 years, it becomes treasure’. This Silver Needle has been aged for 8 years and boy has it turned out well

A selection of incredible WhiteTeas

Bai Hao Yin Zhen-Silver Needle – A must for every lover of white tea. Healthy and delicious

Pai Mu Dan (White) - This is one of the great white teas of China grown in the Fujian Province. Also known as White Peony tea it is made from the buds and two tip leaves. It has a good fruity flavour.

White Peony With Rose Petal aka First Love - Light tea full of flavour with a heady aroma.