White tea is just one step above raw tea, and was the first type of tea created for storage, instantly recognisable by the presence of white hairs on the leaves. Like green, oolong, and black teas, white tea is a product of the Camellia Sinensis (a.k.a. Tea) plant. Once plucked the leaves are hardly processed - simply plucked and left to air dry.
White Tea is incredibly delicate and strict measures are undertaken to ensure the quality of leaves to be processed. The younger sprouting of tea leaves - the bud and two leaves - are usually prime choice for white tea. These leaves are rich in nutrients and flavonoids, creating a potent tea for flavorful infusions infusions.
When brewed, it produces a delicate, sweet flavor with a light-colored liquor and contains a very low amount of caffeine; therefore, it’s a great balance for those sensitive to caffeine but still looking for all the benefits of tea.
There are two types of White Tea, which are prominently being produced in India, they are:
- Silver Needle White Tea: The finest white tea, made only of silvery white buds. Beautiful to behold and delightful to drink. It is the most famous white tea, with a delicate, light, and slightly sweet flavor.
- Peony White Tea: White Peony consists of buds and leaves. The best White Peony has both bud and leaf covered in silvery white hair. It tends to have a stronger taste and darker color than Silver Needle.
In the next post we share about the benefits of White Tea & how to brew a perfect cup of it. For that and more interesting reads, updates and offers sign up for our newsletter here.
You can check our Collection of White Tea from Arunachal Pradesh and Darjeeling here.
Image Credits: Bhakti Verma, one of our patrons. You can follow her on Instagram @Bhaktiv29