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Home » Styles of Tea » Pure Tea (Camellia sinensis) » White Tea
Updated: May. 1, 2012
There is no universally accepted definition of white tea; the classification of teas as either white or green can be subjective, especially for intermediate types of tea such as snow buds (xue ya). Sometimes, white teas are classified as a sub-type of green tea, since most white teas are mostly unoxidized, but we believe that classifying them in different categories is more accurate because their production process is distinct, and because they are often more oxidized than typical green tea. Some organizations, including some tea companies, and the Tea Association of the U.S.[1], define white tea so as to only include teas including leaf tips or buds, which excludes most of the darkest-colored white teas; we do not use this definition since these teas are still minimally processed like other white teas.
White tea is generally assumed to have a very subtle and delicate aroma. While this is true of some types of white tea, this is not strictly true as a generalization. White teas are quite diverse. Some white teas, such as shou mei, are rich, dark teas, often described as being more similar to darker oolongs than anything else.
White tea originated in China, and most of the world's white tea is produced there, a large portion of it in Fujian province, particularly, in the northern parts, including Fuding and Zhenghe. However, in recent years, due to the surging popularity of white tea, white teas have become available from numreous other regions, including India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Kenya, and Malawi.
White Tea
Wikipedia: White_tea | Wikicha: White_Tea | Teaviews: white-teaUpdated: May. 1, 2012
About White Tea
White tea, called baicha(白茶) in Chinese, is a type of tea that is produced by letting the leaves wither and wilt, then drying them. Unlike green tea, white tea is not heated to kill the enzymes that cause oxidation. Although this means that white tea is less processed than green tea, the lack of heating allows some oxidation to occur, creating a slightly darker color than most green teas, and less of the vibrant green color.
There is no universally accepted definition of white tea; the classification of teas as either white or green can be subjective, especially for intermediate types of tea such as snow buds (xue ya). Sometimes, white teas are classified as a sub-type of green tea, since most white teas are mostly unoxidized, but we believe that classifying them in different categories is more accurate because their production process is distinct, and because they are often more oxidized than typical green tea. Some organizations, including some tea companies, and the Tea Association of the U.S.[1], define white tea so as to only include teas including leaf tips or buds, which excludes most of the darkest-colored white teas; we do not use this definition since these teas are still minimally processed like other white teas.
White tea is generally assumed to have a very subtle and delicate aroma. While this is true of some types of white tea, this is not strictly true as a generalization. White teas are quite diverse. Some white teas, such as shou mei, are rich, dark teas, often described as being more similar to darker oolongs than anything else.
White tea originated in China, and most of the world's white tea is produced there, a large portion of it in Fujian province, particularly, in the northern parts, including Fuding and Zhenghe. However, in recent years, due to the surging popularity of white tea, white teas have become available from numreous other regions, including India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Kenya, and Malawi.
Caffeine content of white tea: myths and reality
Many websites claim that white tea contains less caffeine than black or green teas. This is a widespread myth; the caffeine content of white teas, like other teas, varies greatly from one tea to the next. White teas with a large portion of buds, such as silver needle, tend to have more caffeine than those with a larger portion of mature leaves, as the young tips are highest in caffeine. As white teas, particularly those made exclusively of tips, are very mild in flavor, they can also be brewed very strongly, resulting in a very high caffeine content of the brewed cup.References:
1. About Tea: Glossary of Terms, Tea Association of the United States of America, Retrieved Sep. 26, 2011.
Varieties, Kinds, or Types of White Tea
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Best White Tea
The notion of the "best" White Tea is subjective, because different people have different tastes. We present the most often-rated and highest-rated teas in this category, and allow you to draw your own conclusions.
Most Often-Rated Teas: White Whisper Tea
57 3 Ratings  White Peony (Pai Mu Tan)
57 3 Ratings  White Pear Tea
2 Ratings  2 Doves Silver Needle
2 Ratings  White Peony
2 Ratings | Top-Rated Teas:White Peony (Pai Mu Tan)
57 3 Ratings White Whisper Tea
57 3 Ratings |