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White Tea
White tea originated in a small area north of the Min River in China's Fujian Province. White Tea is a group of semi-oxidized teas that can only be made according to a unique withering process. White teas are not fired or rolled like other teas and are the least processed of all the types of tea. White Teas have less bitterness than other teas and are more forgiving of water temperature and brewing time than green tea. Compared to other teas, White Teas are very low in caffeine and contain high concentrations of antioxidant polyphenols (tea catechins) and L-Theanine Amino Acid.
White Teas are made from medium-leaf tea bush varietals that yield silvery-white sprouts and leaves. They are delicately hand harvested only once a year, for a few weeks in early spring when the weather is consistently cool and dry. The withering process of white tea raises an abundance of silvery-white hairs on the dried tealeaves and buds. Authentic white teas such as White Peony are multi-colored like autumn leaves and covered with a silver-white down that resembles the skin of a ripened peach. Silver Needle, which is the top grade of white tea, consists of only silvery-white sprouts that appear as needles without attached leaves. White teas take their name from their appearance and from the original Fujian tea bush varietals selected for the production of white tea. These medium leaf tea bushes include “Fuding Da Hao” (Fuding County’s Big Silvery-Hair) and “Fuding Da Bai” (Fuding County’s Big White). Copy courtesy of Rishi Tea
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