White tea is somewhat of a newcomer to the American market, which has been dominated by black, green, and herbal teas for years. In terms of popularity, it has jumped to the forefront by having antioxidants associated with it, as well as medical studies discussing its antibacterial properties. But as tea connoisseurs know, not all varieties are created equal, and white tea is no different. Most tea blends are divided between so-called higher-quality loose leaf blends and lower-quality bagged blends. Although higher-quality bagged blends are on the market, loose leaf is generally considered higher-end tea. White tea is often sold as loose leaf, but the composition of each type of blend varies. When you purchase loose leaf, fruit infusers non-withstanding, what, exactly, is in the blend?
The composition and quality is based on the ratio of leaves to buds. More buds, particularly those covered in silver hairs, in a blend makes it higher quality, while those with more leaves are lower in quality. Most blends are produced in China, although other regions of Asia and Africa have their own versions. When you purchase white tea in the store, however, most likely it is from China.
Chinese white tea, however, isn’t a specific blend, and, much like Japanese green tea with variations like gunpowder, it has several varieties based upon where the leaves and buds were picked and the ratio of buds to leaves. The highest-quality is bai hao yinzhen, known better as silver needle, and this blend is composed entirely of buds picked between March 15 and April 10 of every year. The next grade is white peony, a blend with a ratio of one bud for every two leaves. The buds in this mixture, in addition, are covered with a silvery down-like texture. Other types include gong mei, shon mei, and white puerh. The latter of these three is a sweet-flavored blend grown in the Yunnan province, while shon mei white tea is actually similar in flavor to oolong black tea.
Not all blends are produced in China, and other parts of Asia have their own tea blends. In the Indian subcontinent region, both Assam and Ceylon white teas, two variations on black tea, are picked, as well as Darjeeling white tea, a lighter variation on Darjeeling tea from India. In Africa, African white tea is picked in regions of Malawi and Kenya, and this blend, a more caffeinated blend than Asian white teas, is composed mostly of needle-like buds.
