Generally, Chinese white teas are considered to be the rare in China. They are rare in China since most of the white tea is exported. Well, for long years, the Chinese tea drinkers have been hip to white tea’s benefits, until recently it was virtually unknown outside of Asia. But, not anymore because today, everyone from chefs to medical researchers is praising the delicate flavor and purported health benefits of the Chinese white tea.
But what really is Chinese white tea?
Chinese white tea is sometimes considered as a subclass of green tea. It is slightly fermented with its body covered with fluffy white hair. It is usually harvested in the cold of earliest spring when tea bushes have just shed their protective scales on the tips of their branches to show to the world their fuzzy white down on the leaf buds.
These delicate buds are among the most carefully plucked and processed of all teas. The buds, as well as the first few unfurling leaves are not allowed to oxidize whatsoever. What happens is that immediately after picking, the buds are naturally dried in sunlight or inside under low heat in a very well-ventilated structure.
Unlike the oolong, black and pu-erh teas which undergo cellular oxidization to develop fragrance, color and flavor, most Chinese white teas are formulated with the absence of such processing step. This then results in a beverage whose taste is closest to fresh leaves from the tea bush.
Classifications of Chinese White Tea
Just like the other varieties of Chinese tea, white tea is divided into different types. To mention, there are the Silver Tip white tea and White peony tea as two of the most commonly well-known varieties. Let’s take a look at each of them: