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White tea is made from Camellia (sinensis) and, in fact, is just like black tea, its unique taste comes from the way that the leaves are processed after plucking. While white tea has always been the specialty of the Fujian province of China, today some of the finest white tea is also grown in the hills of Darjeeling in India.

The most popular varieties of the white tea are obtained from the bud and young leaves of the Narcissus, the Chaicha, the Small White (Xiao Bai) and the Big White (Da Bai) bushes. The first requirement is the Three Whites, or the bud along with the first and second leaves, each covered with tiny white hair. The bud and leaves should be harvested in early spring, to get the best quality white tea. By no means should it be harvested when it rains, the moisture is too high or the buds have been damaged in any way. The leaves are then steamed and fried so that oxidation is neutralized. This results in white tea having more catechins than other varieties of tea, due to which its health benefits are believed to be greater than other varieties of tea. The dried white tea has a pale look unlike other tea as it has both buds and leaves, while the rest have only leaves.

Depending on standards of selecting and picking, white can be classified into various categories. The highest grade of white tea is the Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yinzhen), whose finished leaves are uniform is shape, brightly colored, fleshy and covered in tiny white hair. The White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) is a grade lower, and its finished leaves appear as a silvery bud and two grayish, green leaves, all covered in a silvery down. Below these lie the Tribute Eyebrow (Gong Mei) and the Noble, Long Life Eyebrow (Shou Mei).

While the former were all Chinese varieties in recent years good quality white tea has also been grown in Darjeeling in India, and also in Sri Lanka. The Darjeeling white tea brews a pale golden beverage with delicate aroma and a mellow taste. The Sri Lankan variety has a golden coppery infusion and very mild liquoring. And to enjoy these fine varieties of white tea and brew a perfect cup, just add 1 tablespoon of white tea to eight ounces of water heated to 170-180F and steep for 2 minutes. Dont miss the opportunity to taste these fine white tea buds in your lifetime!

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