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How to find the Best White Tea – The 3 Types of White Tea

Welcome to the fascinating world of white tea! I’ll show the differences between the 3 main types of white tea, so that you can find the best white tea for your palate. Every type of white tea has its own characteristic taste. Discover the variety and special properties of white tea.

At a glance: The types of White Tea

  • Silver Needle / Yin Zhen: The highest quality variety. High caffeine content and many antioxidants. The taste is mildly sweet, slightly fruity, with a long-lasting aftertaste reminiscent of cookie dough. Very creamy-soft feeling in the mouth.
  • Yao Bao / Wild Tea Buds: Similar to Yin Zhen, Ya Bao is harvested from wild tea trees and consists of young, unopened buds. It has a delicate, subtle flavor with notes of pine, flowers, and a hint of sweetness. The texture is light and refreshing, with a cooling sensation.
  • White Peony / Bai Mu Dan White Tea: One of the most popular varieties. Also high in caffeine and healthy ingredients. Sweet-floral taste, accompanied by honey and sweet fruits. The texture is smooth and syrupy.
  • Shou Mei White Tea: A very special variety. Less caffeine, but a euphoric and relaxing body sensation. The maturation process produces a profound taste – sweet, earthy, mineral, spicy, fruity.

What is White Tea?

White tea is a true treasure from the world of tea. Nevertheless, it is still quite unknown in the western world. compared to other tea types like black tea and green tea. But did you know that all three are made from the same plant? The best white teas are made from only the youngest leaves and buds of the Camellia Sinensis tea plant, which are carefully picked by hand and gently processed. Compared to other types of tea, white tea undergoes minimal oxidation. After plucking, the tea leaves are naturally air-dried. This gentle process gives white tea its delicate, sweet taste and light color. It also allows the white tea leaves to retain more of its natural antioxidants, which makes it particularly beneficial to health. I wrote a separate article summarizing everything you need to know about brewing white tea.

The 3 Types of White Tea
Finding the best white tea by comparing The 3 Types of White Tea

What does white tea taste like?

The taste of white tea can vary depending on the type, but it is usually light and delicate with subtle floral notes. The flavors of high quality white tea can range from floral-sweet to fruity nuances. Some varieties may also have a hint of honey or a slight grassy flavor. 
Of course, everyone’s perception of taste is different. Personally, I can taste a wonderfully sweet aroma of raw cookie dough in many white teas.

White teas often leave a surprisingly soft feeling in the mouth. Drinking white tea is like a gentle dance on your tongue – refreshing and soothing at the same time.

The types of white tea – Which is the best?

There are different types of white tea, each with their own special characteristics and flavor profiles. Basically, there are three types. I will introduce them to you below so that you can find the best white tea for your taste buds. My personal favorite is Yin Zhen. For the ultimate White Tea experience get a tasting kit now to try all the kinds of white tea. Tasting Kits are on sale now with 10% off!
 

Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen)

Yin Zhen weißer tee silver needle

Yin Zhen Silver Needle is the highest valued and best-known variety of white tea. Therefor it is often considered the best white tea. It consists only of the tender buds of the tea plants. The tea is harvested by hand and the tea production process is very gentle. This ensures the highest quality. The buds of the Camellia Sinensis plant have a silvery down, which gives the tea its name Silver Needle.

Silver Needle tea offers an exceptionally mild and delicate taste experience. A gently sweet aroma unfolds on the palate, which is often compared to honeydew melon, fresh mint or light rose petal notes. The sweetness of the tea leaves a smooth, long-lasting aftertaste. Despite its lightness, Silver Needle tea is characterized by an impressive depth and complexity that can be explored anew with every sip. Enjoying Silver Needle tea invigorates the mind and relaxes the body.
 

Advantages of leaf bud tea over larger leaves

Leaf bud tea, especially the high quality Silver Needle, offers several advantages over teas made from larger leaves. Firstly, as the buds are the youngest parts of the tea plants, they contain the highest concentration of antioxidants and caffeine. Secondly, the buds offer a more subtle, delicate flavor. Even with very long infusion times or high water temperatures, this tea cannot become bitter. This also makes it ideal for beginners.
Buy High-Quality Silver Needle Tea at Verdant Tea

Ya Bao / Wild Tea Buds

Ya Bao, also known as “Wild Tea Buds,” is an extraordinary type of white tea harvested from the young, unopened buds of wild tea trees. These trees grow primarily in remote regions of China, lending this tea its unique character. The buds are carefully hand-picked and gently dried to preserve their natural flavors and beneficial properties.

In terms of flavor, Ya Bao stands out from other white teas. Its profile is light and refreshing, with delicate notes of pine, subtle florals, and a hint of natural sweetness, that lingers in the throat for hours sometimes. Some tea enthusiasts describe its taste as cooling, reminiscent of a serene walk through a dense forest in spring. This gentle, one-of-a-kind composition makes Ya Bao an excellent choice for quiet moments or a relaxing tea in the evening.

Compared to other white teas like Yin Zhen, Ya Bao contains less caffeine but remains rich in antioxidants, known for their health benefits. This makes it an ideal choice for those seeking a soothing yet uplifting alternative to highly caffeinated drinks.

If you’re looking for a rare and captivating tea experience, Ya Bao is a must-try. In my online shop, you’ll find carefully selected Ya Bao sourced directly from the finest growing regions. Discover the unique flavor and calming effect of this remarkable tea!

 
White Peony (Bai Mu Dan White Tea)

Bai Mu Dan (sometimes also Pai Mu Tan) can also be translated as White Peony. Sometimes you can also find this tea under the name White Peony. It is made from the young leaves and buds of the tea plant. Bai Mu Dan white teas are very popular with discerning tea lovers. The leaves are dried in the sun, ensuring gentle processing and high quality.

White Peony impresses with its balanced taste and pleasant mouthfeel. It seduces with a gentle sweetness and subtle floweriness, accompanied by a creamy note. You can often detect aromas of honey and sweet fruit in this tea. The texture is soft and syrupy, allowing the infusion to caress the palate and create a pleasant fullness.

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White Tea - Bei Mu Dan

11.8 €

100 gram

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Shou Mei

Shou Mei is a somewhat stronger variety of white tea. While only the youngest tea buds and leaves are harvested for Yin Zhen and White Peony, Shou Mei is made from larger leaves. In contrast to the other varieties, Shou Mei White Tea is usually pressed into a cake form and matured. The aging of Shou Mei is a fascinating process that further refines the flavor of this already unique tea. While other teas tend to be drunk fresh, Shou Mei White Tea can be stored and aged for years.

The ageing process gives the tea a very special character with a diverse depth of flavor. This means that if you enjoy this tea consciously, you can discover many delicious flavors that spread out on your tongue. Shou Mei White Tea surprises with a balanced interplay of sweetness and earthy-mineral notes, accompanied by a subtle hint of fruit and spices. Its taste resembles even light Oolong teas.

As the harvest for Shou Mei consists of the older tea leaves, the plant was able to store higher amounts of fluoride in the leaves. If you want to do something good for your teeth, this white tea variety is particularly suitable. Because larger tea leaves are used, Shou Mei White Tea contains less caffeine. Nevertheless, aged teas have a noticeably pleasant effect on your body. This effect is called a tea high or tea drunk. You experience an uplifting, cheerful lightness. This feeling is the result of the mixture of caffeine and other natural compounds in tea, which together have a calming but stimulating effect. A feeling you can never achieve with inferior bagged teas. 


Conclusion

White tea is an experience for the senses with many supposed health benefits. White tea is prepared gently and thus retains many of its valuable ingredients. The high Caffeine content of the young leaves has a stimulating effect and wakes you up. If you enjoy white tea consciously, you can discover a variety of subtle flavors. In this article you can find out everything you need to know about preparing white tea. I hope I have been able to help you find the best white tea for your taste with this article.

Does white tea contain caffeine?

Yes, white tea contains teein. This is caffeine that is bound to tannins. Compared to black tea, the caffeine content in white tea is usually higher. Here you can find a complete article on Caffeine in white tea

How long should I leave white tea to infuse?

The infusion time can vary depending on the variety, but is generally between 2-5 minutes for the western method of preparation and 15-30 seconds for the traditional gong fu method.

Where can I buy white tea?

You can find white tea in specialist tea stores or online stores, like yourteagarden.com

Is white tea suitable for children?

Yes, the light, subtly sweet taste of white tea often makes it popular with children. The antioxidants it contains make it a healthy option for little tea lovers. However, as white tea can contain a lot of caffeine, young children should only drink small amounts. It’s important to monitor your child’s tea consumption and make sure it’s not drunk too close to bedtime.

Does white tea have side effects?

In general, white tea has no side effects. However, if you are sensitive to caffeine, you should only drink white tea in very small quantities. Pregnant women should also keep their consumption to a minimum. Make sure you buy high-quality tea, ideally organic, as cheap teas are often contaminated with pesticides.

What is the highest grade of white tea?

Yin Zhen, also known as Silvery Needle, is the highest quality of all white teas. It is made only from the tender, young buds of the tea plant and processed gently.

Is white tea the healthiest tea?

White tea contains a large number of antioxidants and other health-promoting substances. Due to the gentle processing, white tea retains many valuable substances. This is why, alongside Pu Erh tea, it is considered one of the healthiest teas.

Which Chinese tea is white tea?

Typical Chinese white teas are Yin Zhen, Ya Bao, Bai Mu Dan and Shou Mei

Order White Tea - Bei Mu Dan directly here!

White Tea - Bei Mu Dan

11.8 €

100 gram

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