The least processed, why is white tea so highly prized?
Have you tried white teas yet?
Of all the tea in China, white tea is most highly prized. It can also be quite expensive.
Everything is relative. When thinking of cost, think of how many delicious cups of tea per quarter ounce you will be able to enjoy.
BTW if you find very inexpensive white-tea be aware that it could be a blend. The liquor should be very pale yellow and mild tasting. If the liquor is green, it is green tea.
Tea source Adagio Teas
Now to the technical stuff
The Camellia sinensis plant is grown in Fujian China, a province on the southeastern coast. The buds that form on the plant are covered with silver hairs. This gives the leaves a white appearance.
The highest quality white-tea is harvested in the spring of the year.
During plucking just the bud or a leaf or two being wrapped around a newly developing shoot or bud is selected. "Three Whites" is the most important requirement of the freshly plucked tea leaves. This means the buds, the first leaf, and the second leaf must be covered with tiny white hairs.
This is the least processed of all teas man does not manipulate these leaves but allows nature to do it's work
The leaves are plucked then carefully allowed to wither or air dry.This is actually a long process that takes several hours, even a few days. This is sometimes done in sunshine but may be done in a factory. The results are:
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Bai Hao Yinzhen (Silver needle) is the highest grade of white-tea being only buds
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Bai Mu Dan (White Peony) would be a grade down from Bai Hao Yinzhen tea being buds and two leaves
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Gong Mei (Tribute Eyebrow) the third grade of White Tea
Find more on this teas here
Other leaf teas
Chinese Green Tea
Japanese Green Tea
Black Tea
Oolong Tea
Pu-erh Tea
Top of White tea
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