The Unique Nature of Chinese White Tea
White tea has caught the imagination of many western tea drinkers due to its unique and delicate flavour and organic image.
The organic image comes from it being one of the least processed teas, there being only two simple steps in its production – ‘withering’ and ‘dehydrating’. The processes found in production of Green, Oolong, Black tea are usually extensions or additions of the primary process to add ‘rubbing’, ‘shaping’ or ‘baking’. The almost ‘unprocessed’ nature minimises the break down of the enzymes and oxidization.
By reason of its simpler and common production process, some historians believe that White Tea was one of the very original Chinese teas, its use dating back to at least two thousand years. The easy process of its production has been honed into an art as time passes practiced by skilled and experienced exponents.
White tea’s production is almost exclusive to the FuJian province of Southern China, its natural environment being particularly suited for the plants’ cultivation. Production is targeted in areas such as FuDing and ZhengHe, characterized by a hilly terrain, mild temperature and abundant regular rain. FuDing, for instance, has a year average temperature of 18oC and rain 1660mm. The soil in these areas is predominately a red or yellow colour.
dich vu ke toan (excluding herbals) are manufactured from the same plant called “Camellia sinensis”. There are several premium species that are cultivated specially to make premium white tea, for example, FuDing Da Hao (Big Fur), ZhengHe and FuAn Big White. Premium tea leaves have fuller/stronger bodies compared to their closest sibling green tea. The leaf tips are usually covered by rich silvery white fur, which forms the ‘silver’ appearance of the final product such as for example Silver Needle.
The FuJian province of Southern China is a traditional tea country, well-known for Oolong and some Green Teas – besides its White Tea Production. Regardless of the Chinese tendency to preserve trade secrets, over two thousand years of tea production and export to other lands has resulted in leakage of skills and knowledge required for processing many Chinese teas. For example the processing knowledge for green and black teas has eventually been exported to foreign countries. The specialist skills connected with White Tea production have up to now remained in the Fujian region.
Imitation products are sold on the market. The plants used in these imitated products are color-lightened (whitened). The manufacture is also different. A processing step ‘Sha Qing – traditionally found in green tea production is added rather than the ‘withering’ step – the distinctive process in making authentic premium White Tea.
White Tea isn’t as widely consumed in China as other styles as a result of highly localized production. This rarity has contributed to its value. Premium silver needle is specially treasured and associated with gift giving. Outside of China, and amongst Chinese expatriates, White Tea popularity keeps growing.