What are the classifications and characteristics of white tea? White tea varieties are distinguished based on tea plant species: tea from Da Bai tea plants is called Da Bai, from Shui Xian plants is Shui Xian Bai, and from Cai Cha plants is Xiao Bai. Due to different harvesting standards, tea made from selected single buds of Da Bai tea is called Silver Needle (also known as Bai Hao Yin Zhen);while teas made from tender buds and leaves, with a finished tea color resembling flowers, are called White Peony. So what are the classifications and characteristics of white tea?
Classifications and Characteristics of White Tea
Silver Needle
Silver Needle, abbreviated as Silver Needle or Bai Hao, is the finest among the rare white tea varieties, renowned worldwide alongside Junshan Silver Needle.As noted in Tian Yiheng's Ming Dynasty work "Notes on Boiling Spring Water": "Among teas, those processed with fire are inferior; sun-dried teas are superior, closer to nature, and free from artificial heat." This highlights the exceptional quality of white tea. The name "Silver Needle" originates from its appearance: the finished product consists mostly of buds, densely covered in white downy hairs. The dry tea resembles silver in color and is slender like needles, hence its elegant name.
Bai Hao Yin Zhen originates from the foothills of Mount Taimu in Fuding County and Zhenghe County, Fujian Province. Today, its buds are exclusively harvested from superior tea varieties like Fuding Da Bai or Zhenghe Da Bai. As a late-budding variety, Da Bai tea boasts plump buds rich in polyphenols and water-soluble substances, yielding a finished product with a fresh taste, clear fragrance, and thick infusion.In his Dream Pool Essays, Song Dynasty scholar Shen Kuo praised: "The finest teas today, grown in fertile soil, sprout buds over an inch long at first emergence." These superior Da Bai tea varieties form the essential foundation for crafting Silver Needle.
White Peony
White Peony tea stands as another prized variety among China's renowned white teas. Its green leaves cradle silver-white buds, resembling blossoms. When brewed, the green leaves support the tender buds, evoking the image of a peony bud just beginning to open—thus earning its name.
White Peony tea was first created in 1922 in Shuiji, Jianyang County, Fujian Province. Shuiji originally belonged to Jian'ou County. According to the Jian'ou County Annals: "White downy tea originates from the two townships of Xixiang and Zixi... covering an area of about thirty li." Subsequently, the Zhenghe region also began producing White Peony tea, gradually becoming its primary production area.Currently, Bai Mu Dan production is widely distributed across Zhenghe, Jianyang, Songxi, Fuding, and other counties in Fujian Province.
Gong Mei
Gong Mei, sometimes called Shou Mei, is the highest-yielding variety among white teas, accounting for over half of total white tea production.It is made from the buds and leaves of the Cai Cha tea plant. The raw tea produced from these Cai Cha buds and leaves is called Xiaobai, to distinguish it from the Dabao raw tea made from the buds and leaves of the Fuding Dabai and Zhenghe Dabai tea plants. In the past, Cai Cha buds were used to produce varieties like Bai Hao Yin Zhen, but later, Dabai was adopted for making Bai Hao Yin Zhen and Bai Mu Dan, while Xiaobai was used to produce Gong Mei.Typically, Gong Mei denotes a premium grade, surpassing Shou Mei in quality. However, in recent years, the term Gong Mei has become the standard designation, while Shou Mei has largely fallen out of use. The above outlines the classifications and characteristics of white tea. We hope you find this information memorable. Wishing you all good health.