Picking
Unopened buds or tender bud-and-leaf sets are harvested according to the intended grade. Careful picking protects the fine surface hairs associated with many prized white teas.
White Tea
Young buds and leaves are gently withered and dried, preserving their soft texture, quiet sweetness, and naturally evolving aroma.
White tea quick profile
- Defining process
- Withering
- Oxidation
- Light, natural
- Caffeine
- Beginner
The defining process
How White Tea Is Made
Withering
The fresh leaves are spread in thin, airy layers and handled as little as possible. Time, airflow, temperature, and humidity guide the slow loss of moisture, developing sweetness and light natural oxidation.
Drying
Low, controlled heat removes the remaining moisture and stabilizes the leaf. The goal is to finish the tea without covering its delicate aroma or soft texture.
Tea profiles
Explore Chinese White Teas
Brewing differences
White Tea Brewing Notes
- Use moderate warmth
Begin around 80–90°C, then use hotter water for mature or aged styles.
- Give leaves room
Loose, bulky leaves open best in a wide vessel with space to circulate.
- Let it breathe
Start around 25–40 seconds for 4 g per 100 ml and adjust to the leaf grade.
- Expect a gradual arc
White tea often gains body over several infusions rather than peaking immediately.
Straight answers
Common White Tea Misconceptions
White tea comes from a white-flowered tea plant.
The name refers to the pale buds and their fine silvery hairs, not the flower color.
White tea is completely unoxidized.
Light natural oxidation develops during the long withering stage.
Every white tea tastes faint and delicate.
Leaf grade, origin, and age can create floral, fruity, honeyed, herbal, or deep flavors.
White tea always has the least caffeine.
Bud content, leaf amount, water temperature, and steep time all affect caffeine in the cup.
From the tea journal
Learn More About White Tea
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