White Tea Varieties

 

There are 4 varieties of white tea. These varieties are “Silver Needle”, “White Peony”, “Long Life Eyebrow” and “Tribute Eyebrow”.

Silver Needle (Baihao Yinzhen) is the absolutely finest white tea on earth. It is made purely from the silvery buds from the white tea plant. This variety is not only beautiful and rare, but it is absolutely delightful to drink. This is the most famous variant of white tea due to its very delicate, light, gentle, and slightly sweet flavor.

White Peony (Bai Mudan) is the second highest quality form of white tea, as it contains both the extremely rare buds that Silver Needle contains, but it is also mixed with leaves from the plant which are covered in a silvery white hair. It has a stronger and more prominent flavor than Silver Needle, and is also a darker richer color.

Long Life Eyebrow (Shou Mei) is a form of white tea that is more commonly found in mass produced products, such as those you may find at your local supermarket. It is made from leaves that are left over from the Silver Needle and White Peony harvests.

Tribute Eyebrow (Gong Mei) is another form that is lower in quality, like Long Life Eyebrow, but it is made from a special tea bush and the method in which it is processed differs from the other forms of white tea.

There are also a handful of other variants of white tea. Some of these variants are named after the special additional ingredients that are added to them when processing, and some are named after the region in which they are grown. In some cases, fruits are added to the mixture to help create a variety of different flavors, as well as add more natural sweetness to the tea. Each variety has its own distinct qualities and flavors, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different varieties and find one that you truly enjoy.