Tea How Is White Tea Graded
Below is a MRR and PLR article in category Food Beverage -> subcategory Wine.
Tea: Understanding White Tea Grading
White tea has gained immense popularity in recent years. Although it has roots dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), it remains relatively new to many in the Western world.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Emperor Hui Zhong praised white tea as the most elegant form, boosting its popularity and cultivation. This era also introduced a new preparation method, known as the Song method.
Originally, white tea leaves were processed into cakes and boiled in kettles. The Song Dynasty revolutionized this by grinding steamed and dried leaves into a fine powder. This powder was whisked with hot water in wide bowls, creating an emerald or iridescent white tea.
Popular White Tea Cultivars
White tea is primarily grown from cultivars like Da Bai, Xiao Bai, Narcissus, and Chaicha. Each grade of white tea is determined by specific standards of picking and selection. Here is an overview of the various grades:
Bai Hao Yinzhen Tea
Often called Silver Needle tea, Bai Hao Yinzhen is primarily produced in China’s Fujian, Jiangxi, Lin Yun, and Yunnan provinces. It is considered the highest grade of white tea. The best Yinzhen is harvested between March 15 and April 10, in dry weather. Only unopened and undamaged buds are used, resulting in very low caffeine content. The brewed tea appears pale yellow, with floating white hairs reflecting light. Its flavor is extremely mild, sometimes perceived as nearly tasteless.
Bai Mu Dan Tea
Also known as Pai Mu Tan, White Peony, or White Hairy Monkey Tea, this variety is grown mainly in the Fujian and Chongqing Provinces of China. Bai Mu Dan is a lower grade than Yinzhen, with more leaves and fewer buds. Harvesting occurs from March 15 to April 10, only on days without rain, frost, or dew. The best picks use the top two leaves and the unopened bud. Dried leaves are green, offering a delicate floral fragrance and mellow, fruity sweetness. It brews slightly stronger than Bai Hao Yinzhen, with a pale green or golden color.
Shou Mei Tea
Grown in the Fujian and Guangxi Provinces of China, Shou Mei is made from naturally withered upper leaves and tips. Plucked later than Bai Mu Dan, it has darker leaves and a stronger flavor, reminiscent of oolong tea. Its fruity taste can become bitter if over-brewed, and it is considered a fourth-grade tea.
Darjeeling White Tea
Cultivated in India's Darjeeling region, this tea is hand-picked, rolled, and sun-withered at high altitudes with abundant rainfall. It brews to a very pale color with a delicate aroma.
Ceylon White Tea
Produced in Sri Lanka, Ceylon tea is hand-harvested, rolled, and sun-withered. It has a pale brew with a hint of honey flavor, making it highly prized.
Quality and Pricing
White tea grading largely depends on the bud-to-leaf ratio, with higher grades using more buds. However, without international grading standards, identifying the highest quality can be challenging. Though higher quality tea typically comes at a higher price, rarity can also affect cost. First pluckings are often the best quality, so look for labels indicating this for superior tea.
Conclusion
Discovering the finest white teas may be challenging and more expensive, but their exquisite taste makes them worth the effort and investment.
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