Thés & Traditions
French tea house since 2016
We know tea and its multiple benefits. Green tea, red tea, black tea or Oolong tea...but white tea, what is it? It's true that organic white tea is not systematically part of our collection. And for good reason! Between the rarity of this tea, its special composition, its very short harvest and its delicate processing, white tea remains a high-end tea much more expensive than traditional teas. But what exactly is white tea?
Discover our white teas
Unlike other teas, white tea is mainly made up of still-closed buds, accompanied by the two young leaves below it. It is therefore obvious that the number of buds on a "camellia sinensis" (tea plant) is far lower than the number of leaves that can be harvested for other teas. White tea is collected from tea plants that have reached a minimum of 5 years maturity. The harvest, done by hand, is performed only once a year, during the first three days of spring. The white tea designation comes from the bud covered with silver-colored down during harvest that whitens during drying. Lastly, white tea, compared to its counterparts, only undergoes two treatments: withering and desiccation (drying operation that stops oxidation). Its minimal handling allows organic white tea to be rich in polyphenols, natural antioxidants.
Of pure Chinese tradition, white tea originates from the coastal province of Fujian located in southeastern People's Republic of China. Fuding, Zhenghe County and Jianyang are the three regions most renowned for their white tea production. Since then, Japan, India, Sri Lanka and some African countries have also become white tea producers with slightly different tastes. Indeed, climatic conditions are essential for determining the different flavors of tea. Low in theine, white tea stands out for its fine and delicately floral aroma and its particularly thirst-quenching power. Mainly consisting of still-closed buds and the two youngest leaves, white tea requires less handling than other leaf teas. Thus, its purity remains intact and gives it undisputed medicinal properties. It's an excellent remedy against viruses and bacteria but it is also ideal as a treatment for waste elimination through drainage. A powerful antioxidant, white tea is particularly rich in vitamins C and E, fluoride, polyphenol (protection against cancer and cardiovascular diseases) and flavanol (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory).
All teas, regardless of variety or color, come from the same shrub: Camellia sinensis. Depending on the work done on the harvested part, the flavor and color will be modified. White tea differs from all other teas by two very important principles. The tea comes from unopened buds of the tea plant, and its transformation requires only two steps before packaging for consumption: withering, which consists of naturally dehydrating the tea for a few hours or days, and drying, formerly done over wood fire and now performed mechanically under high surveillance. White tea is particularly delicate and is highly prized by tea enthusiasts. There are 2 types of white teas:
It's the only tea that is very little handled and is infused in lightly heated water to preserve all its flavor and qualities.
"It is said that tea infusion has existed for more than 5,000 years. Legend has it that Emperor Shen Nong was waiting for boiled water to cool down to drink it, when tea leaves landed in the pot and were thus infused. The emperor tasted the beverage which he found delicious and very refreshing."
Essentially composed of silver needle buds, organic jasmine white tea gets its particular flavor from jasmine, through an artisanal and delicate process. Indeed, during jasmine flowering, the flowers are carefully harvested at night, when the fragrance is most powerful, and are placed in direct contact with the bud for 7 days. The flowers are then manually removed and the white tea can be packaged while retaining all the flavor and delicate fragrances of jasmine.
Pai mu tan or bai mu dan tea, which means "white peony" is the traditional pure white tea. The buds and the first two leaves just below are hand-picked and only during the first three days of spring. Indeed, the bud must be mature and remain closed. The harvest must then be done in record time. With a smooth sweetness, its slightly floral and fruity fragrance leaves a delicate woody taste in the mouth.
MENU