The Features and Varieties of White Tea

Tea plants of white tea have been divide into three types:

Da bai cha shu (Large white teabush) been called as: Da bai (Large white),which includes Fuding Dabai, Zhenghe Dabai,Fuan Dabai.
Shuixian cha shu (Narcissus teabush) been called as: Shuixian bai(Narcissus white)
Cai Cha(菜茶)shu(Vegetable teabush) been called as: Xiao bai(Small white)

According to different variety of tea plant and plucking standard, there are two types of traditional white tea. They are:

• White Bud Tea

Single buds from Da bai (Large white):
Taimu Yinzhen, Baihao Yinzhen, Literally: White Pekoe Silver Needle(Simply been called Silver Needle) or Silvery Tip Pekoe.

• White Leaf  Tea

1 bud and 1-2 leaves from Da bai (Large white) or Shuixian bai(narcissus white):
Bai Mu Dan, Literally: White Poeny.

1 bud and 2-3 leaves from Xiao bai(Small white):
Shou Mei, Literally: Longevity or Long Life Eyebrow ,Gong Mei, Literally: Tribute Eyebrow.

New Craft White Tea

About the New white tea or New craft white tea(white tea by new processing method):

New craft white tea is a white tea made by new producing craft. It is a new product developed in 1968 to match the increased requirement for white tea products by Hong Kong and Macao markets.

The new craft white tea has already found a good sale in European Union and Southeast Asia countries. When it formally put into production in 1969, its output was just more than 50 tons. In the 1980s, its output was about 80 tons per year. Till now, the output each year is more than 400tons because its consuming groups expand day by day and the requirement increasing continually.

The new craft white tea are only available from Fuding county. The best suitable material for new white tea is the fresh tea leaves and buds plucked from tea plant variety of "FuDing DaBaiCha" and "FuDing DaHaoCha"

New craft white tea doesn't request tender tea leaves like white peony tea or longevity eyebrow. The processing of new craft white tea include three steps: withering, slightly rolling, and drying. The withered fresh tea leaves shall be slightly twisted immediately then dired.

New craft white tea is in curly, bar appearance. The color of the tea leave is dark green, landed with some brownness. It offer faint scent but strong flavor. The tea soup is in orange red color and tasted stronger than longevity eyebrow.