What is white tea? - Black Sheep Northville

Once a rare and coveted delicacy reserved for the Chinese imperial courts, the term white tea originates from the fine silvery white hairs on the unopened buds of the tea plant "Camellia sinesis". White tea comes from the same plant as black tea and green tea but white tea consists of only the first few tender leaves and new buds of the tea plant.

White tea is not oxidized or rolled but steamed shortly after picking and dried in its natural state. This means that white tea is the least processed of all the teas containing higher concentrations of protective antioxidants which may assist in the prevention of degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers. White tea also has less caffeine than black tea or green tea making it the most relaxing and beneficial variety of tea.

White tea is a pale golden hue in color and its flavor is light and slightly sweet. It has no bitterness and no aftertaste to interfere with the delicate scent of jasmine and natural flavor of the herbal flowers used in your teaposy.

Produced in China's Fujian province, silver needle is the rarest and highest quality variety of white tea because it consists exclusively of the silvery white buds plucked before they open. Teaposies are made from silver needle tea leaves so now you too can experience a delicacy once reserved for the Chinese imperial courts. We know you will love the slightly sweet and refreshing flavors of all our teaposy teas.

References:

White Tea Guide: www.whiteteaguide.com

How Do You Drink White Tea? by Marcus Stout: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/food_and_drink/article_1623.shtml

White Tea from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tea

White Tea - pick of the crop by Chloe Arnold: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3686290.stm

White Tea Beats Green Tea In Fighting Germs from Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/05/040526070934.htm