This is a white tea made primarily from one bud and one leaf, resulting in an exceptionally high proportion of tender buds.
The leaves are sourced from 100–300-year-old tea trees growing at 2,000–2,300 metres above sea level in naturally cultivated tea gardens, with no fertilisers or pesticides. As the buds need to be harvested while still small and tender, most of the leaves are picked during March.
This year’s Ancient Tree White Peony contains around 50% tea leaves from a “wild-managed” tea garden (野放茶园)—an area that has been completely untouched by human management for decades. In Zhenkang County, we discovered one such tea garden that had been left unharvested for many years. With no maintenance at all, wild plants and thorny raspberry bushes had grown densely around the tea trees, leaving the garden almost like a natural thicket.
The use of these untouched tea trees gives this year’s Ancient Tree White Peony an especially clear and pure character, with a noticeably fresh, clean and refreshing aroma compared with previous years.
Why Does White Tea Have Such a Strong Floral Aroma?
White tea is made using a very simple process. The fresh tea leaves are not rolled or kneaded, but are simply allowed to wither naturally before being dried.
During the withering process, the tea leaves slowly lose moisture, which activates enzymes involved in the formation of floral aromas, particularly terpene glycoside hydrolase. This releases aromatic compounds such as linalool and geraniol, creating the distinctive floral fragrance associated with white tea.
At the same time, because the leaves are not rolled or bruised to break down their cells, enzymatic oxidation by polyphenol oxidase (PPO) does not progress in the same way as it does in black tea. This allows the delicate floral aromas developed during withering to remain and be enjoyed as part of the character of white tea.
However, if the withering conditions are not properly controlled, excessive oxidation can occur. The leaves may turn brown and develop a dull, woody appearance, while the beautiful floral fragrance can be significantly reduced.
The Quality of the Raw Material Determines the Quality of White Tea
Because the production process is so simple, the quality of the raw material has a major influence on the final tea. No matter how skilled the tea maker is, it is difficult to produce high-quality white tea without good-quality leaves.
We sometimes hear people who have tried commercial white teas say, “It’s not bad, but I’m not sure what I’m supposed to enjoy about it,” or that the tea has a dusty or musty aroma.
One possible reason is the quality of the raw material. In particular, white tea made from tea gardens where fertilizers are used can sometimes have a weaker aroma, giving the impression of simply brewing dried grass or hay.
Although much of the white tea available in the international market comes from Fujian, China, we choose to produce our white tea in Yunnan, where we place great importance on the quality of the raw material.
Every year, we spend around one and a half months in Yunnan, carefully selecting naturally cultivated tea from gardens at over 2,000 meters above sea level, where the tea trees are several hundred years old and grown without fertilizers or pesticides.
By personally selecting the raw material and directly overseeing the tea-making process at the production site, we aim to create white teas with rich floral aromas, great depth and an exceptionally long-lasting finish.
Why Is It Called “White Tea”?
White tea gets its name from the fine white hairs, known as trichomes, that naturally grow on the young tea buds. When white tea is properly processed, the leaves undergo very little browning and retain much of their fresh, natural colour. This makes the fine white hairs on the buds stand out clearly.
The teas that appear the whitest are usually Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen) and Ancient Tree Silver Needle, which are made entirely from individual young buds. Next is White Peony (Bai Mu Dan), typically harvested as one bud and one leaf, giving the tea an overall white to silvery appearance.
In other words, the higher the proportion of buds, the whiter and more “typical white tea” the tea tends to look.
On the other hand, Ancient Tree White Tea, which is harvested as one bud with two to three leaves, contains a higher proportion of leaves. As a result, it tends to look more green than white.
However, with white tea, a whiter appearance or a higher price does not necessarily mean a stronger aroma or richer flavour.
So, why can the prices of different white teas vary so significantly?
The Quality of White Tea Is Not Determined by Its Whiteness or Price
The price of white tea is largely determined by the amount of time and labour required to harvest it. Teas that are more difficult and time-consuming to pick naturally tend to be more expensive.
For example, Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen) is made by picking only individual young buds while they are still small. One person can harvest only around 400g of fresh leaves in a day, which becomes approximately 100g of finished tea after processing and drying. In other words, producing 100g of Silver Needle can require one person to spend an entire day picking tea.
White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) is also relatively labour-intensive because it is usually harvested as one bud with one leaf. This makes it less efficient to harvest compared with white teas picked with one bud and two or three leaves.
Interestingly, however, the leaves contain more aromatic compounds than the buds. This is why teas where fragrance is especially important, such as oolong tea, are often harvested with three to four leaves, while standard black tea is commonly picked as one bud and two leaves.
Generally, teas with a higher proportion of leaves tend to have more pronounced and aromatic fragrances, while teas with a higher proportion of buds tend to have a smoother, softer and creamier mouthfeel.
Therefore, the proportion of buds and leaves has a significant influence on the character of a tea. The quality of white tea should not be judged simply by how white it looks or how much it costs.
Each style of white tea has its own characteristics. Understanding how the tea was harvested and processed, and what kind of flavour profile the producer was aiming for, makes it much easier to choose a white tea that suits your personal preference.