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Exploring Tea Types: White Tea
a quick-start guide
Author: Max McPartland
Introduction
This is the second of five articles that explore the well-recognized categories of tea: Green, White, Oolong, Black, and Dark/Puer. Though all true tea comes from the same plant species, Camellia sinensis, each type varies dramatically in taste, aroma, and chemical composition due to differences in how the leaves are processed.
White tea goes through the least amount of processing steps of all tea types. White tea is tea that has been plucked, withered and dried. However, less processing does not correlate to less complexity. In this article, we will go through how the key step in white tea processing, withering, impacts the aroma and flavor of the tea.
What is White Tea?
Unlike other tea categories that undergo rolling, shaping, or multiple firings, white tea processing has only two post-plucking steps: withering and drying, with withering having the most impact on the final flavor and aroma.
It’s important to note that all tea, regardless of type, is withered after plucking. When fresh tea leaves are plucked from the plant, they are full of moisture and pliable. The leaves must be allowed to dehydrate before any further production steps can begin. This is called withering, and in the case of white tea, it is the most critical stage. Withering begins the moment the leaves are plucked. Even after harvest, a tea leaf remains alive for a time, continuing its enzymatic processes. Spread out in thin layers, the leaves rest for up to 48 hours—sometimes longer—while they are still metabolically active. It’s during this extended period that white tea develops its signature aroma and taste.
Stress and Transformation
While withering, a plucked tea leaf experiences what’s known as drought stress. Cut off from its root system, it no longer receives water and begins to adapt at the cellular level. The visible signs are crinkling and wrinkling, but the more important changes are chemical.
- Aroma release: In living plants, many aromatic compounds are bound to sugars, locked away inside cells. Withering activates enzymes that break these bonds, releasing floral, fruity, and honey-like volatiles while freeing sugars that enhance sweetness and mouthfeel.
- Umami development: Proteolysis (enzyme-driven protein breakdown) releases free amino acids, adding savory depth to the tea’s taste.
- Sweetness building: Cellulase enzymes convert long, tasteless carbohydrate chains into simple sugars, amplifying both sweetness and aroma.
Managing the Wither
Skilled tea makers control leaf density, air circulation, and temperature to ensure even withering. By the end of the process, leaves have lost one-third to one-half of their moisture, becoming soft and pliable. On the molecular level, chlorophyll begins to degrade, grassy notes fade, caffeine levels rise slightly, and a delicate layer of volatile compounds develops.
The withering process also allows for slight, natural oxidation, despite white tea’s reputation as “unoxidized.” Polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase enzymes become active as cell walls break down, creating subtle depth and warmth in the flavor profile. If the wither continues too long, excessive dehydration halts these enzymatic reactions, so timing is critical. Many producers rely on scent alone to judge readiness.
Withering Styles: Sun vs. Shade
The environment where the withering takes place profoundly affects the tea's character. The terms "sun-drying" and "shade-drying" are common misnomers; they actually refer to styles of withering.
- Sun-withering: In this traditional method, leaves are laid out in direct sunlight. The combination of gentle heat and UV radiation accelerates moisture loss and enzymatic changes, often resulting in a tea with a brighter, fruitier, and more floral profile.
- Shade-withering: Here, the tea is withered indoors or in a covered outdoor area, away from direct sunlight. This slower process allows for a longer period of enzymatic activity and gentle oxidation, which can develop deeper, more complex flavors and aromas, often described as hay-like, malty, or woody.
Drying
Once the desired wither is achieved, the leaves must be dried to halt all enzymatic activity and reduce their moisture content to a stable level (typically below 5%). This final step locks in the flavors and aromas developed during withering.
Regardless of whether the tea was sun-withered or shade-withered, this final drying is almost always performed indoors using heated-air dryers. The temperature and duration can be carefully controlled. A lower, slower bake might preserve delicate floral notes, while a shorter blast of higher heat can create a toastier, warmer aromatic balance.
Beyond Fujian and Buds
While Fujian, China, remains the heartland of white tea—home to styles like Bai Mu Dan, Gong Mei, and Shou Mei—production now extends to Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and beyond. The most world-famous style of all is Silver Needle (Bai Hao Yin Zhen), made exclusively from young, down-covered buds harvested in early spring. Consisting of only buds, Silver Needle showcases the highest expression of withering; its light body, pronounced sweetness, and ethereal floral fragrance are difficult to replicate in any other tea.
Despite the common image of white tea as all silvery buds, many traditional styles include mature leaves as well, offering a broader range of flavors and textures.
Conclusion
While white tea undergoes the fewest processing steps of any tea type, it is far from simple to produce. Managing the wither demands skill and experience, as even small shifts in temperature, airflow, or timing can dramatically alter the outcome. It is the tea maker’s ability to read the leaves and respond to subtle changes that defines the quality of the final tea. Once the desired character is reached, a final drying locks in the delicate aromas and flavors, preserving the work of a masterful wither.
