White Tea, a unique and charming variety of tea, holds an important place in the tea world due to its distinctive qualities and characteristics.
The production process of White Tea appears simple but requires high technical expertise. Without stir-frying or kneading, it is merely withered under sunlight or indoors, then gently dried over a low heat, preserving the most authentic state of the tea leaves. This is why white tea typically presents as grayish green, covered with fine white down, appearing elegant like Silver adorned in simplicity.
Freshly made white tea has a refreshing taste and a clear, fresh aroma, with a scent reminiscent of soy milk that is intoxicating, and its liquor is light yellow and bright, as clear as the first ray of morning sunshine. However, as time passes, white tea embarks on a magical journey of transformation.
During the “one-year tea” stage, it has the characteristics of a slightly fermented tea, with a slightly cool nature, much like a young and vibrant teenager.
By the “three-year medicine” phase, the white tea has undergone subtle changes. Properly stored white tea loses its youthful freshness, the color of its liquor deepens, its aroma becomes more mellow, and its taste smoother. At this point, white tea is both a beverage and a medicine, smooth in the mouth with a gradually milder nature, akin to a mature and composed middle-aged person, reserved yet full of flavor.
Seven-year-old white tea is a rare treasure. By this time, the tea has become aged white tea, with aromas of sweet flowers, aged fragrance, and even a captivating “medicinal scent.” Its liquor is bright and glossy like amber, rich and full-bodied, with an extreme smoothness, sweetness, and viscosity upon entry into the mouth, resembling a wise elder, imbued with the wisdom and brilliance of time.
White tea not only has unique changes in taste and aroma but also possesses high medicinal value. It is included in pharmacopoeias, and many famous pharmacies purchase and store white tea every year for use as medicine or a medicinal ingredient. White tea has a slightly cool nature and retains a higher content of tea polyphenols, making it excellent for cooling the body and disinfection. Long-term consumption of white tea brings numerous benefits such as aiding in sobering up from alcohol, clearing heat and moistening the lungs, harmonizing the liver and blood, reducing inflammation and detoxifying, lowering blood pressure and fat, and alleviating fatigue. Aged white tea is particularly effective at cooling the body. When savoring a Cup of well-aged white tea, the intense aged fragrance intertwines with the unique downy aroma, immersing one in the flow of time and feeling the passage of years.
In folk tradition, there has always been a custom of storing aged tea, “deep red aged three times the price, everyone boasts of last year's aged stock,” with the value of white tea increasing over time. The preciousness of white tea lies in its ability to undergo a quiet transformation during storage. Fresh white tea is like a half-finished product, while after the passage of time, it becomes a priceless treasure.
In today's fast-paced modern life, white tea provides us with an opportunity to slow down and savor life. A cup of white tea carries the memories of time and the gifts of nature. Let us take a moment to savor this cup of white tea, to feel the Beauty and preciousness of the years accumulated. Whether it is the refreshing and crisp taste of new white tea or the rich and complex flavors of aged white tea, white tea captivates every tea lover with its unique charm.
White tea, this magical beverage that transforms from “one-year tea” to “three-year medicine” and finally to “seven-year treasure,” is worth our in-depth exploration and appreciation, to uncover the mysteries and stories hidden within each leaf. Let us enjoy the true essence of life amidst the aroma of white tea, and relish the beauty of living.