Loose white Tea is dry tea collected after natural withering. Compressed White Tea, on the other hand, involves steaming the loose tea to soften it before pressing it into different shapes such as cakes, bricks, or pearls using a method similar to that used for Pu'er tea.
The process of steaming changes the natural withered state of white tea, which can have an impact on its characteristics. However, compressing the tea into cakes or bricks saves space during storage and facilitates natural aging, which is beneficial for white tea since it requires maturation. This is advantageous over loose tea, which is more voluminous. White tea is often referred to as “one-year tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure,” and many tea enthusiasts are interested in the storage and transformation of white tea. What are the differences between compressed and loose white tea?
Differences Between the Two
1. Different Processing Methods
Loose white tea: It is made through withering and Drying without any additional processing, preserving its original flavor, which is light, elegant, and sweet.
Compressed white tea: It is made from loose white tea by steaming, wrapping, pressing, and drying. This involves steaming the tea to soften it before pressing it into the shape of a cake or brick.
2. Different Volumes
Compressed white tea has a much smaller volume than loose tea.
Loose white tea: If stored long-term, its fluffy nature takes up a lot of space, and it's easily crushed if squeezed.
Compressed white tea: The compact structure makes it resistant to pressure. It also effectively isolates moisture in the air, preserving microorganisms and aroma. The internal temperature and Humidity of Compressed tea remain stable, slowing down the oxidation of polyphenols, ketones, and chlorophyll, leading to uniform and sustained aging.
3. Different Tastes
Both loose and compressed white teas, when of good quality and properly stored, will have slightly different tastes.
Loose white tea: Fresh, fragrant, sweet, and refreshing. Especially with new tea, the freshness and clarity are at their peak.
Compressed white tea: Aged, fragrant, mellow, and smooth. During production, the cell walls are broken and then dried. In this process, pectin from the white tea is released and coats the surface of the compressed tea, making it sweeter and richer in taste.
4. Different Aromas
The aromas of aged loose and compressed white teas can be easily distinguished.
Loose white tea: Its aroma is pure, simple, and elegant, often featuring floral, aged, bamboo leaf, and medicinal scents.
Due to the lack of heavy fermentation, the aromatic compounds in loose tea do not become thick, so they are primarily floral in character.
Compressed white tea: Its aroma is richer and deeper, characterized by jujube and medicinal scents.
During the pressing process, pectin from the tea leaves is released and coats the surface. After gradual fermentation, these substances transform into a subtle dried jujube aroma, and over time, a medicinal scent becomes apparent.