There's a popular saying about White Tea: “One-year tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure.”
White tea can be divided into new and aged white tea based on the duration of storage: New white tea is that year's freshly picked and processed tea, while aged white tea has been stored for several years, acquiring distinct characteristics of an older tea.
However, distinguishing between new and aged white teas can be challenging. Today, we will compare the appearance and quality of one-year new tea, three-year aged tea, and seven-year aged tea to help you discern and appreciate them.
Appearance of One-Year New Tea
Naturally spread out, with plump and upright buds; mostly intact leaves with slight breakage; clear and complete bud and leaf structure.
The leaves display natural hues of gray-green and light green, with a fresh luster. The beautiful contrast of light Blue on the top and white on the bottom of the leaves is visible.
Abundant, soft Silver-white downy hairs; fragrant with a fresh floral and downy aroma.
Quality
The liquor of new tea is bright and pale almond yellow in color, with a particularly fresh, sweet taste.
Appearance of Three-Year Aged Tea
The integrity of three-year aged tea is slightly compromised;
It has just begun to take on the characteristics of an aged tea, transitioning from a fresh gray-green to a darker shade of gray-green, with parts turning dark green;
The silvery white down is still present but not as vibrant as in new tea, taking on a natural matte finish.
The aroma shifts from a fresh floral scent to a lotus leaf fragrance, with the downy aroma becoming more concentrated and lasting longer.
Quality
This newly aged white tea has undergone its first transformation in character, with a high and uplifting fragrance. After brewing, the lotus scent becomes more intense and direct, with a hint of sweetness emerging after prolonged steeping;
The liquor of three-year aged tea is deep yellow and slightly viscous, with a richer and fuller taste. It has body, with slight bitterness that quickly dissipates, accompanied by rapid salivation and a sweet aftertaste.
Appearance of Seven-Year Aged Tea
Seven-year aged tea shows a greater degree of natural fragmentation;
After seven years of natural aging, the tea takes on a mottled appearance, with the bud part turning silver-gray and the leaf part transitioning through shades of dark green, light brown, and dark brown;
By this time, the seven-year aged white tea has undergone a qualitative leap, with its aroma transforming into a rich and intoxicating mature fruity fragrance.
Quality
Aged white tea has truly transformed from new to old. Upon brewing, the aroma shifts from a downy scent to a full honeyed and jujube fragrance, with some likening it to a sweet chocolate aroma. With extended steeping, it transforms into a reed-leaf scent and ultimately returns to the woody aroma of the tea plant itself;
The liquor turns amber in color, with a thick, full, and smooth mouthfeel. Truly aged tea offers not only a rich texture but also a complex array of flavors throughout each Infusion, showcasing the true allure of aged white tea.
In the future, when purchasing white tea, you can use both appearance and quality to differentiate between them. We sincerely hope all tea enthusiasts can find the perfect tea that satisfies their desires!
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