Daothe White from Yunnan Forest

A tea for all hours. White tea naturally contains less caffeine than green or black teas: its very minimal processing preserves the leaf without concentrating its alkaloids. It can be drunk in the morning for a gentle start, in the afternoon for a break, or in the evening without fear of disturbing sleep. It is suitable for adults and children alike, for tea connoisseurs and those discovering it for the first time.

Naturally concentrated in polyphenols. White tea, being minimally oxidized, retains the polyphenols inherent to the fresh leaf, particularly catechins, with minimal transformation compared to green or black teas. This is a natural property of Camellia sinensis, specific to its low processing.

The tea of gentle slowness. There is no gravity in white tea. It is an airy, spring-like tea that invites gentleness rather than depth, an open window to the garden rather than solitary meditation. Everyone will find their own way with it.

A traditional beverage, to be enjoyed as part of a varied diet and balanced lifestyle.

This white tea originates in the forests of Yunnan, where tea trees grow freely among other trees, in the intermittent shade of the canopies, on lands where the morning mist almost never lifts. We are at over 1,800 meters altitude, in southwest China, where temperature variations between day and night concentrate an aromatic profile in each leaf that lowlands cannot replicate.

Yunnan tea trees belong to the large-leaf variety, Camellia sinensis var. assamica, which gives Yunnan white tea a rounder body and a more pronounced mouthfeel than Fujian white teas. The buds are hand-picked, one by one, in spring, covered with a fine silvery-white down.

White tea is the least processed tea there is. After picking, the leaves are simply withered, spread out in the open air, in gentle sun and shade, for several days, then carefully dried. No rolling, no sudden heating, no intentional oxidation. What you find in the cup is exactly what the forest put into the buds.

White tea does not like water that is too hot: boiling water crushes its delicate aromas. Let it cool for a minute after boiling, or heat it directly to 80–85 °C. Soft water is better than hard water. The leaves can be re-infused two to four times and often reveal themselves better in the second infusion than in the first.

In a gaiwan, to reveal every nuance. Four to five grams in a 100 to 150 ml gaiwan, water at 80–85 °C. First infusion twenty to thirty seconds, gradually increasing with each subsequent infusion. Yunnan white tea supports four to ten infusions and reveals a slightly different register with each round, floral at first, then more honeyed and full-bodied.

With a tea ball, the everyday gesture. Fill half a tea ball, place it in your cup or teapot, water at 80–85 °C, two to three minutes. The damp ball can yield a second infusion by slightly extending the time. The ideal method for a beautiful cup without ceremony.

As a cold brew, perhaps the most beautiful way. Four grams in 1.5 liters of cold water, in the refrigerator, four to eight hours, ideally overnight. Cold infusion extracts sweet and fruity aromas without touching bitterness. Filter, serve over ice. Keeps for two to three days in the refrigerator in a closed carafe.

In a thermos, a discreet companion. Four grams in your thermos, water at 80–85 °C, no hotter, at the risk of bitterness. White tea infused for a long time remains soft and drinkable thanks to its low astringency. Light, fragrant, without a marked exciting effect: ideal for a workday or travel.

White tea is more sensitive to odors than fermented teas: its delicate aromas can be quickly absorbed by its surroundings. Store it in its resealed bag, away from light, humidity, and any strong-smelling sources: coffee, spices, household products. An opaque metal or ceramic tin is ideal. Consume within a year of opening to enjoy its full freshness.

The liquor is clear, slightly golden, luminous in the glass. The nose is floral, with white flowers, mountain honey, a hint of peach or ripe apricot depending on the season. On the palate, sweetness first prevails: silky, enveloping, without the slightest astringency. Then come more vegetal, fresh notes, reminiscent of young grass or spring fern. The finish is long and slightly sweet.

Hot, white tea reveals itself to be soft and warm. Cold-infused, it takes on another dimension: fresher, fruitier, with a crystalline clarity in which floral aromas freely bloom. This is perhaps when it is at its most beautiful.

• Type: White tea (Bai Cha)
• Origin: Yunnan, China, over 1,800m altitude
• Format: whole buds and leaves, loose leaf
• Net weight: 40g
• Ideal: hot or cold brew