| Name | Báiháo yín zhēn / 白毫银针 |
| English | White Fur Silver Needle, or Flowery White Pekoe |
| Region | Fuding, Fujian |
| Manufacture | Air-dried white tea |
| Style | Full budset with downy hairs |
| Flavor | Smooth, sweet, soft |
| Aroma | Clean, floral |
| Liquor | Pale silver |
| Brewing | Brew numerous short infusions at 70-75 C. Drink plain. |
White Fur Silver Needle is China’s premier white tea and also a member of the Ten Famous Chinese Teas (十大名茶). As a white tea it is slightly oxidized which helps it lose the “grassy” taste of green tea. White Fur Silver Needle is made from young bud sets and therefore is thought to have more of the amino acid theanine, which is known for its relaxing and mood enhancing properties.
White tea needs to be brewed at 70°C for about 3 minutes. This is very different than other teas which tend to use warmer water and short infusion times.
Tea Tip – Oxidation
From Wikipedia:
Oxidation / Fermentation: For teas that require oxidation, the leaves are left on their own in a climate-controlled room where they turn progressively darker. In this process the chlorophyll in the leaves is enzymatically broken down, and its tannins are released or transformed. This process is sometimes referred to as “fermentation” in the tea industry, although no true fermentation happens since this oxidative process is also not driven by microorganisms (in other steps of tea processing–aging for example–microorganisms might be used that actually do carry out fermentation). The tea producer may choose when the oxidation should be stopped, which depends on the desire qualities in the final tea as well as the weather conditions (heat and humidity). For light oolong teas this may be anywhere from 5-40% oxidation, in darker oolong teas 60-70%, and in black teas 100% oxidation.
The oxidation process is stopped by moderately heating (called 殺青, shāqīng, or literally “kill green”) the tea leaves thereby deactivating their enzymes.
The oxidation process produces theaflavins, orange-red compounds, that react with the polyphenols to change the green leave golden, coppery or chocolate brown. Compare the green, white, oolong and black teas below.
Each type of these tea leaves have different levels of oxidation. In the brewed tea leaves and the liquor you can see the gradual progression to the coppery-brown color of black tea on the far right.
Table: Teas compared by their oxidation levels
| Type of Tea | Oxidation |
| Green | None |
| Yellow | None |
| White | Very slight (>8%) |
| Oolong | Partial (20-80%) |
| Black | Complete |
| Pu-erh | Always fermented, not always oxidized |
Taking a closer look at a the leaves of White Fur Silver Needle (right) compared to a green, un-oxidized leaf (福建毛尖) you can see the distinct difference in color.
When I first tasted White Fur Silver Needle I was slightly taken aback by the sweet taste. After a few infusions though, I found myself appreciating the experience more and more. I am not sure if it was the theanine, or a psychosomatic reaction to the idea of theanine, but I did find my self in a heightened state of relaxation and awareness. A very good discovery for The Taobao Tea Trail.
More Information (from Baidu Baike):
Baihaoyinzhen is a type of white tea. It is actually the origin of modern white teas in China. Most Baihaoyinzhen is produced in two towns in Fujian Province: Fuding and Zhenghe. They pioneered the production of Baihaoyinzhen in the mid 19th century and have remained the sole producers of this special tea.
The name Baihaoyinzhen means ‘white fur, silver needle’. It vividly encapsulates the appearance of the tea. The tea leaves are thin like a needle with a layer of white coat on them. There is a special silver sheen to the leaves, thus ‘silver needle’. Each tea leaf is about 3 cm long. When brewed, the leaves all stand up vertically like hundreds of needles, constructing a unique visual experience. There is also a layer of fine white coat floating on top of the cup, almost like fog.
But the appearance and taste of Baihaiyinzhen vary depending on whether it is from Fuding or Zhenghe. Fuding is famous for tea with a thick layer of white coat, which tastes young and refreshing. Zhenghe on the other hand produces tea with a thinner layer of white coat, which tastes warm, smooth and very fragrant.
The harvesting of Baihaoyinzhen is a painstaking process. Tea cannot be picked on rainy days or early morning when there is still dew on the leaves; leaves which have experienced any kind of damage are discarded. Only the finest, healthiest tea buds are picked.
The brewing of Baihaoyinzhen is quite similar to that of green teas. To fully appreciate the visual attributes of this tea, using a clear glass is strongly suggested. Warm the glass first with boiling water, then pour 200 ml of water over around 3 grams of tea. The tea leaves will start to float on top of the glass. After 5 minutes, some leaves will sink down to the bottom of the glass while some remain at the top. But they are all standing up vertically. What a beautiful sight.
Click here for more teas on The Taobao Tea Trail.
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