There's a popular saying about White Tea: “One-year Tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure.” Depending on their storage age, white teas can be categorized into new and aged white teas: New white tea refers to the tea harvested and processed in the current year; aged white tea is the tea that has been stored for several years and exhibits characteristics typical of older teas.
However, distinguishing between new and aged white teas poses a challenge for many tea enthusiasts. Today, we will compare the appearance and intrinsic qualities of one-year new tea, three-year aged tea, and seven-year aged tea to guide you on how to distinguish and appreciate them.
One-Year New Tea
Appearance
Naturally spread out, with plump and upright buds, even and mostly intact leaves, though there might be slight breakage;
The leaves exhibit a natural gray-green or bluish-green color with a fresh luster, forming a beautiful contrast between the sky-blue upper surface and the white underside;
The downy hairs are abundant and soft, appearing silvery-white.
The aroma is elegantly floral and downy.
Intrinsic Qualities
The infusion is clear and bright, with a light apricot-yellow hue, and the taste is especially fresh, sweet, and refreshing.
Three-Year Aged Tea
Appearance
The integrity of three-year aged tea is slightly lacking;
It has just begun to qualify as an aged tea, with its color transforming from a fresh gray-green to a darker shade, and the green parts deepening into dark green;
The silvery-white downy hairs have lost some of their freshness, forming a naturally matte finish.
The aroma has evolved from a fresh floral scent to a lotus leaf fragrance, with the downy aroma becoming richer and more persistent.
Intrinsic Qualities
This tea has just undergone its first transformation in character. Its aroma is more pronounced, and after Steeping, the lotus fragrance becomes even stronger and more direct, with a hint of sweetness emerging after longer brewing;
The infusion of three-year aged tea is a deeper yellow, somewhat viscous, and the taste in the mouth is richer;
It has body, with a slight bitterness that quickly dissipates, accompanied by rapid salivation and a quick return of sweetness.
Seven-Year Aged Tea
Appearance
The degree of natural breakage is greater;
A naturally aged seven-year-old white tea has a mottled appearance, with the bud part turning silvery-gray and the leaf part transitioning through shades of dark green, light brown, and dark brown;
By this stage, the tea has undergone a qualitative leap, and its aroma has transformed into a rich, mature fruity fragrance, evolving from a fresh floral and downy aroma to a lotus leaf scent.
Intrinsic Qualities
The aged white tea has completed a true qualitative transformation from new to aged. After steeping, the aroma evolves from a downy scent to a full honey and jujube fragrance, described by some as resembling the sweetness of chocolate, which then transforms into a bamboo-leaf scent after longer brewing, finally returning to the woody aroma of the tea plant;
The infusion has transformed into an amber color, and the tea soup is thick, full-bodied, and smooth. A truly aged tea not only offers a rich mouthfeel but also reveals a rich array of flavors during each infusion, showcasing the true charm of aged white tea.
When purchasing white tea in the future, you can now distinguish it based on its appearance and intrinsic qualities. We sincerely hope that all tea enthusiasts can find teas that satisfy them completely!
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