In recent years, the number of white Tea enthusiasts has grown significantly.

There are those who used to be avid consumers of Oolong and Pu'er teas but have now found a new favorite in white tea.

And there are newer friends who, upon entering the world of tea, encountered white tea at its peak of popularity and fell in love at first sight.

It seems that even without strong marketing and promotion, the popularity of white tea is almost inevitable.

The unique taste that sets it apart from other types of tea; its suitability for both immediate consumption and long-term storage; the Health benefits of aged tea; its relatively affordable price…

White tea, with all these attributes, is hard not to become popular.

2025 Silver Needle White Tea

White tea is very suitable for new tea enthusiasts.

For beginners, their taste preferences are not yet well-defined, and their ability to distinguish flavors is still developing. Therefore, teas with overly rich and heavy flavors may not be ideal.

The taste of white tea is relatively fresh and elegant, with aromas and flavors that tend towards naturalness and minimal human intervention, making it an excellent choice for beginners.

In particular, new white teas from the current year are reasonably priced, lowering the cost of learning about tea.

Therefore, Tea Encyclopedia always recommends: if you're unsure what type of tea to choose, start with white tea.

2025 Spring High Mountain Shoumei

The common classifications of white tea include the following:

By tenderness and grade, there are Silver Needle, Bai Mudan, and Shoumei;

By harvest season, there are spring and autumn white teas (such as White Dew white tea);

By form, there are loose leaf and compressed teas (primarily white tea cakes);

By vintage, there are new and aged white teas;

By origin, there are Fuding white tea, Zhenghe white tea, Yunnan white tea, etc.;

By cultivar, there are Da Bai (Big White), Cai tea, Shuixian Bai, etc.

Although compared to many other types of tea, the varieties of white tea are not too numerous, for a novice just entering the world of tea, the fear is often the choice itself.

Especially when faced with multiple options.

Experienced drinkers know how frustrating it can be to select white tea without a clear standard of taste. Spring and autumn teas each have their own characteristics, and choosing between loose leaf and tea cakes is also manageable since they typically have similar prices for the same tea.

The real dilemma lies in selecting based on grade and vintage.

— The higher the tenderness, the better the quality, so naturally, one should choose based on grade, and this applies to white tea as well!

— It's often said that white tea is “a young tea for a year, stored for three years, a treasure after seven years,” which would mean that vintage should take precedence, right?

2025 (Top Grade) Bai Mudan

When it comes to grade versus vintage, how should new tea enthusiasts make their choice?

Tea Encyclopedia suggests a two-step approach:

First, prioritize grade over vintage.

While aged white tea is considered precious and valuable, this does not mean that only old white tea is worth drinking.

New white tea is fresh, pure, and refreshing, offering a taste that is light and elegant, with a pure and clear aroma, presenting a natural landscape unadorned by time.

Without experiencing new tea, it's difficult to truly understand aged tea.

The charm of aged white tea lies in the continuous transformation brought about by time, resulting in new colors, aromas, and flavors at different stages.

A comprehensive understanding and familiarity with the original form of white tea can help us truly appreciate the value of aged tea to the fullest extent.

Starting from the lowest to the highest, from the simplest to the more complex, from new to old… when drinking natural white tea, it is wise to follow this natural progression.

Secondly, Bai Mudan and Shoumei can be prioritized over Silver Needle.

This logic is primarily driven by one of the most sensitive factors for tea as a commodity—price.

Or to put it another way, if new tea enthusiasts find Silver Needle to be too expensive, they can opt for Bai Mudan, and if Bai Mudan is too pricey, they can choose Shoumei, catering to various budgets.

A higher price for a certain grade is usually related to its rarity, but taste preference does not necessarily correlate with price.

From experience, new white tea enthusiasts are often irresistibly drawn to the beautiful appearance and floral aroma of Bai Mudan, or the relatively mellow flavor and high cost-effectiveness of Shoumei.

As for the highest-grade, rare, and pricier Silver Needle, it might be acceptable to save it for later.

After all, white tea is a tea you may never tire of drinking throughout your life!