White Tea is often described as “one year as Tea, three years as treasure, and seven years as medicine,” which is why many people enjoy collecting white tea. But should you collect loose leaf tea or cake tea?
The reason some tea enthusiasts struggle with this question is that they haven't fully understood the differences between the two. Or perhaps they're not yet aware of the factors to consider when collecting white tea.
Today, we will clarify the distinctions between loose leaf and cake white tea, making it easy for you to tackle the issue of white tea collection.
What is Loose Leaf Tea?
Loose leaf white tea refers to white tea that has been collected directly after undergoing processes such as picking, spreading out, withering, and drying. This form of white tea maintains its original, natural state.
After processing, it remains in its twisted shape.
What is Cake Tea?
Cake tea is made by further processing loose leaf tea through steaming, wrapping, pressing, and drying.
This results in a tea cake or brick (usually in a round shape).
Differences Between the Two
1. Different Processing Methods
Loose Leaf White Tea: Made through withering and drying. The unprocessed loose leaf tea retains its original flavor, characterized by its light, elegant, and sweet taste.
Cake White Tea: Made from loose leaf white tea through additional processes such as steaming, wrapping, pressing, and drying.
This involves steaming the tea to soften it, then pressing it into the shape of a cake or brick.
2. Different Volumes
Cake tea has a much smaller volume than loose leaf tea.
Loose Leaf White Tea: If stored long-term, loose leaf white tea can be bulky and easily broken if compressed.
Cake White Tea: The compact and solid structure makes it less susceptible to compression. It also effectively isolates moisture from the air, preserving microorganisms and aroma better.
Furthermore, the temperature and humidity inside the cake are stable, slowing down the oxidation of polyphenols, ketones, and chlorophyll, leading to a more uniform and lasting aging process.
3. Different Flavors
Whether it's loose leaf or cake tea, as long as the quality is good and it's stored properly, there will be slight differences in taste.
Loose Leaf White Tea: Fresh, fragrant, sweet, and refreshing. Especially when new, its freshness and clarity are at their peak.
Cake White Tea: Aged, fragrant, mellow, and smooth. During production, a simple cell wall breakage occurs, followed by drying. In this process, Pectin substances in the white tea are released and adhere to the surface of the cake tea, making it taste clearer and sweeter with a richer flavor.
4. Different Aromas
The aromas of aged loose leaf and cake white tea can be easily distinguished.
Loose Leaf White Tea: Pure, simple, and elegant with a transparent aroma, primarily characterized by floral, aged, bamboo leaf, and medicinal scents.
Due to the lack of heavy fermentation, the aromatic compounds in loose leaf tea do not become strong, so the aroma is mainly floral.
Cake White Tea: Has a richer, deeper aroma, with a blend of jujube and medicinal scents.
During the pressing process, pectin in the tea is released and adheres to the surface of the leaves. Over time, these substances transform into a subtle dried jujube fragrance, and the medicinal aroma becomes apparent as the tea ages.
After understanding the differences between the two, you should now know what factors to consider when collecting white tea.
Objectively speaking, both loose leaf and cake white tea can be collected over the long term.
When collecting white tea, start by considering your personal preferences. If you prefer something natural and hassle-free, without the need to break apart tea cakes, then loose leaf tea might be right for you.
If you want to collect large quantities of white tea over the long term, cake tea would be a better choice. However, regardless of which type you choose, proper storage is essential.