Aged White Teas

White and yellow teas are among the most subtle.


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Dec 1st, '10, 12:54
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Re: Aged White Teas

by TIM » Dec 1st, '10, 12:54

legend wrote: Just a note the tea cake is not an actual White tea (白茶 bai cha) like Bai mu dan, or Yin zun bai hao. It is a kind of large variety white leaf made in a similar process to Sheng Pu er, but as with white tea the leaves are left to ferment just a bit. A true white tea would break down from the heat it takes to form in to a cake, thus you will never see a white tea this way. Domestically here in China it is called "New Process Tea 新工艺" and is marketed as white tea or as white Puer or Moonlight Puer (白月光 Bai yue guang.) Actually the technical and correct name would be New process tea because that is what it is. Traditionally there arent any white, green, or yellow teas that would be trated in this way. If they are authentic valued teas there would be very little remaining by the next years Spring harvest anyway. I am not saying that experimentation into ageing/storage is negative in any way, just that traditionaly it never was done becasue the nutrition of the green/ white tea would fade therefore its value would be lost as well. In the case of teas made for ageing (Black tea, Pu er, certain Wu Longs) the nutrition of a good tea would be increased from secondary fermentaion thus the value would increase accordingly.
If I may correct you Legend. This is a true (白茶 bai cha) Bai mu dan or white peony from Fujian. Fuding tea drinkers have a long tradition in aging this white tea.

A true white puerh only comes from Yangta in Yunnan.

http://themandarinstea.blogspot.com/200 ... puerh.html

Hope this make sense :wink:

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Dec 1st, '10, 13:23
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Re: Aged White Teas

by TwoPynts » Dec 1st, '10, 13:23

Very interesting discussion, thank you everyone! :)

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Re: Aged White Teas

by l8nytsimmer » Jan 25th, '11, 15:08

Zanaspus wrote:I've seen lots of threads like this one in my time lurking about before I was able to register. Bottom line is ANY tea can be aged. For example, I've had both stunning and crappy examples of aged greens in my time.

Do they retain this mystical "freshness?" Of course not. That being said, if they are properly stored and roasted, they can morph into very interesting examples.

Whenever I buy a tea that I'm less than excited about, I tend to store it for a few years, roast, store another bit of time and re-taste. Frankly, some stuff I thought was horrible has transformed into some really tasty stuff this way. If I still don't like it, I repeat the process. Generally, there will be a stage in every teas life where I'll just say "wow!"

Of course, there is some stuff that starts out crap and remains so forever. :P
How do you roast teas, and what is the best ways to storm them? WHERE is the best place to store them...a cool cellar, a warm attic, shadowy corner of the pantry? Please understand, that I'm not making fun of any of you, or of any method I read above. I am genuinely curious! While I've been enjoying fresh, loose teas for many years, but, from reading your posts I've decided that I'm missing out on a LOT! Teas can be expensive, especially when you buy as much as I do, and my husband invariably complains. "You won't catch ME paying $50.00 for a couple of tins of COFFEE! You can buy perfectly good tea in the grocery store, why go to all the trouble of browsing on line for hours and hours and reading reviews? That's just stupid! A grocery store coffee drinker will NEVER understand! I want TEA not FLAVORED CARDBOARD or WILD GRASS AND WEEDS pawned off on the public as HERBAL teas! I never experienced the pleasure of teas until I tried my first loose teas from the health food store. Since then, I've drunk gallons of it! Not all at once, though, LOL! For me, visiting Adagio and other tea sites on line, is a special experience, and I enjoy it thoroughly. But, I'm still learning. That's why I decided to take part in the tea chat forums. I also happen to enjoy my tea with a bit of sugar, or a small bit of honey. Is that wrong? I see that most of you drink it just as it is, with nothing added. Does that mean, I'm missing out on some of the best flavors?

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Jan 25th, '11, 15:24
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Re: Aged White Teas

by debunix » Jan 25th, '11, 15:24

l8nytsimmer wrote:I also happen to enjoy my tea with a bit of sugar, or a small bit of honey. Is that wrong? I see that most of you drink it just as it is, with nothing added. Does that mean, I'm missing out on some of the best flavors?
Most of my favorite teas have a subtle sweetness all their own, that any added sugar or honey would mask completely. And they're not bitter or otherwise requiring anything added to make them delicious. You're not doing anything 'wrong' by adding sugar, but you might do your tastebuds (and teeth!) a favor by trying some extra nice teas without sugar, to give them a chance to show their best, and find out if you might like them better that way.

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Re: Aged White Teas

by Sebastian.K » Apr 28th, '11, 00:16

I was quite amazed to realize that there are quite a number of aged white tea lover outside of china. I have been drinking and studying tea since i was 9 and been a fan of aged white tea since the last few years. Aged white was a accidentally discovery from white tea being kept over a long period of time. I myself have collected a few pieces of 18 years aged white tea and I have to say, it's enligtening experience drinking it! aged white tea possessed a lot of "cha Chi" which mean "tea energy". It help in providing energy when one feel tired and it also ahs very strong medicinal purpose. Having live and work in china for 10 years, the recent speculation for aged tea have create a huge market for " fake aged tea" and i would advise many tea drinkers to be careful about so called aged tea out in the market. One have to possessed a very sensitive palette in order to discover what is fake and what is real. Aged good tea should have a smooth buttery taste that "does" not create a dry uncomfortable dry itchy throat feeling. From my own studies, the dry throat feeling can comes from a few sources, mainly pesticide and bad water. I hope to bring awareness about "fake tea" to all the tea lovers of the world as drinking them can be more harmful. As the demand for aged tea has increased tremendously over the years in China, i myself have met and experience people who produced "faked aged tea" and the process is devastating, adding artificial flavours to enhance the result that could harm one's health. Please train your mouth to detect pesticide and bad tea and this can only comes from experience. When drinking tea, one should learn to possess a calm and sensitive attitude so you can really feel the tea. Anyway it was nice to know there are so many aged white tea lovers outside of China.

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Re: Aged White Teas

by Kunkali » Jul 14th, '11, 03:09

Dragon tea house on ebay sells aged new technique white tea...it looks totally like a black but it intrigues me

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Re: Aged White Teas

by Wan Ling » Aug 16th, '12, 06:15

Aged white tea changed my life. Well at least they changed our view of white tea. There is no doubt that a fine yin zhen produces a subtle and silky brew, but when you have access to an extensive range of world teas, unfortunately in the past that was never enough. Roll in aged BaiMuDan and aged Bai Hao Yin Zhen. Different cases completely.

Our first aged white tea was the Yin Zhen. The leafy, green, vegative notes had given way to a more bold honey coated, almost creamy sesame seed paste flavour. The silkiness of the fresh hairy Yin Zhen, enhanced. Sensual on the entry and a long lasting finish. This tea opened the mind to the possibilities of white tea.

Next was the aged BaiMuDan, this blew the doors off and catapulted white tea into the regulars cabinet. Outside of Fujian, white tea in China is still rather an unknown. People of heard of it. Some have sampled it, but as yet very few people would say they are white tea drinkers. There are more white drinkers in the UK we have met than in China.

Returning to the BaiMuDan. Very much like the transition of young sheng puer, the first thing you note with the aged tea is the change of the outer appearance. The large leafs of the BaiMuDan had changed a deep and dark brown - auburn orange. The dried leave aroma, did not reveal the true nature of the brew to be had. The first brew, was bright, a rich amber colour reminiscent of a weakly brewed Yan Cha or an aged Tie Guan Yin. The taste challenged a few taste buds, but produced an almost medicinal range of flavours, that finished with sweeter notes of dried fruit.

Fresh white tea, tends not to take a lot of separate infusions, whereas the ageing seems to add to the teas. Wisdom would point to flavour getting less, but not so. We found more infusions bought out an increasing range of nuances. Certainly the fruit notes became more prominent. Hints of plums, apricots and peach.

Looking forward to spending time in Fuding exploring more of what Fujian has in store.

Lesson of the story, don't let preconceptions put you off trying something different.

<James>

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Sep 4th, '12, 09:45
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Re: Aged White Teas

by TeaParcel » Sep 4th, '12, 09:45

The Chinese themselves say that the older the white tea is - the better the quality and the taste. Personally I drink Bai Hao Yin Zhen and Bai Mu Dan. This year I've tried 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 bai Mu Dan. The ones I liked the best were 2010 and 2011. Although 2009 also had some interesting taste notes. ( Some might like it, some might don't )

Bai Hao Yin Zhen - I've tried 2010, 2011 and 2012. So far my favorite is 2010.

I've also tried aged white puerh ( which is actually Sheng pu-erh, not white). Good tea for the mony, but didn't impress me much. As it's not as delicate as Bai Hao Yin Zhen.

As for green tea - I agree with opinion the the fresher the green tea is - the better.

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Re: Aged White Teas

by MarshalN » Sep 19th, '12, 03:51

Aged white teas exist, and personally I think the best are aged baimudan - things that are higher grade, IMO, actually don't age as well. I bought a bag a while ago, not too expensive, and very tasty. Not vacuum sealed either.

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Re: Aged White Teas

by jayinhk » Sep 19th, '12, 09:37

The wholesaler right around the corner for me has a huge glass jar of Baimudan that is actually very good (and reasonably priced too). I believe it has three or four years on it, but I'll double check the next time I'm in there. Gaiwan in hand, it is the most amazing tea to end the day with.

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Re: Aged White Teas

by Poohblah » Oct 6th, '12, 17:30

since this thread has been resurrected again, I thought it might be appropriate to share this link: http://www.teaspring.com/Lao-Bai-Cha-Bing.asp It's not bai mu dan or even bai hao yin zhen, but it is from Fuding. I wonder how it tates compared to other aged whites.

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Re: Aged White Teas

by Poseidon » Aug 4th, '14, 14:18

Image


If possible id like to bring this thread back to life, Ive been wanting to try some aged white teas and I have been having some problems with sourcing them. I have found a few white tea cakes on ebay but I dont know enough about white tea, let alone AGED white tea, to even attempt to purchase it. My expirence in white tea is basically silver needle I tried about 2 years or so ago. I vaguely remember an over brewed, barn yard smelling, cup of yellow tea... Anyway, are there any tea chatters who enjoy aged white teas? Where do you get them?

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Re: Aged White Teas

by Poseidon » Aug 7th, '14, 08:52

Anyone? :lol:

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Re: Aged White Teas

by ethan » Aug 7th, '14, 10:32

Poseidon, I think the lack of response shows aged white tea is not for "real". Many teachatters know much, much > than I do; yet, I will venture to say now that aged white tea does not make sense as a concept. White tea is green tea which is tea one wants fresh.
I was lucky enough to buy some wonderful white tea (the only white tea I have ever liked). It is so good that I would order much more (enough to last years) but fear time would hurt the tea.

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Re: Aged White Teas

by Poseidon » Aug 7th, '14, 11:55

From what ive been reading on blogs, white tea is starting(or has been) to get pressed into bings for aging. It takes on the same fermentation a puerh would.(according to what ive read) I know there is a "new technique" of processing in the white tea world that does essentially allow it to age like puerh.

http://www.tching.com/2014/07/three-yea ... ign=buffer

also, I missed this thread.

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 1&start=15

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