Bai Hao Yin Zhen White Tea

Bai Hao Yin Zhen, also known as Silver Needle or “White Hair Silver Needle”, is one of China’s best-known white teas. Its traditional home is Fujian Province, particularly the areas around Fuding and Zhenghe. The tea is made exclusively from young, unopened buds covered with fine, silvery-white hairs.

The history of Bai Hao Yin Zhen goes back more than two centuries. The development of modern white tea is closely associated with Fujian Province, where Silver Needle tea was already being produced around Fuding by the late 18th century.

The processing is exceptionally gentle: the freshly picked buds are withered and then slowly dried. They are neither rolled nor shaped, allowing them to retain their natural, needle-like form. The buds undergo only slight oxidation, which contributes to the tea’s distinctive character.

The finished tea has a clear, pale yellow colour and a fresh, delicately floral aroma. Its flavour is soft, clean and naturally sweet, with delicate floral, fresh hay and mildly fruity notes. The buds gradually open during infusion, making the tea particularly beautiful to watch when prepared in a glass teapot.

Bai Hao Yin Zhen has a delicate character, so it is worth paying a little extra attention to its preparation. Use water at 75–80 °C to preserve the tea’s soft, floral and naturally sweet aromas.

Use approximately 5 g of tea per person and steep for 2–3 minutes. A glass teapot or gaiwan allows you to observe the silvery buds slowly opening in the water.

Bai Hao Yin Zhen can be infused several times. The first infusion is generally light and fresh, while subsequent infusions gradually reveal more layers of flavour. If you prefer a stronger taste, increase the steeping time gradually rather than raising the water temperature.