-
Our content is meticulously curated through independent research, testing, reviews, and AI-driven recommendations, all designed to present you with the finest product choices. When you make a purchase through our links, it could result in us earning a commission.
The Best White Teas of 2024
In this guide, you’ll learn about the best white teas of 2024, like our number one pick, Taylors of Harrogate White Tea, grown in China and favored for its light peach flavor. Join us as we uncover the secrets behind white tea's gentle flavor profile and growing popularity among tea enthusiasts worldwide.
Renowned for its delicate flavor and numerous health benefits, white tea is a subtle yet sophisticated beverage made from the youngest leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant. It contains more antioxidants than green tea and may help lower blood pressure and prevent common heart diseases.
Our Top Picks
View all ContentsThe Best White Teas
Best Overall
This tea is grown in China, also known as the home of white tea, where the freshly sprung buds are gently plucked in the spring harvesting season. Since this tea is the least processed, it gives you a light and calming infusion with floral notes and gentle hints of peach, the perfect blend of refreshing and soothing. Also, this white tea comes in a delicately packed box of 20 teabags.
Key Features
- Unique blends
- Easy to make
- Comes in teabag form
Promotes Relaxation
If you’re seeking the best white tea to transform your nights into soothing, aromatic retreats, the HANDPICK Organic White Tea Bags are your ticket to tranquility. The well-rounded flavor and aroma of this tea do more than just awaken your senses; they build a bridge towards ultimate relaxation. Handpicked and sourced from the choicest tea plantations in China, this white tea not only impresses with its delicate taste but also stands out as the best overall tea for stress reduction and relaxation.
This isn’t just a luxury for special occasions. It’s an economical choice for daily tea drinkers who value quality without breaking the bank. Boasting USDA organic ingredients, HANDPICK ensures you’re sipping on purity and authenticity, minus the jitters associated with high caffeine content. This white tea dances smoothly on your palate, leaving a mild and refreshing aftertaste. For those combating digestive issues, this tea acts as a soothing elixir, promoting healthy digestion. Packed in eco-friendly tea bags, HANDPICK not only cares for you but also for the environment. So, whether you’re winding down after a long day or looking to elevate your usual tea time, these tea bags promise to deliver a relaxing and rejuvenating experience.
Key Features
- Delicate, floral and light white tea
- Sourced from high-elevation Chinese gardens
- Low caffeine content, perfect for light sippers
- Packed in eco-friendly, round tea bags
Most Soothing
Feel the soothing comfort of a warm cup of the best white tea with VAHDAM’s White Tea from the Himalayas. This high-elevation grown tea promises a premium and luxurious experience with its pure, unblended loose leaf tea. The unique high altitude growth contributes to the tea’s delicate, light flavor that’s perfect for winding down after a long day. It comes vacuum-sealed, preserving the freshness and quality of the white tea leaves and giving you a high-quality tea experience for your relaxing nights.
What makes this white tea even more appealing is its commitment to ethical sourcing. VAHDAM ensures its product is fair trade, which means growers are paid fairly for their labor and no unfair practices are involved in the production. The brand prioritizes the welfare of the growers and their communities while delivering exceptional quality to the consumers. Treating yourself to a cup is not just a self-care ritual, but also a way to support ethical practices in the tea industry. This respect for the environment and the people makes the VAHDAM White Tea a top-tier choice for every tea enthusiast. Savor the smooth, subtle flavors of the Himalayas and make your nights more relaxing with this excellent white tea.
Key Features
- Imperial Himalayan White Tea variety
- Contains low caffeine content
- Directly sourced from Indian plantations
- Vacuum-sealed within 24-72 hours of harvest
Enhances Skin Health
Imozai Organic White Tea comes with 100 tea bags that are individually wrapped. It features a traditional Chinese tea flavor enriched with natural antioxidants that work to enhance beauty and skin health. This tea contains zero sugar, zero calories, and only 15-20mg of natural caffeine while being non-GMO. This means it is the perfect beverage for anyone that wants a healthy drink.
Key Features
- Expertly blended so that a perfect cup is created every single time
- No-hassle brewing
- Light and refreshing aroma with a gentle flavor
Rich Aroma
Like all other brands, the Prince Of Peace Organic White Tea Blend is made from 100% organic white tea buds and leaves picked from the tea gardens. They are then put through the Zheng-style processing process, giving the Prince Of Peace tea a rich aroma and full body. It also has a darker color than other white tea brands, leading to a higher antioxidants content. You’ll find about 10-20 mg of caffeine in this organic tea, while there is about 100-180 mg of caffeine in a coffee cup for your reference.
Key Features
- Unique and flavorsome blend that is different from other brands
- Tea leaves are organically grown and certified
- High antioxidant content
Great Brand
The Twinings Pure White Tea is sourced from the Fujian province of China and comes in 2 packs of 20 tea bags in one box. This white tea is significantly different from other white teas. Once the plucking process of young buds and leaves is done, they are air-dried to prevent oxidation before being packed. For Twinings, the white leaves are handpicked in the spring season so that the tea is even better and has a gentle and smooth texture with a light and natural taste.
Key Features
- Zero oxidation
- Light, fresh and airy flavor
- 100% pure white tea
Best White Tea Buying Guide
Now that we’ve seen all the different brands you can get of white tea, each with different properties, it’s time to look at the various kinds of white tea.
Best Types of White Tea
Silver needle
This is the most popular white tea you can find on the market. Silver Needle, also known as Yin Zhen, is only made from young white tea buds. You won’t find any other tea leaves in the silver needle mix. However, you might find many different silver needle teas which have their origins in different countries. The most popular silver needles come from the Chinese Fujian province, known as Bai Hao Yin Zhen. With a sweet and light flavor, brimming with smoothness and freshness, you’ll find light silver hairs hovering on the surface.
White peony
The second most popular white tea from the Chinese Fujian province is the white peony. The white peony has both buds and a few leaves that are either fresh green or brown. These leaves and stalks can become quite big when you get the white peony in a loose-leaf tea. This tea has a light and sweet aroma and gives you fresh touches of fresh dry hay and ripe fruits. The name of the white peony in Chinese is Bai Mu Dan or Pai Mu Tan.
The white peony is a much better option for people looking for healthy alternatives as it has more EGCg, which helps boost the immune system and offers anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activity.
Gong mei
Another white tea delight from the Chinese is similar to white peony. However, it is made from a different tea cultivar with smaller leaves than other teas. You’ll find the color of this tea to be darker than white peony with a slightly stronger flavor.
Shou mei
Like Gong Mei, Shou Mei hails from China too, but you’ll find fewer buds in this than in Gong Mei. Also known as “Long Life Eyebrow Tea,” it is usually darker but the perfect choice to make white tea blends. Shou mei contains much less caffeine than the silver needle or white peony. So, it is a good option if you want to take a step back from the amount of caffeine you consume every day. However, you may have to deal with high levels of catechins, much like Pai Mu Tan.
Moonlight white
Last on our list is the Silver Moonlight tea, also known as Yue Guang Bai, a unique Chinese white tea from Yunnan. It looks closer to black, and the flavor is that of a dark tea than you’ll find it to be of a typical white tea. However, in contrast with the look, the flavor has no bitterness at all; instead tastes sweet and rich.
How To Choose the Best Quality White Tea
When choosing the best white tea, it is important to pay attention to a few things, such as:
Appearance
The best way to know that your Chinese silver needle is high quality is to check for abundant white buds and hair. It will also feature big plump buds without any leaves at all. The color of the tea would also be silverish green. However, one thing that is very important for you to note is that tea leaves should always have an attractive appearance no matter when the tea has been harvested.
Scent
If there is no scent, the tea leaves are either low quality or stored in bad conditions. Every tea should always have a fresh scent.
Touch
Tea leaves should feel gentle and silky to the touch. If they are plump buds, the tea is of high quality.
Flavor
Since white tea is naturally lightly sweet, any tea that tastes moldy or has a strong wet hay flavor with excessive bitterness is not of good quality.
People Also Asked
Is white tea healthy to drink?
Yes, white tea is considered healthy to drink due to its high antioxidant content, which may help protect cells from damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Additionally, it contains minimal processing, preserving more of its natural compounds compared to other types of tea.
When is the best time to drink white tea?
The best time to drink white tea is typically in the morning or early afternoon, as it contains less caffeine compared to black or green tea, providing a gentle energy boost without disrupting sleep. However, it can be enjoyed at any time of day based on personal preference and caffeine sensitivity.
Is white tea better than green tea?
Both white and green tea offer unique health benefits and flavor profiles. White tea undergoes minimal processing, potentially preserving more antioxidants, while green tea is known for its slightly higher caffeine content and distinct grassy flavor. The choice between them depends on personal taste preferences and health goals.
