Best White Tea 2023: 5+ Detailed Reviews

Top 5 Best White Teas in 2023:

1. The Republic of Tea Emperor’s White
2. The Tao of Tea Imperial White Tea
3. Uncle Lee’s Organic White Tea
4. Vahdam Imperial White Tea
5. Numi Organic Tea Orange Spice

Did you know that white tea was once so special that only Chinese royalty drank it? Well, like many other things formerly exclusive to the elite, this magical drink is now available to the broader public. And it’s not an overstatement to call it magic. This tea is both delicious and fantastic for your health. Maybe that’s why the ruling class held on to it selfishly for centuries!

Since white tea is now plentiful, it’s only natural that there are many companies that pack and sell it. It won’t surprise you to learn that not every brand is equal in terms of taste and overall quality. Because we don’t want you to get just any tea, we’ll help you find the best white tea there is. Interested? Read on!

5 Best White Teas In 2023: Detailed Reviews

How hard could it be to buy some tea? Way harder than you think, bro! In a sea of suspicious products, it’s challenging to find the real deal. So, to spare you the trouble, we did all the heavy lifting, and now, we leave you with the top five white teas.

1. The Republic of Tea Emperor’s White – Best Overall

If you’re looking for 100% pure white tea, then Emperor’s White is probably the best choice out there. The company sells tea straight from the mountains of Fujian, the homeland of this beverage. Let’s give it a close inspection!

The tea is available in two forms: bagged and loose-leaf. This gives you the chance to choose according to your preferred brewing method. As for the flavor, the drink is subtle, mildly sweet, and fruity – it’s the textbook white tea. To our knowledge, such flavor is only achieved with plants from Fujian.

What makes Emperor’s White so exclusive is the fact that it is hand-picked while the buds are very young. On top of that, a year’s worth of picking is done within a very short time window in spring. Such harvesting makes the quantity limited, but also top-quality.

The tea is packaged in either tin or a sealable zip loc pouch, and it’s available in two sizes – 50 and 250 servings per container.

As expected, this is one of the more expensive options on the market, but the quality unquestionably justifies the price. Our only complaint would be regarding the quality of tea bags, as they may leech bits of the plant into the water.

2. The Tao of Tea Imperial White Tea – Best Loose-Leaf White Tea

Here’s another great option for the purists who don’t fancy blends. Cleverly named, The Tao of Tea will definitely bring moments of peace and enlightenment to a true white tea enthusiast. 

The company has a ‘quality first’ policy, and this is evident in their product. They pack traditionally grown and harvested leaves from Ningde, which is a region in Fujian. What makes this brand great is that they process the leaves minimally, so they retain their natural taste. 

Speaking of taste, the brew that you’ll get has somewhat nutty and pine notes, delicate yet intricate. If you’re after sweet and intense flavored tea, this might not be for you, as you’ll probably find it too mild.

The tea is only sold in loose-leaf form in tin containers. The label contains interesting and useful information about the tea’s history, origin, and preparation. The Tao of Tea is available only in one size, namely 1.5 ounces (43 grams) or 30 servings. This may not be ideal for people who drink a lot of it and need larger amounts.

When it comes to price, this brand costs slightly above average, but we would hesitate to call it expensive.

3. Uncle Lee’s Organic White Tea – Best Bagged White Tea

The loose-leaf form is seen as superior to teabags. This opinion stems from traditional thinking and tea preparation, and there is some truth to it. However, tea bags make life way easier, and if you prefer this method, then check out Uncle Lee’s.

This brand packs and sells the popular Bai Mu Dan organic white tea, which is one of the most sought after varieties. It consists of buds plucked in spring, and it’s got a light yellowish color. What also characterizes Bai Mu Dan is its low caffeine content, which can be a big plus for folks who are sensitive to this substance.

Uncle Lee’s has a sweet and mild flavor with a tinge of floral notes. Many users found it too bland, but this problem can be fixed by brewing one cup with two bags. What bothered some users was that each tea bag is placed in a paper wrapper, and this seemed excessive and unnecessary. Also, such packaging requires a big box, so it may not fit small cupboards.

In case you don’t mind these setbacks, you can get Uncle Lee’s in 100-bag packages for a great price.

4. Vahdam Imperial White Tea – Best Indian White Tea

When it comes to white tea, China often steals the spotlight. However, it’s not the only producer of this product, as India is also known for some incredible white tea (and tea in general). Let’s see what tea is like on this side of the Himalayas!

Vahdam’s tea is grown on the border of India and Nepal, in the foothills of the Himalaya mountains, which gives it unique properties. For instance, it contains very high levels of flavonoids and antioxidants, chemicals known for their anti-aging and even cancer prevention properties.

The flavor of Indian white tea is quite different from the Fujian variety. Vahdam has probably the strongest taste out of all the brands on this list, and it’s somewhat similar to green tea. However, on the general spectrum of all tea flavors, we could label it as mild.

Those who are concerned with ethics will adore Vahdam. This company has no middlemen, and the tea goes straight from the producer to the buyers. Also, it is labeled as climate and plastic neutral, so it does not contribute to our planet’s pollution.

The tea is available only in loose-leaf form and is sold in packages of 1.76 ounces. The price is very high, which may throw off some customers. 

5. Numi Organic Tea Orange Spice – Best Blend

Some folks like it blended, and that’s OK! White tea combines exceptionally well with other flavors, and Numi’s Orange Spice blend is the perfect example of that. Read on to find out the specifics.

Numi’s mix combines white tea, orange peel, lemongrass, and dried schizandra berries to create a mix of flavors. You’ll get the mild base of white tea, citrusy sting of the orange, and all of that topped off with a delicate spice. It’s a tea lover’s dream!

As appealing as this sounds, we urge you not to make judgments before trying the tea. Taste is a very subjective matter, and while some folks will like this tea, others may find it too strong or too mild. That’s the biggest problem with blends; it’s hard to describe them objectively.

Now, an issue that some customers encountered is that they received a package lacking a few bags. This happened with the 100-bag box, and it means that the product has been tampered with. We would advise you to search and read more about it online.

Numi Orange Spice white tea is pretty expensive, and you can buy it in containers of either 16 or 100 serving sizes (bags).

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What Is White Tea?

White tea is a delicate variety of tea that originates from China, more precisely the Fujian Province. It is composed of the small springtime tea plant (Camellia Sinensis) leaves of a peculiar look. The leaves get harvested before they open, which leaves them covered with tiny white hairs, hence the name ‘white’ tea. 

The tea brew has a light gold color and mainly a floral or fruity fragrance. The latter can vary depending on the type of tea, and may even have woody notes. Its flavor is one part of why it’s so popular, while the other part is the health benefits. 

Delicious, comforting, and good for the body- what’s not to like?

What To Know Before Buying White Tea?

With white tea, there are better and worse buying choices. Tea brands differ a lot among each other, and it’s important to find the one that’ll suit you the most. 

So, how do you do that? 

You’ll first have to learn some essential information about this product and then choose based on that knowledge. Read on to find out all that you need to know!

1. Types Of White Tea

There are five types of white tea: silver needle, Fujian new craft, white peony, tribute eyebrow, and longevity eyebrow. Out of the five, silver needle and white peony are of the highest quality and, therefore, most sought after.

Just to be clear, all-white tea is made from the Camellia Sinensis plant, so the differences come from harvesting time and processing methods.

• Silver needle is seen as the premium white tea, which makes it the priciest variety. This is the least processed type, and that’s why it’s so exclusive and rare. The leaves are picked in early spring, left to wild and dry, and then packed.
• White peony is the combination of the unopened bud and plant leaves. It’s one of the strongest kinds of white tea and, at the same time, one of the most popular.
• Longevity eyebrow is mildly oxidized white tea made from leftovers collected from the silver needle and white peony production processes. To be clear, oxidation isn’t seen as something desirable, so that’s why this type is a lower grade than the first two.
• Tribute eyebrow is basically a longevity eyebrow but with curled up and dark leaves.
• Fujian’s new craft is a result of mass tea production started in the 1960s. It comes from large scale batches, and it has withered, rolled, and dark leaves. Also, it’s taste is quite strong when compared to the other varieties.

2. Tea Blends

Some people like pure white tea, while others prefer blends. We like both, but now we’ll talk about the latter. White tea leaves are commonly blended with jasmine, as the two complement each other very well. It creates a brew with a smooth body with a highly floral aroma.

Aside from this one, there are many other blends available, so you’re free to try them out. Also, if you’re a real tea enthusiast, you can try to make your very own mixture. White tea is mild, and it goes marvelously well with more flavorful teas.

3. Flavor Profile

Always make sure to check what people have to say about the flavor of the brand you’re interested in. Many things can influence the tea’s taste, including geography, harvesting, and degree of processing. Don’t be surprised to learn that two brands have distinctly different aromas and flavor profiles.

4. Be Ready To Pay

Don’t let high prices put you off as, most often, they are a guarantee of high-quality tea. Like we mentioned earlier, silver needle or white peony are always going to be pricier than the other varieties, but you’ll know what you’re paying for.

However, don’t let a tea company play you and overcharge you. Make sure to compare the brand that you want to buy to others, and see if the prices match up.

5. Check The Growing Location

Although historically from the Fujian province, white tea is nowadays grown in different places. As expected, the home province still produces the highest quality tea, and we’d recommend you do go for that one. 

The other major white tea growing region is Yunnan. The tea is grown at low altitudes, and although it looks like the Fujian variety, it’s of significantly lower quality.

Conclusion

All this reading must have made you thirsty, and what better way to quench your thirst than with a cup of hot tea. To get to that, you’ll first have to buy some, so let’s take a quick look at our top three picks for today.

• Our favorite white tea from the list is The Republic of Tea Emperor’s White. We feel that it’s the purest and best representative of this beverage and an excellent first-time purchase.
• The Tao of Tea is another awesome 100% white tea from Fujian. It’s top-quality and has a bit milder flavor than Emperor’s White.
• Uncle Lee’s is probably the best bagged white tea, and folks who like to brew it this way should definitely give it a go.

In case you like some other brand from the list more, don’t listen to us, just buy it. It’s hard to go wrong with any of them.