The 10 best white teas to buy in the UK
Looking to try the best white tea that money buy? You certainly aren’t spoilt for choice, with countless white tea options available to buy, which can make choosing one a little overwhelming. To help you find that perfect white tea, check out the buying guide below, which has all the info you need to know about delicious tasting white tea!
What are white teas?
White tea is a beverage made from the dried leaves of a tea plant, known as the Camellia Sinensis. It differs from other types of tea due to the minimal processing of the plant, with the unopened buds and the first few shoots used to make the tea. When brewed, white tea produces an elegant and refined flavour not too dissimilar to green tea, with the minimal processing retaining much of the original leaf flavour that is often lacking in black tea.
Why should you buy a good white tea?
The best white tea tastes incredible. It doesn’t need to be mixed with milk or sugar, as brewing the white tea leaves in hot water produces more than enough flavour. While both the flavour and aroma are a treat for the senses, white tea also offers many benefits, such as being packed with antioxidants.
How to choose the right white tea in 2024?
If you’ve never tried good white tea before choosing one can be difficult, so consider some of the following things to help you find something to your liking:
- Location: White tea is traditionally grown in the Fujian province of China yet the plant is cultivated in various locations around the world, so always check where it is grown for as it has a great impact on the flavour. For instance, Silver Needle white tea that is handpicked in Fujian is usually considered the best tasting, although that doesn’t mean those grown elsewhere aren’t worth trying.
- Colour: You can determine the quality of white tea by checking the leaves. Those with bright silver tones tend to have the best taste, with darker grey hues not offering the same quality taste, so always have a look at the tea before you buy.
- Freshness: Both fresh and aged white tea leaves are available, with each one offering a unique flavour. For example, fresh Silver Needle white tea is very light with a strong sweet aroma, producing a refreshing taste that many enjoy. Aged Silver Needle is much smoother and mellow, often highlighted with a note of honey.
What is the best kind of white tea in the UK?
There are many types of white tea you can buy. Usually, the best white teas are produced in one of the following growing areas:
- Silver Needle Tea: Widely considered the best white tea, Silver Needle is grown exclusively in the Fujian province of China. It’s made just from the buds of the tea plant and is traditionally handpicked, making it one of the most expensive white teas.
- White Peony Tea: Made from the first leaves of the plant, White Peony has a much more powerful flavour than Silver Needle, with the brewed tea also appearing much darker due to slight oxidization during the processing of the leaves.
- Ceylon Tea: A white tea exclusively grown in Sri Lanka, it has a much more delicate flavour that is punctuated with pleasant floral and creams.
Top 10 list of white teas in the UK (2024)
The bestseller list compares brands and their white teas. Which tea is the best?
- Enjoy a Clipper cuppa: Luxury tea bags, tea gift sets, loose leaf teas, fairtrade…
- Natural, organic tea: We fill our plastic-free tea bags with non-GM soil-association…
- Pure, unbleached tea bags: 40 white tea bags with a deliciously delicate flavour.…
- Enjoy a Clipper cuppa: Luxury tea bags, tea gift sets, loose leaf teas, fairtrade…
- Natural, organic tea: We fill our plastic-free tea bags with non-GM soil-association…
- Pure, unbleached tea bags: 156 white tea bags with a deliciously delicate flavour.…
- FEEL GOOD: When you enjoy Dragonfly teas, you’re supporting an independent,…
- PLANET FRIENDLY: Our superior-grade Swirling Mist white tea is organically grown…
- HAND-PICKED: Experience authentic ‘Bai Mudan’ style white tea –…
- Studies have shown that with regular white tea consumption, your bones with become…
- Enjoy luxurious Yunnan grown Silver Needle; a lightly fermented tea that is thick…
- All Natural. Our Imperial Silver Needle tea is an exceptional Chinese tea made in…
- PLASTIC FREE biodegradable re-sealable pouch
- The natural oxidisation which takes place when the leaves are harvested and allowed…
- A sweet and mellow tea consisting of one Silver Needle shoot and two tender young…
- This tea is directly sourced, fairly traded and a percentage of this sale goes to…
- No bags, no additives, no flavourings. Farmed with sustainable principles
- The purest, least processed tea with high levels of antioxidants
- BREWING: Allow 1- 2 teaspoons per cup. Boil the water and wait for 4 - 5 minutes…
- USES: Best enjoyed when consumed without any additives (or with just little sugar…
- BENEFITS: Fujian white tea contains antioxidants and polyphenols, which are believed…
- As fans of Mother Nature, we make tea bags, boxes and outer packaging that are completely…
- A delicate blend of high-quality Ceylon and Chinese white tea, complemented by juicy…
- The “Your Everyday Tea” collection from English Tea Shop consists of…
- Imported ingredients, blended and packed in the UK
- Clipper products are sourced and made with a clear conscience
- The traditional home of white tea
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