White tea: the guide to silver needles and Pai Mu Tan
By the LBDT Sommelier · published on · 3 min read
Reviewed and approved by the La Boutique du Thé team
White tea is the least processed tea: buds and young leaves simply withered and dried, with no rolling and no deliberate oxidation. Its liquor is pale, velvety and low in caffeine, and calls for soft water at 80 to 85 °C and a long steeping time, 7 minutes or more. To begin, Pai Mu Tan Impérial at €24 per 100 g; to understand why white tea fascinates, Yin Zhen at €88.
How a white tea is born
In Fujian, China, in spring, the still-closed bud is picked, covered in silvery down, sometimes with the first two leaves. The harvested leaves are spread out in the shade or in gentle sunshine for two to three days, then dried at a low temperature. Nothing more. This minimal processing preserves a softness and freshness in the tea that the oxidation of black tea or the fixing of green tea erases.
Two grades dominate. Yin Zhen, “silver needles”, is made solely of buds: the most prestigious, the most delicate, the most expensive. Pai Mu Tan, “white peony”, combines bud and young leaves: more body, more fruit, a more accessible price.
Pure white teas
| Tea | Grade and origin | Preparation | 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pai Mu Tan Impérial | White peony, Fujian | 85 °C · 7 min | €24.00 |
| Thé de la Longévité Suprême | Great pure white tea, China | 85 °C · 7 min | €47.00 |
| Yin Zhen | Silver needles, China | 85 °C · 15 min | €88.00 |
| Blanc Impérial | Highlands of Viêt-Nam | 85 °C · 10 min | €69.00 |
| Moonshine Glenburn | Darjeeling, Glenburn garden | 90 °C · 5 min | €52.00 |
| Java Blanc | Java, Indonesia | 80 °C · 7 min | €78.00 |
| White Himalaya | Nepal | 80 °C · 5 min | €120.00 |
| Royal White Tea | Great delicacy | 90 °C · 3 min | €79.00 |
White Pu-Erh (€28) is a case apart: a white tea made from Pu-Erh tea bushes of Yunnan, sun-dried, 7 minutes at 80 °C.
Flavoured white teas
On Pai Mu Tan, the flavours remain light: Brume de Jasmin (€24), Brume de Rose (€25), fruity Neige d’Argent (€23), Thé Blanc Marco Polo (€23), floral Madame Butterfly (€26), White Rhapsody (€19 for the 50 g tin). On Yin Zhen, the flavours are laid on buds alone, and the prices follow: Thé des Mandarins Jasmin (€45), Blanc & Rose (€49), Paris-Provence with lavender and mint (€49), Thé Après l’Orage with mint (€49), Neige de Soie (€49).
In cotton muslin, the Rhapsody collection puts white tea into sachets, 30 cotton muslin tea sachets for €25: Marco Polo Rhapsody, Jasmine, Earl Grey, Paris, Provence, Full Moon, London, 7 minutes at 85 °C.
How to steep a white tea
- Water: 80 to 85 °C. At 95 °C, a Yin Zhen loses its softness. A temperature-controlled kettle is the accessory that makes the greatest difference to the result.
- Measure: generous, 3 g per 200 ml: the leaf is light and voluminous.
- Time: 7 minutes for a Pai Mu Tan, 10 to 15 minutes for a Yin Zhen. White tea is the only one that can be steeped this long without bitterness.
- Re-steeping: a Yin Zhen or a Pai Mu Tan Impérial can be re-steeped two to three times, lengthening the time.
- Iced: excellent, 8 to 10 g per litre of cold water, 8 hours in the refrigerator; Pai Mu Tan Impérial gives a clear, sweet carafe.
Which one to choose
- First time: Pai Mu Tan Impérial, or Brume de Jasmin if you enjoy flavoured teas.
- The great white tea: Yin Zhen, to be drunk on its own, without sugar, taking your time.
- At the office: a tin of Rhapsody cotton muslin tea sachets.
- As a gift: Thé des Mandarins Jasmin or Neige de Soie, two flavoured Yin Zhen at €45 and €49.
The sommelier's selection
Frequently asked questions
Does white tea contain caffeine?
Yes, but little: our product pages list low caffeine for all white teas. It is a tea for the afternoon and early evening.
Why is Yin Zhen so expensive?
It is made solely of buds, hand-picked on just a few days each spring; tens of thousands of buds are needed for one kilo.
What is the difference between Yin Zhen and Pai Mu Tan?
Yin Zhen contains only buds, Pai Mu Tan the bud and its first two leaves. The former is more delicate and more expensive, the latter fruitier and more affordable.
At what temperature should white tea be brewed?
80 to 85 °C. Boiling water spoils the sweetness of white tea.
How long should white tea be steeped?
7 minutes for a Pai Mu Tan, 10 to 15 minutes for a Yin Zhen. It does not become bitter.
To go further
Written by the LBDT Sommelier, La Boutique du Thé, official Mariage Frères stockist in Bordeaux and Nice since 1999. Published on 15 October 2026. Prices as observed on the date of publication; the price shown on the product page prevails.
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