Ah white tea, how do we love thee? Prettier, pricier and more precious by far, once reserved only for Chinese emperors to enjoy. Its delicate flavour, derived from fresh, young silver tea buds is mythic. But who knows if the legends are true? Was this tea only picked by virgins in white gloves? Does white tea really have the power to make skin look younger and more radiant? Or does it just taste beautiful?

Until about 200 years ago, White Tea was only for Chinese royalty. Today it is still revered but it’s also now used as an ingredient in many high-end beauty products and is becoming the new cosmetic fix for aging skin.

White tea became revered during China's Song Dynasty (960-1279). It was the choice of the royal court and was given as tribute to the emperor. White tea leaves and buds were ground into a silvery powder, which was then whisked in bowls during the Song Tea Ceremony. Today, with a renewed interest in this fine tea and remarkable discoveries about its health benefits, white tea is being increasingly enjoyed around the world.

White tea requires great care and effort to produce. Special tea varietals can be tended for several years before yielding their first harvest. Early spring provides the best white teas. When the time is right, workers carefully hand-pluck the silver buds and select tea leaves. There’s no plucking on rainy days or when frost is on the ground, so it can only be picked for a short time each year. White teas are high maintenance, but they’re worth it.

White tea is the purest form of tea from the Camellia Sinensis plant. It undergoes the least amount of processing, so it contains the most antioxidants and it also steeps the least amount of caffeine. Only the very young top leaves and buds, which are covered in a silvery white down, are used, giving the unopened leaf its white appearance. White tea is simply plucked and dried, giving it a fragile, flaky texture and a very light, gentle flavour. Unlike black or green tea, white tea is not rolled, and oxidizes only mildly, making it the least processed tea.