When it comes to tea, we are talking about those beverages that we make with leaves, flowers, fruits or other parts of some plants. That is until you consider the Camellia sinensis, or what we know as the “tea plant”; which many experts consider as the “true tea”.
Part of those options you have to make tea from the tea plant is the green tea. Green tea is one of the most popular even though it tastes like grass. You have also more processed ones like the black tea and the oolong teas; each of which have their distinct aromas.
And you have also the white tea, which is one other choice you have from the Camellia sinensis. But what does white tea taste like? Is it too herbal tasting? Is it completely different as you may expect? Let’s take a tour of those teas to check how they taste.
Does the white tea taste like grass?
First up, let’s talk about what does white tea taste like, and more importantly; what white tea does not taste like. Let’s see if that kind of tea have an herbal taste, just like green tea may have. Does the white tea taste like grass?
The answer is no: The white tea does not taste like grass. Maybe the statement about the green tea tasting “like grass” may sound a bit harsh for you; but, you have to remember how those are processed to get to that state.
In the case of the green tea, there is not that amount of processing that others like the black tea may require. And thus, that taste of green leaves stays predominant.
This is not the case for the white tea at all. The white tea is different in a way sugar is different from salt; they are night and day. And speaking of sugar, this kind of tea tastes a bit sweet compared to others.
The variance of the white tea compared to others is that this kind of tea is not as processed as the black tea and the oolong tea. This time at least the leaves get wilted which makes the change really apparent.
The flavor of this tea is often described as sweet. That sweetness is not that sugary though, is more subtle. Some sources also describe the flavor of this tea as somewhat slightly malty; similar to a very soft white beer. It also has a very delicate and perfumed taste.
Why white is more expensive than others?
After having answered what does white tea taste like, you may be assuming that, while is not as processed as other kinds of tea, it has some preparation to get it. Being like this, you may think that because of this, white tea should be less expensive than others, right?
In this case, you may be totally wrong. The white tea is an expensive kind of tea to drink compared to the other real teas. It is weird because it comes from the same plant as all the other kinds of true tea so, why white is more expensive than others?
For starters, the white tea is harvested from the young leaves of the Camellia sinensis (the tea plant as we know it). We are talking about the tinier ones, the ones that has not been developed yet. After taking those buds, these are dried up and wilted but not oxidized at all. This makes them very delicate.
Since this whole process takes time, since you need to also look for the white pekoe hairs that grow in that state, and also because the production is not as big as say the green tea production would look like, the prices go up and you have a very delicate taste from a tea that is also more expensive than the others.
Is white tea better for you than green tea?
Again, after having talked about what does white tea taste like, you may be wondering: Is white tea better for you than green tea? After all, they come from the same plant and thus it should be almost if not as healthy than any of those, right?
The truth is, white tea is healthier than the green tea even though they come from the same plant. And what is the difference you may ask? Well, it is all about their contents and the processes they undergo until they reach their final form, the one that you can drink.
The white tea is known as a good source of antioxidants, and while the green tea can also have antioxidants, the amount could be up to three times higher on the white tea. And the fun part is that this same number of antioxidants present on the tiny leaves used for making the white tea carry on forwards to the tea.
And on the topic of caffeine, the values are a bit lower on the white tea than on the green tea. A cup of green tea would contain around 20 milligrams of caffeine, while a cup of white tea would just contain around 15 mg of it. Not an insane difference, but less caffeine is preferable.
There are also some studies that claim white tea can be beneficial for our immune systems, pointing out that the tea can inactivate some viruses and bacteria better than the green tea could do it. And there are also some benefits from these teas against obesity.
Conclusion
When it comes to what does white tea taste like you should know that, while all other kinds of true teas come from the same plant, they do not taste the same. And there is nothing truer for the white tea than this statement.
White tea is generally described as a very soft, very lightly sweet tea, which some little resemblance to a malt like white beer and, in some cases, a softly perfumed aroma that is so nice for many people. This may also explain why it can be as difficult to harvest, to produce, and why is it that expensive, compared to others.
Some sources also say it can be even healthier than drinking green tea. This is because of its high contain of antioxidants and less quantity of caffeine compared to that type of tea, which is great from a beverage that comes from the same plant!
