Anji Bai Cha is a rare variety among tea plants, a variant tea plant. And the color of its leaf buds can change with the seasons: pale white before the Qing Ming (the Tomb-sweeping Day), which will turn yellowish green at Gu Yu (the Grain Rain Day-Apr.19, 20 or 21) until totally green in Summer. The Anji white tea has a short harvest time lasting about one month, which makes it even rarer.
Although it literally called white tea, it is actually a kind of green tea since it’s white tea leaf buds made out of the green tea processing techniques.
During the harvest season, the tea farmers pluck one bud and two leaves from the tea tree. Spreading the new leaves out for four or five hours then fermenting according to a certain temperature and time. The tea leaves then will be dried to finalize the whole process.
The dry leaves are in yellowish green color, each piece contains one bud and 1-2 tender leaves.
Once brewed, Anji white tea will spread and release the fresh aroma quickly. The tea soup is smooth with sweet, refreshing after-taste. The brewed leaves are in light (pale) yellow color, soft and delicate.
You could find this green tea is easily to be re-steeped with a Gaiwan. Of course, an elegant glass cup is always the best partner of green teas. You will find the tea leaves spreading and dancing in the cup. The tea soup gradually changed, from light yellow to green.