An Ji Bai Cha

An Ji Bai Cha

Type: Green Tea
Origin: Zhejiang Province, China
Harvest: Spring, 2010
Tea leaves: One bud with two leaves
Taste: Clean and sweet with vivacious and exuberant flavours that combine spring floral scents, sweet sappiness, and a lush texture and beautiful floral top notes.

Price: ￡17.00 – 50grams SALE 50% OFF £8.50 - 50g

An Ji Bai Cha (also known as An JI White Tea) is a rare Green Tea that was thought lost for over eight hundred years until one bush was discovered in the 1980’s. The entire crop was propagated from that one bush by cuttings, An Ji Bai Cha is now one of the most sought after green teas in China. The Song Dynasty emperor, Song Hui Zhong, named this tea 'An Ji Bai Cha' because the colour of the brewed tea is the colour of white jade. 

An Ji Bai Cha (An Ji white tea) grows in a beautiful, natural environment in the mountains where special climatic conditions help create its wonderful appearance and character. Every spring, between April 5th and 15th, the new shoots burst through with leaves that are almost white in colour and some virtually transparent. An Ji Bai Cha (An Ji white tea), like other such rare teas must be processed with great skill to preserve the special characteristics. The tea is always hand-picked and then placed on bamboo mats for four hours to wither. The withered leaves are all then gathered up and put into a special tea drying machine. The tea is then, once again, placed into bamboo baskets for further drying and sorting. This procedure is carried out twice before the tea is graded and packed. This processing produces leaves are a distinctive pale yellow-green and almost feather like and slim.

The infusion is pale lemon in colour but absolutely crystal clear. The leaves unfurl in the water to show their translucent colour and give the drink a depth of flavour that belies its pale appearance. An Ji Bai Cha tastes clean and sweet with vivacious and exuberant flavours that combine spring floral scents, sweet sappiness, and a lush texture and beautiful floral top notes.

How to brew

• Use freshly drawn cold water

• Boil water & allow to cool for 4 to 5 minutes to about 80℃

• Use 3g tea leaves in a 350ml cup

• Steep for 1 to 2 minutes (or to your taste)

• Infusions: at least 3 times – don't remove the leaves from the mug, as once the water level is low, simply add more water and keep going until the flavour of the tea is gone

• Brewing vessel: Glass cup, gaiwan, glass or porcelain pot