W-IN-007
Darjeeling White
High-elevation whole-bud white, from Darjeeling, India.
White tea
Darjeeling White is strongest on sweetness, smoothness and aroma intensity. Typical tasting words: muscatel, orchid, peach, honey, grape. Pioneered by progressive Darjeeling estates in the late 20th century to create ultra-premium artisanal specialty plucks. Considered an exquisite afternoon cupping tea, prized in high-end western tea houses and tea auctions.
Also known as Darjeeling Silver Needles and Darjeeling White Peony.
The profile
Taste, 0 to 5
Flavour families, 0 to 5
Facts
- Origin
- Darjeeling, India
- Plant
- Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, clonal varieties (e.g. AV2)
- Harvest
- spring first flush
- Elevation
- high
- Oxidation
- 5 to 12%
- Roast
- unroasted
- Leaf
- bud and leaf
- Price band
- premium
- Availability
- fairly common
- Ageing
- a little
- Forgiving to brew
- 4 of 5
- L-theanine
- moderate
Made by: delicate hand plucking, then sun and room withering, then slow gentle drying.
Caffeine
A cup of Darjeeling White carries a typical estimate of 30 mg of caffeine, within a range of 20 to 40 mg depending on leaf amount, water temperature and steeping time. Figures are estimates for a 240 ml cup. Better earlier in the day if you are sensitive to caffeine. The caffeine planner turns this into a daily total.
How to brew it
| Method | Leaf | Water | Steeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western, 250 ml | 2.5 g | 75 to 85 °C | 3.5 min, 5 min |
| Gongfu, 100 ml | 3.5 g | 80 to 85 °C | 30 s, 40 s, 60 s, 90 s, 2 min, 2.5 min |
| Cold brew, 250 ml | 2.5 g | Fridge | 8 to 12 hours |
Up to 2 infusions. Scale for your own pot with the brew calculator.
Drinking it
- morning
- afternoon
- morning
- afternoon
- relaxing
Pairs with pastry, fruit and scones_cakes. Milk: no. Iced: yes. Sweetener: no. Good for beginners: yes.
Tasting words explained
Similar teas
- W-NP-012Nepal Silver Needle
shares sweetness and smoothness - S-GB-039Elderflower White
shares sweetness and smoothness - W-CN-002White Peony (Bai Mudan)
shares sweetness and smoothness - W-LK-008Ceylon Silver Tips
shares sweetness and smoothness - S-CN-005Jasmine White Peony
shares sweetness and smoothness - O-CN-023Anxi Huang Jin Gui
shares smoothness and aroma intensity
More: all white tea teas, teas from Darjeeling, India, or filter the whole drawer.