He was the famous Tea Emperor in the 1100's who was so preoccupied with his love of tea, and his pursuit of the perfect cup, that he lost his empire to invading Mongols. White teas are often picked when the buds are tightly enclosed in new leaves. These leaves maintain the silky white hairs that denote new growth. Since they have such little processing these hairs are often intact in the final product. Many believe that the more downy the leaves, the better quality and more delicate tea.
White teas are the closest to the fresh taste of pure tea leaves.
The tastes can range significantly based on the varietal of tea plant used to grow the leaves. Delicious hot, it also makes a surprisingly refreshing and hearty iced tea. Robert Fortune, the eccentric explorer who stole tea secrets and enabled the British to begin growing tea in India, spent several months at the Drum Mountain Monastery in the 1840's. Drum Mountain White Cloud from this region is a delicious and refreshing tea. The cup is light green and the flavor is buttery and nutty.