Rare Teas: Ceylon Silver Tips White Tea by The Tea Makers of London

Recently I got to try a rare white tea from The Tea Maker's of London's Rare & Limited Collection. The Ceylon Silver Tips White Tea is a delicate, refreshing and gentle tea, but what makes it a rare tea?

The Tea Makers rare Ceylon Silver Tips single-origin White Tea originates from Sri Lanka and is made with high quality, hand picked, unopened buds that are sun-dried. This tea is most known for having long, velvety and silver leaves or silver needles that are covered in a white-silvery hairy layer giving it its fuzzy look. And it's this that makes it a beautiful and rare tea. As soon as spring starts, the tea plants start producing buds that have that pointed needle look to them. They are the most prized part of a tea plant and are harvested early which is why they have high antioxidants. Also, only so much can be harvested every season which is another reason for its rarity.

Flavour & Aroma:

The Silver Tips has delicate flavours of honey, pine and orchid. It produces a sweet and refreshing tea, with an aroma of sweet honey. I love the unique, floral notes in this tea and find it so much more interesting than green tea. White Tea has been at the top of my list for some time now, and this one especially is so easy and enjoyable to drink. I just love looking at the long, fuzzy leaves in the teapot. It's a relaxing and gentle tea that reminds you to slow down, breathe and take in a moment of calm. It produces a subtle colour ranging from ivory to champagne hues. I enjoyed this tea in a Japanese Kyusu but it will also be perfect in a gaiwan or a small teapot. Sipping on this tea makes me think of a calmer time in my life, wondering through beautiful gardens, smelling different flowers and being out in nature.

Brewing White Tea:

For most white teas, similar to green teas, you cannot use boiling water, as this will burn the leaves and make the tea taste very bitter. For this particular tea:

~ Use 1-2 grams of tea

~ Heat 200ml of water to 70°C or 158°F

~ Infuse for 2-4 minutes

Some of the Benefits of White Tea:

1. High in Antioxidants: Because it's the least processed tea, it retains a high amount of antioxidants. It contains a type of polyphenol called catechins , which is a molecule that acts as an antioxidant inside the body.

2. May reduce risk of heart disease: Several studies suggest have found that the polyphenols in white tea may help relax blood vessels and boost immunity.

3. May help fight cancer: The antioxidants in white tea can also protect normal cells from damage by harmful molecules and can help suppress the growth of cancer cells.

4. Helps protect skin: Many studies have found that the polyphenols in white tea can suppress certain cells that could be damaged from UV rays and aging.

The Tea Makers of London:

I love that this company has such a wide range of teas including their rare & limited collection. It really shows their passion for tea and pride in providing customers with authentic and high quality tea from around the world. They view each rare tea like a fine wine, with each one having their own individual personality, traits and back story. I feel that not only should we appreciate these beautiful teas, but appreciate the hard work that goes into them. (I'll be delving more into this in a future blog post)

Rare teas:

There is a huge amount of tea out there including different blends, from different regions, all with different tastes and aromas. Just like aged wine, there is also aged and fermented tea (Pu Erh), but unlike wine, all types of tea have so many health benefits, which makes it a beverage to have daily!

I love that every tea out there has its own unique taste and personality and that's the intriguing part of drinking tea, to discover a new flavour note or aroma. I have also started keeping a tea journal of different teas I have tasted to write down their flavour and aroma to compare to other teas. If you haven't yet delved into the world of tea or are still using cheap tea bags, I urge you to take a step forward and try something different, especially something that is out of your comfort zone. Trying new teas, especially loose leaf and rare teas is so exciting and you'll soon start to recognize different flavour profiles, aromas and get to see what you like and don't like. Not only will you experience something new, you will also be supporting the tea farmers around the world, and this is something so important!

I only review and post about teas that I actually like and would recommend, otherwise what's the point?! But this tea is definitely one to splurge on. To discover more of their teas and rare teas, check out their website. Also let me know what tea you have tried which is a rare tea!