Organic Anji Baicha

About This Tea

Anji Bai Cha has a very short harvesting period, making it one of China's rarest and more expensive teas. Anji County Anji county is known for its cold winters. The tea leaves of the Anji Bai Cha tea bushes are always harvested when the temperature falls below 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The cold temperatures combined with the Anji Bai Cha tea bushes variety develop a rare albino effect on the tea leaves, making them very pale. This is due to the colder springs of Anji county, which causes the tea leaves to lose their chlorophyll content. Once the leaves are processed, they are a pale yellow color and waxy in appearance. The small window during which the tea leaves can be processed makes this tea type quite rare and exceptionally valued amongst tea enthusiasts in China and abroad. The tea leaves can only be picked during a 30-day harvest period. If harvested too late, the tea leaves would have already turned green and lost their iconic qualities and taste.  Similarly to teas that grow at very high altitudes, teas that grow in cold climates develop a large number of amino acids, doubling the amino acid content of other green teas, and making the tea incredibly sweet. The high amino acid content also contributes to the tea's deep umami, much similar to that of Japanese green teas.