Although all teas derive from the same plant, the Camellia sinensis, the minimal preparation of white tea places it at the most pure, unprocessed end of the tea spectrum. White tea leaves and buds are harvested before they are fully open, then quickly dried, forgoing the lengthy oxidation process required for black and green teas. And of all the white teas, Baihao Yinzhen, or “silver needle” tea, is the most delicate and prized—this rare variety is prepared using only the buds of the plant.

Baihao Yinzhen, like all white teas, is harvested in the Fujian region of China, but unlike other varieties such as Bai Mu Dan and Shou Mei, it can be harvested only during two to seven days per year, when the closed buds look like tiny silver needles. The appearance of the spiky buds isn’t Baihao Yinzen’s only neat visual trick, however; when brewed, the surface of the tea appears silvery. This is due to the high levels of Hao, the downy material that coats tea leaves and floats to the surface of the liquid. Hao is high in antioxidants and lends the tea a slightly sweet taste and silky consistency.

Widely considered a luxury tea, Baihao Yinzhen is shrouded in legend. One tale has it that long ago it was sought by villagers in the Fuijian Province for its supposed ability to end a drought in the area, and it was eventually wrested from a black dragon by a young girl who saved the villagers. Others claim that it was harvested by virgins wearing white gloves in the garden of the emperor, who was the only person allowed to drink it. Whatever the true story, we are fortunate that today this special tea is available for anyone to try

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