White Tea
  • Pai Mu Tan (White Peony) white tea, loose leaf: delicate, floral and airy
  • Pai Mu Tan (White Peony) white tea from Porter Hill, delicate and floral
  • Pai Mu Tan (White Peony) white tea – loose leaf detail 3
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Pai Mu Tan (White Peony)

Large white tea leaves make a pale, delicate cup with soft floral notes.

Caffeine
Contains caffeine
Brew
1 tsp · 80°C · 3 min
Milk
No milk needed
Best
Quiet afternoon
China
£3.60
£3.60
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Weight
  • Packed by hand in Huddersfield
  • Packed by our Huddersfield team
  • Free UK delivery from £35
Which size should I choose?

50gTry it first, or keep a few different teas open.

100gA sensible everyday pouch for most tea drinkers.

200g+Best when it is already part of your tea shelf.

Larger packs usually suit repeat favourites; smaller packs suit discovery.

One-time purchase is the default. If you choose a subscription, orders repeat at your selected frequency. Read the cancellation policy

Is this your cup?

Those who want a pale, delicate, gently floral cup that's hard to over-brew.

Perhaps not if you want a strong, dark tea. Try Golden Heaven Yunnan →

Good together

Postage & the practical bits.

We hand-pack your order in Huddersfield. Free standard UK delivery from £35. Delivery options and charges are confirmed at checkout.

Delivery detailsReturns

Get to know your tea.

Where the tea was grown

China

Explore the ingredients

White tea
View full details

Chinese White Peony tea

A pale cup with quiet detail.

White Tea

Pai Mu Tan, or White Peony, uses large minimally processed leaves for a delicate cup with soft floral notes, orchard-like sweetness and a silky finish.

Delicate does not mean forgettable.

Character
Delicate · floral
Water
80°C
Time
3 minutes
Choose your pack Explore all speciality teas

Chinese white tea

A pale cup with quiet confidence

Pai Mu Tan is where many people find their way into white tea. Light but not watery, gently floral, forgiving if you steep it a minute too long. A good one for slow afternoons.

Origin
Fujian, China
Caffeine
Low
Milk?
No
Best time
Afternoon
Pai Mu Tan (White Peony) white tea from Porter Hill, delicate and floral

The story

The one bud, two leaves standard

Pai Mu Tan uses more of the plant than its finer cousin Silver Needle. Each spring harvest in Fujian gathers an unopened bud and the two youngest leaves beside it, then lets them wither naturally in the air with barely any handling. That restraint keeps the tea pale and soft, but the extra leaf gives it a bit more presence in the cup.

Brewed, it pours a clear straw-gold. The aroma is faintly honeyed, with orchard blossom floating somewhere in the background. On the palate you get gentle melon sweetness and a whisper of hay, finishing smooth and clean without a trace of bitterness. It rewards patience: sit with it, let it cool a little, and more shows itself.

This is a tea for the gaps in the day. Not the first-thing-in-the-morning alarm clock, not the after-dinner wind-down, somewhere in the middle when you want flavour without intensity. A book, a biscuit, an unhurried hour.

How to brew it

Brewing a proper pale cup

01Hot

Amount
1 tsp (2g)
Water
80°C
Time
3 minutes

Use water off the boil for a couple of minutes. Pale gold is right.

02Second steep

Amount
Same leaves
Water
80°C
Time
4 minutes

Add a minute or so. You can get two or three good rounds.

03Cold brew

Amount
3g per 250ml
Water
Cold
Time
8–10 hours

Steep in the fridge overnight for a delicate summer drink.

Shop tip: If the first cup tastes thin, add a pinch more leaf next time rather than steeping longer. White tea stays gentle but the flavour fills out.

Made for moments like

Quiet reading hour

A pot beside the sofa, a novel going nowhere fast, rain on the window. This tea suits the mood.

After a big lunch

Something light when you want a drink but not a caffeine hit. Refreshing without being heavy.

First white tea

If someone asks where to start with white tea, this is the one. Approachable, forgiving, genuinely enjoyable.

Lovely withShortbreadLight fruit tartSoft cheese and crackersAlmond cakeFresh melon

Weighing it up?

Not quite what you’re after? Try these.

Snow YunnanSnow YunnanChoose Snow Yunnan if you want a white tea with a fuller, smoother body.From £4.85 Cream Earl GreyCream Earl GreyChoose Cream Earl Grey if you want bergamot citrus and a richer black tea base.From £4.65 Margaret's Hope Darjeeling 2nd Flush TGFOPMargaret's Hope Darjeeling 2nd Flush TGFOPChoose Margaret's Hope Darjeeling if you want muscatel complexity and a brisker cup.From £6.45

Good questions

Things people ask us in the shop

What does Pai Mu Tan taste like?

It brews a pale, straw-gold cup with soft floral notes, gentle melon sweetness and a clean finish. There is no bitterness and hardly any astringency, making it one of the most approachable white teas.

Does Pai Mu Tan contain caffeine?

Yes, but less than most teas. White tea is naturally low in caffeine, so it suits afternoons when you want something lighter than a strong black brew.

Should I add milk to white tea?

We would not. The delicate flavour gets lost under milk. Enjoy it plain, perhaps with a light biscuit on the side.

How many cups will a 50g pouch make?

Using roughly 2g per cup, a 50g pouch gives you about 25 cups, enough for a few weeks of afternoon brewing.

How should I store Pai Mu Tan?

Keep the pouch sealed in a cool, dry spot away from strong smells like coffee or spices. It will stay fresh for months if you look after it.

Full product details

Pai Mu Tan, or White Peony, uses large minimally processed leaves for a delicate cup with soft floral notes, orchard-like sweetness and a silky finish.

Delicate · Floral · Airy

Meet White Peony

This is a fine place to begin with white tea. The cup is light but not empty, with gentle sweetness and enough leaf character to reward unhurried drinking.

Ingredients

Chinese white tea.

Brewing guide

  • Amount: 1 teaspoon per cup
  • Water: 80°C
  • Time: 3 minutes

Contains natural caffeine. Best enjoyed without milk.

Pai Mu Tan FAQs

What does Pai Mu Tan taste like? Large white tea leaves make a pale, delicate cup with soft floral notes.

Does Pai Mu Tan contain caffeine? Yes. As a white tea it naturally contains caffeine. For a later cup, Rooibos is a gentler choice.

How do I brew Pai Mu Tan? Use one teaspoon per cup with water at 80°C and steep for 3 minutes. Taste it, then adjust the time next round rather than stewing the leaves.

Can I have Pai Mu Tan with milk? We wouldn't. It is at its best on its own.

How should I store Pai Mu Tan? Keep the pouch sealed and somewhere cool, dry and dark, away from strong smells like coffee or spices.

Put the kettle on, gently

Pai Mu Tan is hand-packed in Yorkshire and ready to post. Free UK delivery on orders over £35.

Choose yours · from £3.60

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