Nai Bai Cha

This chlorophyll-poor cultivar produces a mild, pale infusion, the opposite end of the green tea spectrum from, for example, a Lu’an Gua Pian or a Gyokuro: if drinking those can be likened to a walk through the undergrowth, sipping Nai Bai Cha resembles nibbling on the crispest of cultivated vegetables. A slight earthiness evokes water chestnut and galangal, a touch of spice to the otherwise cool flavors of bok choi, carrot, and young bamboo shoots. It is a most refined green tea, suited perhaps for a stormy afternoon or a cleansing apéritif.