Both Silver Tips and Golden Tips are varieties of Pure Ceylon White Tea that originate from the same plant, Camelia sinensis. Like all true teas, such as white, black, green and oolong tea, the distinction between Silver Tips and Golden Tips arises out of differences in the styles and methods of handling and processing the delicate raw buds.
Ceylon White Tea is produced from a special cultivar of Camelia sinensis, classified as “TRI 2043” by the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka. This particular cultivar was discovered by accident as early planters in Ceylon aimed to develop cultivars that were naturally resistant to the blight that was, at the time, devastating Ceylon’s coffee plantations. It was observed that this cultivar, which later became TRI 2043, produced buds that displayed a purplish hue and possessed significantly more hairlike structures (trichomes) than other cultivars.
Silver Tips
These properties resulted in a beautiful white, silvery coloured needle tea when the delicate buds were left to dry under the tropical mountain sun; hence the name “Silver Tips/Silver Needles”. Even more importantly, the beauty and attractiveness of this particular variety of tea ran more than skin deep. Silver Tips was found to possess an incredibly aromatic, pale-yellow brew with hints of honey and pear that was refreshing, light and luxurious.
Turning Silver to Gold
Eager and innovative planters of the day, in the late 1800s, having discovered the wonders of Silver Tips and the unique nature of the white needle tea produced by the TRI 2043 cultivar, looked for ways to enhance the qualities and flavours of this new Ceylonese treasure.
They soon discovered that misting the delicate raw buds with the finest brews of the estate, while they dried under the tropical mountain sun, gave way to a golden coloured needle tea with an even more exotic appearance, together with a more sophisticated flavour profile and aroma. Thus, giving rise to Golden Tips/Golden Needles.
The misting process adds minute quantities of tannins and other compounds, naturally present in black tea, which make for an enchanting golden appearance and a beautiful pale amber coloured brew with notes of honey and pine. It is this step that also produces Golden Tips’ unique velvety mouthfeel.
The Purest, Most Natural Tea
Pure Ceylon White Tea is the purest and most natural form of tea as it goes through the least amount of processing, preserving its natural goodness. The rarity, purity and unique flavours of both Silver Tips and Golden Tips have earned a legendary reputation through the ages, and resulted in them often commanding top prices.
Ultimately, what separates the two is just a single extra step in the process of handling the delicate buds after they have been picked. In the case of Silver Tips, the handpicked buds are allowed to dry under the tropical mountain sun and the watchful eye of an experienced teamaker. Thus, making it the purest and least processed form of tea.
Golden Tips on the other hand enjoy one additional step in the process as they are lovingly misted with the best golden brews of the estate while they soak up the sun. Although simple in principle, this step is a heavily involved, labour intensive process that requires years of experience to get right, making Golden Tips even rarer and often dearer than Silver Tips.
