Ceylon Silver Tips Whole Bud White Tea — Rare & Authentic

What Silver Tips Is

Silver Tips is made from a single part of the plant: the unopened leaf bud — the tender tip, still wrapped in fine, silvery-white down. No mature leaves, no stalk. Those buds are hand-plucked and then barely processed at all — simply withered and dried, never rolled, never oxidised like black tea, never fired like green. It's the most gently made tea there is, which is exactly why it tastes so pure and delicate.

Why It's So Rare

• Buds only: a plucker gathers just the single tip from each shoot, so it takes a huge amount of careful hand-work to make a small amount of tea. Yields are tiny.
• Hand-plucked, hand-made: no machinery — selective plucking and gentle withering, the most delicate craft in the tea garden.
• Ceylon's flagship: Ceylon Silver Tips has long been regarded as one of the finest and most expensive teas in the world — the tea a Ceylon estate is proudest of.
• Whole, intact buds: what you receive is loose silvery buds, not broken leaf or dust — you can see the quality before you brew it.

Taste & Character

The most subtle, refined cup Ceylon makes. Silver Tips brews a very pale, pale-gold liquor with a soft, naturally sweet character — gentle notes of honey, hay, and delicate florals, with a clean, lingering, almost weightless finish. There's virtually no bitterness or astringency when brewed with care. This is a tea to sip slowly and pay attention to, not a bold everyday mug — its whole appeal is finesse.

How to Brew (Gently)

Silver Tips rewards patience and cooler water. Don't rush it and don't scald it.

• Water: ~80–85°C (175–185°F) — hot, not boiling.
• Leaf: be generous — 1.5–2 teaspoons per cup (the light buds weigh little).
• Time: 3–5 minutes. The flavour unfolds slowly; give it time rather than strength.
• Multiple steeps: the buds give several gentle infusions — re-steep, adding a little time each round.
• Enjoy it plain: no milk, no sugar — this is a tea to taste on its own.

A Tea Worth Gifting

Rare, beautiful in the cup, and instantly recognisable as something special, Silver Tips makes an exceptional gift for a tea lover, a host, or a client — the kind of present that's clearly been chosen with care. It's the jewel of a Ceylon tea collection alongside our black and green estate teas.

Product Details & Specifications

• Product: Ceylon Silver Tips white tea — whole unopened buds, loose
• Type: White tea (minimally processed — withered & dried only)
• Origin: Sri Lanka (Ceylon), high-grown
• Plucking: Hand-plucked, bud only
• Sizes: 25g · 50g · 100g · 250g · 500g · 1kg · 2kg · 5kg (bulk sizes to order)
• Caffeine: Naturally contains caffeine
• Storage: Airtight, cool, dry, away from light and strong odours

Storage & Freshness

• Keep the buds in an airtight container away from light, heat, moisture, and strong smells — delicate white tea absorbs odours easily.
• Store dry; don't refrigerate.
• Enjoy within a year or so of opening to catch it at its most fragrant.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Silver Tips white tea?

It's a white tea made only from the unopened leaf buds of the tea plant — the silvery, downy tips — which are hand-plucked and then simply withered and dried. Because it uses only the buds and is barely processed, it's rare, delicate, and prized.

How is white tea different from green and black tea?

All three come from the same plant; the difference is processing. Black tea is fully oxidised (bold, dark), green tea is heated to stop oxidation (fresh, grassy), and white tea is the least processed of all — just withered and dried — giving the softest, most delicate cup.

Why is Silver Tips so expensive?

Because it's made only from the buds, hand-plucked one tip at a time, in tiny quantities, with careful hand-work. Little tea comes from a lot of labour — which is exactly why it has long been one of the world's most sought-after teas.

How should I brew it?

Use water around 80–85°C (not boiling), be generous with the light buds, and steep 3–5 minutes. Enjoy it plain, and re-steep the buds a few times — the flavour opens gently rather than all at once.

Does it have caffeine?

Yes — like all tea from the tea plant, it naturally contains caffeine. The amount in your cup depends on how much you use and how long you steep.

Where is it grown?

On high-grown estates in Sri Lanka — the island world-famous for Ceylon tea, and the home of some of the finest Silver Tips ever made.