PART I — Methodology. For this blind taste test, I tasted 16 different varieties of bottled and canned tea from local gas station convenience stores as well as 7-Elevens in my area.

As with other types of tea, the history of white tea dates back thousands of years. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), it was a luxury item, given as a form of tribute to the emperor of China.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Merrill J. Fernando’s eyes lit up one recent morning when his son Dilhan handed him a box of Twinings Pure White Tea. He quickly ripped open a tea bag and spilled its ...