Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  Culinary Teas

Tea Description:

Visually Sowmee is not a typical white tea, since it is sundried after special hand rolling. It’s pleasant toasty character is astringent and full flavored.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I tasted and reviewed this tea a couple of years ago.  That was my first experience with Sowmee white teas, and since that time, I’ve tried a few others.  I was very interested to revisit this tea and find out how I feel about that first Sowmee that opened my eyes to a different white tea.

My thoughts aren’t all that different now than they were back then – I still find this to be a much more robust white tea than other white teas with which I’m more familiar, like Silver Needle or Bai Mu Dan.  It is sweet and toasty.  In my first review of this tea, I thought it tasted a bit more like a Formosa Oolong, and I do still see those similarities, but today, I am finding this cup to taste a bit more like a Houjicha with its warm, toasty character.

Still a very enjoyable tea experience!  If you typically shy away from white teas because they’re a little too delicate for your taste, I highly recommend trying this Sowmee White Tea from Culinary Teas – it has a stronger taste and fuller body, I think you’ll like it!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  52Teas

Tea Description:

Here’s a tongue-tantalizing blend of premium white teas, dried peaches, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove and black peppercorns with natural flavors. My wife thought we should call it Peaches & Herb after the disco duo. All of our younger customers are now thinking, “Who????” which is why I decided to go with Peach Fuzz Chai.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This is one instance where I wish I hadn’t read the description of the tea before writing the review.  Because now, I can’t get the song Shake Your Groove Thing by Peaches and Herb out of my head.  Aarrgh!  Seriously, I had to go straight to my music collection and listen to something to rock that groove right out of my head.  If you’re suffering from the same irritation, click here.

Now, I can talk about this tea.

This is quite tasty.  The spices are really lively in this, which is how it should be for a chai.  I taste the clove very prominently, with the cinnamon and cardamom filling in the background notes.  The ginger and black pepper provide a nice little peppery bite that lingers into the aftertaste.  I find myself wondering how some star anise might do with in this, as I love that licorice-y taste of anise.  But, as it is, I like the way these spices have been blended.

The peach starts off a bit soft, and isn’t really too noticeable at the start.  It isn’t until about mid-cup, and in the aftertaste, when I notice the peach tones, and they are delicious and offer a nice sweetness to contrast with the spicy notes.

And the white tea is not lost in this blend!  Even though it’s in there, beneath the spices, I don’t have to search for the white tea flavor.  It has a light, crisp flavor and a smooth texture, with hints of hay notes that seem to brighten up the whole cup.

While this isn’t my favorite 52Teas chai, it’s really good, and a vast improvement over the Apple Vanilla White Chai.   I think that this one will be excellent iced too!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black & White Teas

Where to Buy:  Capital Teas

Tea Description:

A commemorative union of our bold Cream Earl Grey Black and our light and refreshing Cream Earl Grey White, enhanced with the essence of roses.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

One year ago today, there was a wedding that captured the attention of millions around the world.  This tea was created to commemorate that occasion, and what a lovely tea it is!

Because the tea base is a blend of both black and white teas, I opted for a fairly low brewing temperature (175°F) and a brewing time of 4 minutes in my Breville one-touch.  The results is a tea that is rich and creamy in flavor, where I can taste both types of tea as well as the tangy bergamot, the touches of cream and even the hint of rose.

The black tea flavor is much softer than one might expect from a black tea … a consequence from not only the lower brewing temperature, but also from the addition of white tea leaves in the blend.  The black tea doesn’t taste bold or strong, exactly, but the black tea does offer a certain richness to the blend that is quite nice.

The white tea is a less distinguishable flavor than the black tea, which is to be expected as white tea tends to be a more delicate tasting tea to begin with.  What I notice more than the fresh flavor of the Pai Mu Tan is the lightness in flavor its presence offers as well as a soft, creamy texture that is quite “white tea like.”

Each sip is enchanted with a sweet, vanilla cream taste that when brought together with the other components of this tea end up tasting a bit like delicious vanilla caramel.  YUM!

The bergamot is a mellow yet tangy citrus flavor that has hints of flower within its bright, sunny flavor.  These floral notes are further highlighted by the addition of roses to the blend.  The rose is sweet and pleasant, giving the cup a distinct feminine overtone – an enjoyable contrast to the somewhat masculine undertone of the bergamot.

What a beautiful tribute to the wedding that captured the imagination of so many, and gave little girls hope that anyone – no matter their status in life – could one day marry their prince.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  Rishi Tea

Tea Description:

Reserve White Tea with a sublime, sweet flavor and a rich, savory finish. 

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I did not find this particular Silver Needle on the Rishi website, I hope that it will be back in stock soon, because it is fabulous!

I chose to brew this cup in my gaiwan.  The leaves were so fluffy and soft, I just couldn’t bear to put them in anything other than my gaiwan, I wanted to enjoy these properly!

The aroma of the brewed cup is sweet, reminiscent of the fragrance of fresh hay in the clean, country air.  (Yes, I’ve smelled this.  I may live in a city now, but for most of my adolescence I lived in a small farming community town on a ranch, and I have a lot of experience with hay!)  It smells so clean and crisp and beautifully sweet.

And that’s very much what I taste, too:  a clean, crisp kind of flavor, fresh and slightly vegetal, with a hint of spice that arrives toward the finish to give it a savory kind of quality.  It is remarkably sweet and full of flavor, which is a little surprising as Silver Needle teas can sometimes be on the delicate side.  I do not find this tea to be delicate … at least, not in the sense of being softly flavored.  It has a delicate complexity though, with hints of flavors that seem to quickly present themselves to the palate and disappear almost as rapidly, causing the taste buds to perk up and say:  “what was that?”

I like that about Silver Needle tea, the overall cup may not always be delicate, but the nuances are often delicate in the way they present themselves.

I also like that this is an organic tea – as are all of Rishi’s teas!  I appreciate that they’ve set that kind of standard for themselves, so I know that when I’m tasting a Rishi Tea, I know that I’m getting a high quality, organic product.

And … if you haven’t done so yet, I highly recommend checking out their teaware … they are almost as drool worthy as the pages of tea that Rishi has available!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  Mandala Tea

Tea Description:

Although this amazing tea is pu’er leaf buds, it is best described and prepared as a white tea since it is picked in the late winter/early spring of 2011 and only sundried.  No other processing takes place.

The liquor is clear and the flavor is sweet and floral with hints of pine.  Complex flavors and yet so simple to enjoy.  Mild and pleasant.  This tea is rare and beautiful, as fresh as spring! 

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This is one of the more unusual looking teas that I’ve come across in my tea adventures.  These buds remind me of the tops of the grassy weeds that I used to run through when I was a kid … you know the ones that would deposit burrs in socks and then keep poking you as it got further and further embedded into the fabric of the sock, becoming more and more uncomfortable?  Well, the uncomfortable feeling never stopped me from running through those grassy fields when I was a kid, and this tea’s unusual appearance isn’t going to stop me from trying this tea!

It brews up to a very pale color … it almost looks like water that is in my cup, it is so pale.  But for such a light color, there is a lot of flavor to this.  I hadn’t read the description above until after I had taken my first couple of sips, and my initial reaction was that this tastes very much like a pu-erh.  It has that pu-erh earthiness to it, although it is more like a “white tea” pu-erh earthiness (which is quite appropriate for this IS a white pu-erh) than the darker pu-erh teas that I’m used to.

It also has some characteristics that I’d expect from a white tea, although it is not as delicate as most white teas I’ve tasted.  But this does have that hay-like quality to it that I often taste in a high quality Bai Mu Dan.

The sip starts sweet, with an almost immediate transition to the earthiness of the cup, and hints of hay, as well as woody tones and floral notes weave their way throughout the sip.  Towards the end of the sip, I notice a mineral-y kind of taste toward the end of the sip that settles on the palate.  The finish is slightly earthy with hints of fresh pine.

It’s quite a nice cup, and a different way to experience pu-erh.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  JK Tea Shop

Tea Description:

White moon light tea from Jinggu, is a kind a tea which does not fall into the six tea categories, due to its making techniques. Or to be more precisely, more people would like to define it as white tea; However, it also has its difference compared to white tea.

Invented by a Taiwan guy in Yunnan in 2003, this tea is made from big white hair big leaves tea trees from Jinggu. Only Jinggu has this type of tea trees, which is charaterized with silver tea hair. Its making process are summarized below: picking the fresh leaves; withering the tea leaves under the moon light to its complete dryness（unlike Pu Er tea, which must be withered under sun light); after the withering process is ok, then it is the finished product of white moon light tea. Since its witherness is conducted for a long time, it causes some interior oxidation by its interior enzymes. So that is why its tea liquid and aroma is so similiar to black tea. You will be surprised to see the tea liquid color turns to more and more red after several infusion.

Taster’s Review:

Dear Readers, I have a confession to make.

You see, I have a lot of tea in my possession.  Even before starting this blog, I had quite a stash of tea.  And at the time that we (Jennifer and I) started this blog, we received many wonderful samples from companies that wished to be featured on our blog.

Of course, we were very grateful for these opportunities, however, there was a downside.  That downside being that when we were offered these samples, I of course tried them (very enthusiastically!), but it left little time for the teas that I already had on hand, and those teas ended up getting buried underneath the new samples.

Recently, I embarked on a quest to try to gain some clarity and try to reorganize my stash.  I’ve been quite successful in this quest, I might add.  However, I’ve come across several teas that I had purchased at one time or another, and had forgotten about after receiving the aforementioned samples.

This happens to be one of those teas.  I purchased it in 2010, right about the same time that we started this blog, and it managed to get stashed away and forgotten.  And how sorry I am to have forgotten such a darling tea!

Yes, I know that time is not a tea’s best friend, however, this tea did remain in its sealed package until now, and after tasting it and comparing my thoughts about it with the above description from JK Tea Shop, I feel that the tea has managed to keep its flavors intact.  So, I think I shall proceed with this review!

I brewed this according to the suggestions on JK Tea Shop’s website using my gaiwan with 190° water and very short steeps (the first steep was just 10 seconds!)  The combination of my first two infusions (following a quick rinse) looked more like a very weak black tea than it did a white tea.  It also had flavors very reminiscent to a weak black tea.

The sip started out with me thinking that this tea was in fact too old, because there was so little flavor … tasting a bit like hot water rather than tea.  But after the tea swirled around on my palate for a moment, the flavors began to develop.  It had a deep earthiness and hints of spice in the background.  After a few sips, a floral note emerged, along with a pleasing sweetness.  The tea finishes soft with an aftertaste that has a sweet and sour quality to it that rests in the back of the throat.  Subsequent infusions had more color to them (looking even more like a black tea) and had a taste that reminded me very much of a golden yunnan.

With a tea that tastes this interesting after aging a couple of years, I can’t help but wonder how it might taste when it is fresh.  I think I shall be watching JK Tea Shop’s website for this spring’s harvest!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  Mandala Tea

Tea Description:

A very precious and delicate tea characterized by the fine white hairs on the leaf. This beautiful white tea is only harvested for a couple of days each spring. It produces a rich body and savory aroma. Rich in antioxidants, as well as other extremely healthful minerals, white teas are less astringent than green teas with all of the same benefits. Its light and smooth flavor make it ideal for accompanying food, or soothing in the evening due to its lower level of caffeine.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Ah!  What a sweet and refreshing tea!

I’ve tasted quite a few Silver Needle teas, and even though I’ve had quite a bit of experience with this type of tea, it never ceases to surprise me just how much flavor can be found in this delicate tea.  Light?  Yes.  Delicate?  Yes.  Void of flavor?  Absolutely NOT!

These Silver Needles are very soft and covered in tiny hairs.  I love touching them before brewing them, they’re velvety and soft … like a cloud made of plush fur.  The texture of the brewed tea exhibits this same luxurious softness with its silky smooth mouthfeel.

The flavor is incredible.  It has a sweetness that permeates every moment of the sip, while a complex set of flavors play upon the palate, from grassy and hay-like tones, to hints of spice and wood, to an airy kind of flavor that evokes thoughts of the air I would breathe if I were taking a hike through the woods in the spring.

Another exceptional tea offering from Mandala Tea.  I’ve been very impressed with their dedication to quality!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  The Rabbit Hole

Tea Description:

This little treat will have you swinging from the trees in no time. White tea mingles with banana for an easy to sip treat. Boost the sweetness with an extra dollop of honey if you’re feeling naughty.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

When it comes to bananas, I never really considered them to be a favorite fruit.  However, my actions seem to tell a different story.  When I go to Cold Stone Creamery, I seem to order the same thing:  Cake Batter ice cream with banana, caramel and almonds.  And I love banana cupcakes and ice pops.

But I don’t really like to eat them on their own.  And I don’t like banana Runts, in fact, on the rare occasion that I happen to have a bag of Runts candy (maybe once a year, if that?  I’m usually just sneaking a couple out of my daughter’s package of candy) I never eat the banana ones.  Interestingly enough, many people often say that banana flavored teas taste like banana runts, but I totally disagree with that, because I LOVE banana flavored teas!

And this banana flavored white tea from The Rabbit Hole may just be one of the best banana flavored teas I’ve tried yet.  It tastes like the fruit, only sweeter … but it doesn’t taste like banana runts.  It tastes more like the banana that I’d enjoy as its surrounded by the Cake Batter ice cream from Cold Stone.

The white tea tastes sweet with a hint of nutty flavor to it.  It has a smooth and creamy texture which lends itself very well to the ice cream comparison I made a moment ago.  I like that while the banana flavor is very distinct, it doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the white tea.

Served hot, it has a warm, soothing kind of effect:  like comfort food in liquid form.  Served chilled, it has a very refreshing, invigorating taste that both adults and kids enjoy.

I LOVE this tea!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Jas eTea

Tea Description:

“Snow Dragon” is made entirely from small bud shoots picked in a 3 day window of time when they are just the right size. They are meticulously hand-processed into these tight little curls. When brewed they will open slowly as they dance in the water. The brewed tea is almost totally transparent with a light fruity flavor akin to White tea.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This is such a cool looking tea:  the leaves are curled into spirals, and they “dance” while they’re brewing.  If you have a glass gaiwan or teacup, I recommend using it to steep this tea so that you can watch them dance!

The dry leaf has a very faint aroma that is vaguely vegetative – reminding me of the smell of the air in the morning after it’s rained all night:  clean and fresh and somewhat grassy.  The brewed tea smells a little stronger, like freshly steamed green beans.  The color of the infused tea is a very pale color – looking much more like a white tea than a green tea.

The flavor is much less vegetal than the fragrance would suggest.  Yes, there are some slightly grassy notes in there, but primarily what I’m tasting is a lovely sweetness.  It’s a very pure kind of sweetness, it doesn’t really taste like honey or caramel or any of those other comparative terms that I use to describe a sweet flavor.  This tastes so natural and clean – like fresh dew or mountain air.  This reminds me – again – of a white tea, and not so much of a green tea.

There are the faintest nutty tones in the background that also contribute to this sweetness, or perhaps they are highlighted by it.  Either way they work in a synergistic fashion to bring out the best of each.

After the first couple of sips, the sweetness shifts focus to a more fruit-like flavor – apricot?  There is a mild astringency to this tea, and the finish is sweet, with a sweet grass aftertaste.  It is in this aftertaste that I begin to recognize the green of this tea.

I love how this tea reveals itself in stages, showing first its dewy qualities, and then slowly giving me a little more flavor with the nutty tones.  Sometime afterward, the fruit tones arrive.  This tea keeps me guessing while giving me new flavors to explore.

What a memorable tea this is!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Capital Teas

Tea Description:

This connoisseur’s green tea has a stunning jasmine character with a full flavored cup and an incomparable aromatic nose; simply the absolute finest quality that there is! First flush peony silver needles are delicately hand-tied to form the shape of butterfly wings then infused multiple evenings with lightly scented jasmine flowers are laid atop the tea leaves to produce a tea as delicate as lace and elegant as Madam Butterfly herself.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

These little “butterfly” knots are so beautiful, they smell divine and they product the most incredible tasting jasmine tea!  They unfurl very slowly – it took five infusions before the leaves began to look more like Silver Needles than butterfly knots.  But that’s OK, because it means five very delicious infusions of tea!

The jasmine is strong, but, it doesn’t overpower the gentle flavor of the sweet Silver Needle tea.  It has a fresh flavor that is buttery smooth and slightly grassy.  There is no astringency to the cup, just soft, sweet flavor from start to finish.

What I like best about this particular tea is that the jasmine flavor is so abundant but it never tastes sharp or artificial.  It has a silky, luxurious flavor to it – a perfect match for the natural qualities of the Silver Needle.

If you’ve tried jasmine before but weren’t too sure jasmine tea was for you, I strongly recommend trying this Madame Butterfly Jasmine.  It’s exquisite!

Editor’s Note:  I originally called this tea a “white” tea in the leaf type, because it is a Silver Needle and it tastes very much the way a white Silver Needle tastes.  However, because the company categorizes it as a green tea, I changed the leaf type to green tea to avoid confusion.  Yeah… I know, I’m still confused.  Sorry about that.