Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Georgia Tea Company
Company Description:
A fine white tea flavored with champagne raspberry.
Taster’s Review:
There is no mistaking it – this tea definitely smells like raspberries and champagne.
And it tastes like it too. There is a pleasant sparkly taste that glistens over the palate… no it doesn’t actually have the “bubbly-ness” that champagne has, but I can taste that sort of fermented, sparkly taste in this. It definitely tastes like champagne!
The berry flavor is there too: bright, juicy, ripe raspberries. I can taste them here.
These two flavors really complement each other well; the taste of the champagne seems to bring out some of the sweetness and flavor of the berry, while the berries seem to heighten that sweet, fermented grape taste of the champagne. It is really a delightful marriage of flavors.
And let’s not forget about the white tea, because the flavor of the white tea does not get lost amid these strong flavors – in fact, it seems to enhance some of the more delicate qualities of the champagne and the raspberry flavors… something that I doubt a tea with a stronger presence could do.
I recommend keeping the brewing water temperature low (my water was about 165°F) and steep for a longer period of time (5 minutes or more – with brewing temperatures so low, you needn’t worry too much about bitterness if you steep it for 6 or 7 minutes, but I wouldn’t go further than that), and use a little more leaf than you ordinarily would (I use a tablespoon of white tea leaf rather than a teaspoon). This will – in my opinion – help you extract the most flavor as possible from this tea without worrying about having an overly delicate tasting brew. And… brewing it this way will also ensure that if you choose to ice it, your tea will still be just as flavorful iced as it would be hot.
