Giddapahar White Orchid – 2nd Flush from Darjeeling Tea Lovers

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  Darjeeling Tea Lovers

Tea Description:

This tea has been made from PURE AV2 plants at an elevation of 6500 ft. A specialised team of tea pluckers pluck the finest 2 leaf and a bud under the full moon beam. No wonder this tea is distinctive from the others.

It gets its name ‘WHITE ORCHID’ as Giddapahar T. E. Is situated in the town of Kurseong which is also known as ‘The Land of White Orchids’ as this valley produces some high quality WHITE ORCHIDS.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Wow!  Just wow!  This is a white tea?

When someone says “white tea,” thoughts of a pale, delicately flavored tea come to mind.  Even now, even after all the tea that I’ve tried, even after trying some intensely flavored, pure white teas … the majority of the white teas tend to have a very “light” overall characteristic, and therefore evoke the thoughts of a very soft taste.

But this white tea simply shatters those thoughts immediately, with the very first sip.  Yes, it does have a delicate quality to it, but, that certainly isn’t the first thing that comes to my attention.  I first note a sharp floral note that tells me exactly why this tea is called “White Orchid.”  This flowery note is not at all delicate!  It is there … and it is quite bold.

It isn’t until the tea cools just slightly that the delicate qualities of this tea come into focus.  Beneath the bold flavor of the orchid (which, I guess it could be argued is a rather delicate flower and perhaps the term delicate applies), there is a light, crisp note.  Here is where the real “delicate” quality that I mentioned previously comes in.  The flavor goes from a very powerful floral note to a much softer set of flavors … and while the presentation is on the delicate side, it is incredibly complex.  I taste layers of fruit (white grape, hints of peach, and even a honey-like tone that evokes thoughts of Honeycrisp apples), whispers of an airy quality, and sweet notes of vegetation.

This is one of the most amazing white teas I’ve yet to taste.  It is deliciously sweet, floral and possesses such an intriguing complexity.  It is refreshingly full-flavored.  This is a white tea for those who seek to challenge their previous thoughts about white tea.  This is unlike any white tea I’ve tried before, and I love it!