Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Steenbergs Organics
Tea Description:
Steenbergs Organic White Tea is an Organic Pai Mu Tan – literally White Peony – is an organic white tea from the Fujian Province of China. Pai Mu Tan is sometimes spelt organic Bai Mu Dan. Organic white teas – which were the favourite tea of Emperor Hui Tsung in 1100AD – are the least processed of all organic tea drinks. The organic white tea leaves are dried on the ground or on a shelf in the sun. Then, these organic white teas are immediately dried without any rolling and packed. It’s the rolling process that would normally have started the oxidation of the organic tea leaves – for organic green teas, firing occurs soon after rolling to prevent any significant oxidation. As a result, organic white teas release the least amount of caffeine of all teas (generally 5 -10mg per cup) and have a flavour as close to the fresh leaf as you’ll get.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am so impressed with these leaves! They look so fresh – some of the freshest white tea leaves I’ve ever seen! They’re actually variegated shades of pale green to silver, rather than dull grey and brown the way so many other Pai Mu Tan teas that I’ve encountered appear. The look as though they could have just been plucked!
And the quality of the leaves is evident in the flavor. This tea is sweet and delicate in taste, with lovely notes of fresh hay and crisp, clean mountain air. There is a very pleasant creaminess to this cup as well as hints of flower in the distance. The creaminess, as well as the crisp, fresh flavors has a very comforting effect, making this an ideal tea to enjoy as evening approaches and you want to unwind a bit after a hectic day.
This is a really fine quality Pai Mu Tan – but then, I’ve come to expect nothing less from this company… one that a few months ago was rather unknown to me, but now, even though I’ve only tried fewer than a handful of teas from them, I’m very impressed with everything that I’ve tried. They seem to strive to deliver nothing but the best, and it shows!
