I keep calling this tea Berry White, perhaps because I think it should be named for the singer or just a fun pun. However, its White Berry which is more descriptive than anything given this is a tea made up of White Peony, Silver Needles, rosehips, blue cornflowers, flavoring.
I had just enough in my sample pulled from a traveling teabox to try this both hot and iced. Both methods were steeped for 4 minutes in 175F water, as per the company’s recommendation.
I started with the hot tea since that is the more standard brewing method and thus my control for flavor. Though it is a pretty smooth, summery tea, it lacks the berry flavor I hoped for. Instead this, to me at least, tastes vaguely floral.
Iced, this is even more floral and that I attribute to the white peony base. In fact, if I didn’t know any better I would have thought I was drinking a glass of iced white peony tea as opposed to a flavored white tea. Though that might not seem like a bad thing for those who enjoy this type of tea, it is not what I have been promised and so I find myself disappointed.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Naked Teas Galore
Description
Smooth, light & refreshing berry tea!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Apricot Vanilla Creme from Tazo Tea. . . .
Apricot Vanilla Creme, a white tea by Tazo, one that I had never seen prior to the arrival of a traveling teabox. My past experiences with Tazo have been nothing special but this particular teabag has me intrigued. I blame the “creme” since that’s one of those trigger words that catches my eye. “Vanilla” is another. So when I saw this, I knew it was a tea I wanted to try.’
I opened the teabag and the smell of stone fruit and vanilla filled the air. As per the recommended steeping parameters on the teabag, I steeped this for 3 minutes at 175 degrees.
This actually is quiet nice. Definitely one of the better Tazo teas I have tried and thankfully it delivers on all that is promised. Apricot? Check. Vanilla? Check. Creme? Check. The base is also present and though I wish it was more muted, it is by no means offensive. It contributes a touch of bitter that slightly distracts from the flavors but is not as invasive as I thought it might have been.
All in all, I am impressed. This is flavorful and given its a teabag, its a no muss, no fuss sort of treat.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tazo Tea
Description
This treat of a white tea delights with hints of fresh apricot & Tahitian vanilla.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Murmur from Handmade Tea. . . .
I received this tea at the beginning of the year after a tea friend signed me up for a monthly subscription to Handmade Tea. It smelled awesome and was just full of strawberry bits and cacao nibs but the white peony base had me apprehensive. However, it was gifted to me and the smell caught my attention so I got to brewing.
I made this both as a plain cup of hot tea and as a chocolate milk latte. I steeped both for 4 minutes in boiling water as per the recommended steeping parameters. In the process I managed to spill chocolate milk all over the counter, the floor, and my pajamas but I suppose there’s no point crying over that now.
I tried the latte first and I am definitely picking up on those cacao nibs. This is a whole lot of cacao flavor and not much else. Honestly what it tastes like to me is a packet of rich instant hot chocolate that’s been made with water instead of milk because it’s got the almost dark chocolate flavor (and a fairly high quality one at that) but it’s thinner than a typical hot chocolate.
The hot cup allows for more of the flavors to stand out as they aren’t being drowned out by the strong chocolate milk flavor. The base tea is floral but also has a honeydew flavor as promised on the package. Unlike what’s promised on the package, I don’t quite get the “drizzled with honey” part this tea should have per its description. There is also less strawberry flavor than I expected given the copious amounts of that ingredient in the dry leaf. What I do get is a heavier/darker taste as each sip ends and I think that is the result of the cacao.
If I am being honest, this tea is lacking a lot of the flavors described on the package which is surprising because the dry leaf is clearly built up of a variety of different ingredients that just seem to get lost in the mix. It’s by no means a bad tea but I wanted a chocolate covered strawberry and all I’m getting is a dark and fruity white tea. I wonder if maybe a smaller cup or different steeping parameters could help coax out more flavors? Luckily I still have some left I can experiment with.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Handmade Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for more information regarding their monthly tea subscription.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Coconut Lychee from The NecessiTeas. . . .
Hello coconut and lychee. Definitely some great summer flavors, all atop a light white base. who wouldn’t love a pop of sunshine in their day? .
I enjoy both coconut and lychee and though I have not seen them together often, I can see them blending really well. Unfortunately, this wasn’t around when I placed my Necessiteas order last fall because I probably would have snatched this up quick. Luckily for me, there was a small sample lingering in a traveling teabox that came my way.
Comprised of white tea, organic coconut, safflower petals, goji berries and natural and organic flavors, the dry leaf not only smells delightfully of fruity coconut but looks quite lovely too. Steeped for 3 minutes at 185 degrees, I am left with a cup of tea radiating the smell of coconut throughout my kitchen.
Given the scent, it is no wonder that coconut is the strongest flavor component here. Thick and creamy and fresh, reminiscent of the white flesh of the nut itself. The base is a bit floral which ties in nicely to the coconut while helping to create the lychee taste. It is very nice but the tea itself is heavier than I anticipated in the sense that the mouthfeel is quite dense for a tea you would expect to be light and summery. I blame the coconut but I also don’t mind so much.
I enjoyed my sample of this blend but I don’t know how often I could reach for it before I grew tired. It certainly is nice every now and then but it’s potent and therefore I think this can get old quick.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
I have a feeling fresh lychees are near impossible to find for about 99% of us, so…. for all of those who have never tasted a lychee, this tea is for you. Lychees are, however, very tasty. They are sweet and a bit floral, and they pair extremely well with coconut and that’s exactly what I’ve done with this blend. For something extra fun, try this tea iced with a splash of rum.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Peony by Tea n’ Joy . . . . The Black Tea Drinkers’ White Tea . . .
Hello, fellow tea drinkers!
This week I officially got back my taste buds after being ill and I thought it was wise to partake in my first cup of white tea. So I figured that Tea n’ Joy’s White Peony was the way to go, for based on the description this tea is a perfect starter for black tea drinkers.
As far as white tea goes I didn’t know what I was expecting for my friends have informed me that white tea is usually very bland. Given that impression, I took that first sip and was pleasantly surprised. I will say that when I think of white tea I think of something that is light and cleansing and this brew did deliver that. But in addition to the palette cleansing, I was also greeted with a sweet after taste. It’s hard to put a description on it but the best that I can say is that it has a creamy sweetness. Also, White Peony goes amazing with cookies or biscotti. I myself used an almond chocolate biscotti and I did not regret it!
Now how hard is this tea going to hurt your wallet? Well at 4 oz it is priced at $18, 8 oz is $26, and $42 for 16 oz. So doing the math that is $4.50 an ounce which is normal for most loose leaf tea blends nowadays. Now I did not see an option to buy this tea as a sample outright but if you do make a purchase on their qualifying tea blends (White Peony is a blend that is qualified) you can receive two samples.
Given that this tea did appeal to me as an almost exclusively black tea drinker I will be sure to purchase this blend in the future. This blend has also motivated me to try other blends from Tea n’ Joy, their blend Earl Gray Moon is most definitely catching my eye.
See you for the next cuppa!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea ‘n Joy
Description
Also known as “Pai Mu Tan” or “Bai Mu Dan,” White Peony is the second-most famous white tea after Silver Needle (“Bai Hao Yin Zhen”). Its flavor is bolder and deeper than Silver Needle, making it an exceptional choice for new white tea drinkers, especially those who usually prefer black teas. Refreshing and faintly reminiscent of fresh apples with a lovely, lingering flavor.
