White Christmas announces on the tin that it is white tea with almond and vanilla flavors. When I opened the tin, there was an aroma that was none of the above. Then when I steeped the tea, the aroma was even stronger. It wasn’t white tea, it wasn’t vanilla and it wasn’t almond, but I couldn’t place it and thought at first it might be some kind of mint.
Time to cheat! Looking at the list of ALL ingredients in the tea, I see it! Ah ha! Cardamom! Of course! Ooooo, I really like cardamom! More lemony than mint, but still a high note rather than a deep one. There are also white chamomile blossoms, to remind one of snow.
Someone asked me tonight what white tea tastes like. I told them it often tastes the way hay sitting in warm sun smells, and that’s why some people prefer it flavored. I think this white blend should have plenty of flavor for anyone. Just don’t expect it to be merely almond and vanilla, since the cardamom is a powerful player here.
Harney’s sachets are intended for twelve ounces of water, not a mere five or six like most teabags. And since this tea resteeps, you can get quite a lot of tea from this tin of thirty sachets.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Harney and Sons
Description
Recline in front of a glowing fire while the snow drifts, and the tree lights twinkle. A sip from this warm and nutty blend completes the perfect winter wonderland. Features hand-picked white tea blended with almonds, vanilla and cardamom, accented by white chamomile flowers. Tin of 20 sachets. Each sachet brews a 12 oz cup of tea. Caffeinated.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Cap Chai from Beach House Teas
White teas have not always been my favorite kind of tea, but they have grown on me with every new flavor I try. Since I already like chai teas, I was predisposed to enjoy White Cap Chai from Beach House teas.
This is a wonderful take on the lighter side of chai. The white tea is earthy and smooth, and gently floral. It makes for a vegetal chai without being grassy like green tea. I was thrilled to find a new low caffeine option for chai that isn’t based in rooibos teas.
I adore the mix of spices in this tea, especially the addition of fennel. Fennel occupies that space between sweet spice and savory herb, and brings a new layer to the expected spices like cinnamon or ginger. Added peppercorns also play into the more savory earthiness of the flavors.
Despite some big chai spice players like cloves, anise, and cardamom, the spices themselves are gentle enough to still allow you to taste the white tea and more understated peony flavors. This kind of balance with a spicy tea really shows that the blenders at Beach House Teas know their stuff.
I will have to stock up on White Cap Chai to help balance out all the other black tea or rooibos chais I’ve got in my cupboard. White Cap Chai is versatile and unexpected, perfect for the changing of seasons or for my ever-changing palette for tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Beach House Tea Co.
Description:
White Cap Chai is a lighter version of the traditional chai making it delicate and unique. This beautiful chai is made with 100% organic white peony tea leaves and organic spices. It’s a modern twist on a sweet and spicy classic. The chai gives you a smooth, mellow taste with subtle layers of flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Peony from Swallowtail Tea. . . .
Whenever a tea company offers a sample pack, it’s a great chance to try out teas that you aren’t sure you’ll like. Recently I tried a sample pack of several different teas from Swallowtail Tea company and White Peony tea was a lovely new find.
I’m not always in the mood for white teas. They have a unique smooth, earthiness that is different than pu erh, black, or green teas. In the right blend, this is a winning flavor, in the wrong blend it ends up tasting strange. White Peony from Swallowtail tea was absolutely a winning white tea.
This tea is lightly flavored, mainly allowing the white tea itself to fill out the flavor profile. The tea brews up deep and golden with the buttery and earthy tones I expect from white tea. The floral peony is gentle but present, not at all like perfume, but instead much more natural like crushed dried flowers, or getting a whiff of blooming flowers from a garden as you walk past.
White Peony is a great spring and summertime tea. It is refreshing without being too vegetal or too sweet, and bright and floral without giving you hayfever. A perfect balance of butter and blossoms, suitable for a hot or iced mug on a sunny day.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Swallowtail Tea
Description:
This least processed of all our teas has a shimmering golden liquor with a delicate floral fragrance.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Day 24 of Plum Deluxe’s Tea Advent Calendar- Spoilers
Day 24. . .we are almost there to the end and I have to say, this has been a tea adventure for sure. Today’s tea had me giddy as soon as I saw the title. . . Snow Covered Blueberry White Tea! Squee!! I am not a black tea girl at heart and a good chunk of the teas in this advent calendar have been black tea based. So I’m beyond excited with the idea of this white tea.
White Tea, blueberries, and peppermint are not a flavor combo I’ve had before but I’m happy to give this tea a try. I prep my water up to the recommended 175F and allow the tea to brew for 4 minutes and cool for 2 more. Take my first sip and I am delighted.
Blueberries, white tea, and peppermint are all present flavors and not one flavor is more prominent than the other. I will say that I wish the peppermint flavor was a bit more highlighted just to elevate this tea a bit more on the festive level, but that is just me. Beyond that wish, this tea is delightful. The flavors are more on the lighter side so I can’t say that it wowed me away, but it definitely is a solid cuppa and one I won’t have a problem having another serving of. Just a delightful ditty to enjoy on this cold blustery afternoon.
I can see this blend being a great one to share with friends and families that may not necessarily be tea drinkers because it does have a lighter touch. A great tea to have on hand when you are looking for a lighter tea to carry you away!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
This tea is part of the tea advent calendar offered by Plum Deluxe.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Mango Madness from Blooming with Joy. . . . .
With a long and varied ingredients list, I have to say that the “madness” part of Mango Madness blend from Blooming with Joy is very fitting. We have white tea, rose hips, pineapple, mango, cranberries, rose petals, apple pieces, hibiscus, blueberries and more. Whew! There are a lot of flavors going on in this tea.
Believe it or not the white tea base holds its own against all the fruit inclusions. A pleasant, buttery, earthy undertone lingers at the back of each sip balancing the forward tropical sweetness.
With tart cranberries and rose hips along side sweet apples and mango, this tea is equal parts sweet and sour, like a bowl of fresh fruit salad. I don’t taste as many of the blueberries or pineapple pieces, or they get hidden behind similar flavors like hibiscus or mango. The berry juiciness of the hibiscus is the most prevalent fruit flavor, so this might not be the blend for you if you are looking for strong pineapple or mango notes.
A white tea with lush fruit flavors has a lot of potential to be your next favorite iced tea. With low caffeine and natural sweetness, it can be the perfect afternoon refreshment. I also found it to be pleasant as a hot tea, with so many fruits it almost felt like a fruit-boosted herbal tea. Not to mention all the fruits have vitamin C to keep your immune system healthy.
Dip a toe into some madness with Mango Madness from Blooming with Joy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Blooming with Joy
Description:
Ingredients: White Tea, Rose Hips, Pineapple Pieces, Mango Pieces, Cranberries, Rose Petals, Apple Pieces, Hibiscus, Blueberries, Natural Mango Flavor and Natural Pineapple Flavor
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!