52 Teas has done a few houjicha/white tea blends, all of which I have enjoyed. I was particularly interested in this one because of the mulberries. If you have never seen mulberries, google them. They are cool looking. I have never eaten them or elderberries before. So I was definitely interested in trying this.
I always enjoy houjicha. It adds a warmth and toasty-ness to the cup. The white tea that Anne (mad tea artist at 52 Teas) adds usually rounds out the toasty-ness and gives it a fuzzy sweetness and maybe even a tad bit of floral flavor. Once steeped, this blend smelled fruity but I could also smell the toasty houjicha. Just like all the other houjicha/white tea blends from 52 teas, I really enjoyed this one. I can not speak to the specifics of how realistic the flavors of the berries were because aside from drinking this tea, I have never had them! What I can say, though, is that this tea was so good. I really like the fact that these berries are actually really sweet, and not tart (like raspberries or blackberries can be). I am actually now wanting to try elderberries and golden mulberries on their own to see if I like eating them. These ingredients are so different, and they really blend well with the tea leaves. I like that the houjicha/white tea brings this toasty warmth and the berries bring a sweet warmth.
Together they make a very enjoyable cup of tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green/White Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
Tea Description: One of my fellow tea blenders gave me the idea of blending Shou Mei (white tea) with Houjicha (roasted green tea) to create a base that’s mildly toasty. And I gotta tell you, I really like the result! The Shou Mei softens the rich toasty flavor of the Houjicha a little bit and creates a flavor that evokes thoughts of walking through the forest when the autumn leaves have fallen. (You’ll just have to try this to understand what I mean!)
The idea of walking through a forest after the autumn leaves have fallen brought thoughts of gathering berries to mind so I decided to turn that imagery into a tea! To the base of Shou Mei and Houjicha, I added some dried ‘wild’ berries: black currants, elderberries, blueberries and golden mulberries.
This is the kind of tea you want to brew a great big mug of and curl up in a warm, cozy blanket with a good book and that great big mug of this tea. It’s delightfully sweet and tart with a really lovely toasty tone. Deliciously different!
organic ingredients: white tea, roasted green tea, black currants, elderberries, blueberries, golden mulberries and natural flavors.
