Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White (Blooming Tea)
Where to Buy: Alice’s Fine Teas
Tea Description:
Sweeping jasmine arch over a bright lily. This tea is mellow, even buttery, with a hint of sweetness from the jasmine. Absolutely delightful! Ingredients: Lily (said to enhance energy and to have a cooling effect), Jasmine (sweet fragrance, said to moisten the skin, ease anxiety and anti-inflammatory) and Silver Needle Tea
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
What a beautiful display! The pale green leaves of the tea open up to reveal a red-orange flower and an arch of white blossoms. Really pretty. This is a tea you’ll want to be sure to steep in a tall glass or teapot so that you can fully experience the bloom as it unfurls.
The color of the tea surprised me, it is a bit darker than other blooming teas that I’ve tried. It is still a light color – I’d say it’s light amber – but darker than the pale yellow liquor that I’ve experienced with other blossoming teas.
The flavor is delightful. It is sweet, smooth and floral, but, not in a soapy kind of way. The flavor of the white tea is prominent. It has a fresh, airy kind of flavor with notes of hay and sweet grass.
There is a creamy element to this tea as well – buttery – and a mouthfeel that complements the creaminess. The floral notes are definitely jasmine, with a lighter lily tone than I recall tasting with the Jasmine Fairy Blossoming Tea (also from Alice’s Fine Teas).
What a delightful tea experience – one that would be fun to share with friends.
Halo Blooming Tea from The Persimmon Tree
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
A beautifully hand-crafted blooming white tea that displays a ring of jasmine and amaranth flowers, with blueberry and peach essence.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
There are those who avoid blooming teas because they think they’re gimmick-y and that the tea they produce does not taste up to par. I used to be one of them! But, since that time, I have found quite a few blooming teas that are quite delicious. This blooming tea – Halo from Persimmon Tree Tea – is one of my newest favorites!
This tea is slow to unfurl; it did not completely open after the first infusion of five minutes. I infused the partially open bulb again, and after the second infusion of six minutes, I enjoyed a beautiful display. There was a white floral arch that extended to support a pretty bright pink flower.
In the first infusion, I found the floral tones to be sweet and soft, and they meld quite nicely with blueberry and peach flavors. The flavor of the white tea lends a delicate creamy note to the cup. With the second infusion, the floral notes were a bit stronger, but it was still a very delicious cup.
This is a really lovely blooming tea. I think it would be a perfect tea to serve at a tea party, it would surely make a great conversation starter!