Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Life in Teacup
Tea Description:
Production Season: Autumn
Production Region: Yunnan, Jing Mai
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow! I’m amazed at just how flavorful this Moonlight White Tea from Life in Teacup is. More often than not, when I brew a white tea, I find the taste to be delicate. I don’t mind the flavor to be delicate, mind you, but, Life in Teacup recommends to use boiling water on white tea rather than a lower temperature which is what I always use when it comes to white tea – and this will result in a stronger (that is, not delicate!) flavor.
I did not follow the recommendations of Life in Teacup, mostly because I am a creature of habit and when I get a white tea, I think automatically 160°F. So, that’s the temperature that I used. But I’m still getting a WHOLE LOT of flavor from this white tea!
It is sweet, earthy and possesses hints of vegetative notes. I find that the vegetative notes for white teas tend to be a bit more like “hay” than grass or steamed vegetables, and that is true in the case of this tea as well. But I’m finding this tea to be just a bit more on the earthy side than on the vegetative side. I’m also noticing a slight “spiced” quality to the tea as I continue to sip. Not “spicy” … but more like a hint of warmth to the cup that keeps the palate intrigued!
There is also a nice nutty flavor to this, and the nutty flavor accentuates the sweetness in a pleasing way. It’s a soft “textured” tea – it doesn’t feel or taste harsh. It has no bitterness to it. There is some astringency that I notice toward the tail … it sort of has that “tangy” pucker at the tail that is slightly acidic, and it is a really nice contrast to the sweet, soft feel and taste of the tea at the start.
A really enjoyable cuppa!
Organic Ancient Green Tuo Cha Pu-Erh Tea from Arbor Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Arbor Teas
Tea Description:
This compressed Green Pu-erh is made with top-quality sun-dried buds from the antique tea trees of the Jing Mai Mangjing region of China’s southwest Yunnan province. Many of these tea trees range from 800 to 1200-years-old with the eldest exceeding 1300-years-old! The flavor of this organic Chinese tea is mildly sweet with a character of gentle white and green teas. This Pu-erh is created using the traditional sheng processing techinque and aged for eight years. The infusion of this exquisite organic tea is light brown with a rose hue, yielding the flavor and aroma of malted grains and sweet apples. The faintest hint of earthiness that is characteristic of organic pu-erh tea can also be detected. Each tuo cha is individually wrapped and perfect for a medium sized teapot or can be broken apart to accommodate a single serving.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This Organic Ancient Green Tuo Cha Pu-Erh Tea from Arbor Teas is one of the nicest and most unusual Tuo Cha Pu-Erh Teas I’ve yet to taste.
The dry appearance of the Tuo Cha is the first thing that took me by surprise … it doesn’t look like the typical Tuo Cha … the leaves are green and yellow-ish (like straw!) and it looks a bit more to me like hay that has been compressed into bails than it does a Pu-erh Tuo Cha. The aroma is quite different too, normally, I experience a strong earthy note from Pu-erh, but the aroma here is rather mild.
The flavor of the first infusion is just as mild as the fragrance. And I’m liking this mellow attitude that I’m getting from this tea. It is light and sweet, reminding me more of a gentle green tea or perhaps a delicate white tea than a Pu-erh. It doesn’t taste earthy, brine-y or fish-y or any other flavors that are often associated with Pu-erh. It is vaguely reminiscent of the flavor I’d get if I were to sip the simmering water from a pot of farro rather than what I would normally taste from a Pu-erh, and I’ve got to tell you … I like that a whole lot!
The second infusion offers a slightly deeper flavor. The flavor is a little more earthy … but again, it’s not the same kind of “earth” note I’d get from a typical Pu-erh. This is more like the earthiness I’d taste from a Shou Mei white. Sweet, almost hay-like. Notes of flower to this cup as well. There is a slight dryness to this infusion that I didn’t experience with the first infusion. Where I liked the mild, mellow flavor of the first cup, I’m liking the sweet, white tea-like flavor of this second cup … I like that this tea has different things to show me as I take this tea journey.
The third infusion is my favorite so far! The flavor is sweet and has a distinct fruit-like taste to it. The above description suggests notes of apple, and I’d agree with that … there are hints of the sweet apple-y notes as well as whisper of tartness. Nice contrast. The earthiness is no longer present, this is much more like a hay-ish taste, with notes of the aforementioned farro and the fruit tones. A crisp, light sweetness to this cup. Very nice!
And this tea is still going strong! I like that this tea offers me a taste of the lighter side of Pu-erh … it is smooth and sweet, but it is much crisper and more delicate than the typical Pu-erh tea. If you are a fan of Pu-erh and are looking for something a little different, you should give this one a try. On the other hand, if you typically find Pu-erh to be a little too earthy or brine-y for your liking … this one will change your mind about Pu-erh!
A really delightful Pu-erh!