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!
Silver Needle from Whispering Pines
Usually, I’m like “WHITE TEA, WHAT IS THE POINT OF YOU?” but with this one, I think that I might have an inkling. I think that this tea bottles the spirit of that static electricity feeling that happens before a storm. It tastes like sweet flowers and quivering, excited air. It has a very distinct, kinetic-energy vibe.
My difficulty in untwisting this tea’s flavor is transparent. You, dear reader, are not sure whether you want to try this tea. My description is mangled and unhelpful, and I know it.
So I went over to the official description of the tea on Whispering Pines’ site for an assist. Surely THEY know what they made.
Um. They said, “Silver Needle has a dry leaf aroma of summer bluegrass and clover, where the wet leaf opens with wildflowers, jasmine rice, cinnamon, and a light touch of cannabis.”
This smells like… THE DEVIL’S LETTUCE? Really? I have a tragically limited knowledge of the Mary Jane, but I’m pretty sure this doesn’t. I sniffed it carefully and declare it Not Dank.
No, I’m afraid it smells like a summer storm on a bed of flowers.
But if you’re a more free-spirited type, please feel free to try some of this tea and get back to me about whether I’m right or wrong on this one.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Whispering Pines
Description
Our Silver Needle White Tea was harvested in early Spring 2017 and carefully processed to preserve the purity of the leaf. With pure nearly-opened buds covered in down white hairs, this tea is as beautiful to look at as it is to taste! Silver Needle has a dry leaf aroma of summer bluegrass and clover, where the wet leaf opens with wildflowers, jasmine rice, cinnamon, and a light touch of cannabis. The taste begins with a velvety sweet body with base notes of honeysuckle, horchata, and ripe pear. Mid sip presents a creamy feel similar to avocado and also hints at sweet clover and papaya. The aftertaste is reminiscent of osmanthus flower and a sweetness lingers on for minutes after the last sip. A fantastic silver needle!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
China White Tea from Capital Tea Limited. . . .
Sometimes…I just want a plain, simple white tea. Don’t get me wrong…that doesn’t mean that it’s inferior. That could not be further from the truth when I’m sipping and jotting down tea tasting notes for this White Tea from Capital Tea Limited. The more specific, lengthy name of this lovely white tea from china is called…Bai Hao Yin Zhen – Yunnan Da Bai Silver Needle 2016.
A Yunnan Silver Needle? Yes please!
Bai Hao Yin Zhen – Yunnan Da Bai Silver Needle from Capital Tea Limited features gorgeous, pure, long shiny silver buds that give off a notably sweet floral aroma.
Unopened – these leaves are STUNNING and produce an incredibly sweet and smooth nectar-esque tea liquor with complex flavor and aroma notes that fondly remind me of both apricots and melons…two of my favorite fruits from the time I was a tike!
Sometimes you can just lose yourself in simplicity but isn’t that what is needed from time to time? Especially after a long, stressful day, week, month, or YEAR? This tea whispers ‘YOU TIME’. Listen to the whispers…and enjoy a cuppa!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Capital Tea Limited
Description
| Gorgeous pure long shiny silver buds with a notably sweet floral aroma. These stunning unopened leaves produce an incredibly sweet and smooth nectar-like tea liquor with complex flavour and aroma notes reminiscent of apricots and melon. – 50g package |
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Thoughts on Darjeeling Silver Needle from The Kettlery. . .
Touted on its website as the most expensive and famous teas on earth its not hard to see why with its incredible flavor.
Truly this is a one of a kind tea. From beginning, the beautifully processed and dried young leaves, to the end, with its sweet after taste this tea is a master piece. It has a sweetness to it that is unlike anything I’ve tasted before.
What’s truly amazing is that it isn’t because of anything added to it.
The sweetness is simply because of where it was grown, harvested, and processed.
It has slight grassy notes as well but they are somehow different from that of ones found in green tea.The website also describes the sweetness as muscatel, which, when steeped correctly, is uniquely present in the undertones.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The Kettlery
Description
One of the most expensive and famous tea on earth from the mountains of Darjeeling. Darjeeling Silver Needle is a paradise for straight tea lover.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Candied Chestnut from The Tea Spot
The Tea Spot is one of those places you just know you are always in for a treat when you check out their blends. I recently had a subscription to their monthly tea plan and this lovely was part of one of the shipments.
Candied Chestnut is a blend of white tea, jasmine flowers, and chestnut flavorings, a unique gathering of teas for sure. I wasn’t sure about the chestnut piece but the rest- I’m always ready for a white jasmine tea.
Per the steeping parameters for this tea- I boiled water and allowed the water to cool for 3 minutes. Then I poured my water into my tea pot and allowed the tea to steep for 3 minutes. While I was waiting, I was for sure picking up the gorgeous floral notes coming from my tea pot. I couldn’t wait to dive in.
First sip and I have to say this tea is unique. At the beginning of each sip, you for sure get the floral notes, towards the middle of the sip, there is this nutty undertone that starts to announce its presence and towards the finish there is the familiar soft tendrils of a white tea base mingling with that nutty flavoring. I really did enjoy that floral sweet nutty twist this white tea blend is yielding. I can’t say I picked up chestnut or really a candied chestnut, but this unique flavor has me gulping this tea down cup after cup.
This is one of those amazing no nonsense teas. Simple yet full of flavor. What I love the most about this blend is that I get the best of both worlds- my beloved white tea and my jasmine but with a nutty twist.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
flDescription
This tea is not currently on the website but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
