Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Radiance Tea House
Tea Description:
Like a symphony to the senses, you will discover an ensemble of fragrances that will delight the palette.
Taster’s Review:
This tea – the third and final tea from my March “Perfect Pairs” Steepster Select Box – is full of surprises!
Before opening the pouch, the name of the tea suggests to me that it is a white tea. “Snow Buds” sounds like a white tea, doesn’t it? And when I opened the pouch, I was greeted with large, pale green leaves covered in fluffy silver fuzz that gave it the appearance of a very high quality Bai Mu Dan.
The dry leaf aroma is fruity, reminiscent of fresh peaches, a scent I did not expect. My mouth actually began to water, it smelled so delicious.
The brewed tea is very pale, and again, it appears to be more like a white tea than a green tea. But the truth is in the flavor. And while it doesn’t taste as “green” as some other green teas that I’ve tried, for it lacks much of that grassy/vegetal flavor that green teas possess, it tastes more like a green tea to me than it does a white. Then again, it does have some similarities to a white tea, too.
The flavor is delicate, but not as delicate as a white tea. It has a creaminess to it, and it is remarkably sweet, reminiscent of rock sugar candy. The fruity tones are there too, with background notes of peach and possibly a hint of apricot. It is very smooth and has a broth-y kind of mouthfeel. There is virtually no astringency to this cup, only smooth, rich flavor.
Really, they can call it what they like. Green tea or white tea, this tea is fantastic. I am really glad that this was part of the Steepster Select box, and that I had this opportunity to try it. It is SO good!
Coconut Pouchong from Golden Moon Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pouchong
Where to Buy: Golden Moon Tea
Tea Description:
This South Pacific delicacy is composed of long, green leaves of rare elegance that produce a serene, light Cocount Pouchong tea. The subtle nectar of young coconut instills a tropical sweetness in this exquisite bouquet. Because of its simple sweetness, you will enjoy this delicious loose leaf Coconut Pouchong tea hot or iced.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I have already tasted and reviewed this tea previously, you might think that I was less than enthused to have received it as part of this month’s Steepster Select box. But, truth be told, I was actually quite happy to have more of this tea! It’s one of my favorites from Golden Moon Tea and I’m very pleased to be able to revisit it.
The theme for this month’s Steepster Select is “Perfect Pairs.” On the theme card, Steepster wrote this about the theme:
Some things just go better together. Like wine, the complexity and range of flavors in tea make it a perfect complement to many meals. Pairing these not only accentuate the taste of both but helps train your palate to identify and relate flavors.
I was very happy with this theme, mostly because tea pairings is something that interests me as well. With most of the food reviews on my foodie blog, I try to include a tea suggestion on each post, and while I do not consider myself an expert on what flavor profiles go best with what types of foods, I know what tastes good to me. I thought it would be interesting to explore the idea of “Perfect Pairs” with Steepster’s recommendations. Here is what they recommended with this tea:
Pair with: Chocolate. The sweet nuttiness of coconut is a classic dessert pairing that blends smoothly with a hearty chocolate flavor. The light flowery oolong notes soften the richness of chocolate for an ideal balance. We have Marcus from Golden Moon Tea to thank for our Coconut Pouchong. A childhood visit to Hong Kong and a quick stop at a parisian tea house after culinary school cemented his love for unique flavors which carries through to his many offerings today.
So, I rummaged through my stash to find an appropriate piece of chocolate… unfortunately (well, not unfortunately for me, but unfortunate for the purposes of this review) most of the chocolate that I have on hand at the moment are confection type of chocolates … however, I did come across a bit of raw dark chocolate from Stirs the SOUL that I happened to have on hand.
Raw chocolate lacks the richness that the roasting process imparts on the chocolate … and I really noticed that with this pairing. However, I also noticed how the flavors of the Coconut Pouchong really came into focus with this simple pairing. The Coconut Pouchong really brought out some of the fruitier aspects of the chocolate, which really appealed to me. While the chocolate is not quite as rich with the roasted flavor, the pairing brought out the deeper flavors of the raw chocolate that I did not notice before, and I love how the fresh coconut really POPS when chocolate becomes part of the tasting.
I can’t wait to try this coconut Pouchong with the Hot Chocolate On A Stick that I have coming later this month!