Someone told me once that white tea just tasted like a cup of hot water to them. I probably would have agreed early on in my tea journey. When your tastebuds are accustomed to strong root beer and sweet, fizzy, highly flavored soda it takes a while to train your palate to find subtle flavors, at least it did for me. Perhaps the real foodies “get it” right from the start.
I haven’t had unflavored white tea in a while and decided that today would be a good day to take a cup of Bai MuDan outside and enjoy its simplicity while sitting in the sunshine, a rare treat in late winter. Though very windy, it is warm and the sun is welcome after many days of rain.
The packet called for two grams of leaf for twelve ounces of water, which I thought seemed to far too little at first. I used my new Upton Digital Tea Scale since large leaf white tea can be tricky to judge. Teavivre recommends five to eight minutes, and I steeped for about five because I was ready for my break!
First, this is a beautiful golden cup of tea. The color is rich and deep and it actually LOOKS full bodied in the cup. The flavor did not let me down. No one could mistake this for a “cup of hot water!” The flavor lingers for quite a while, too.
I see a lot of white tea described accurately as tasting like sunshine on hay, mainly Shou Mei, but this Bai MuDan tastes like golden stalks with a hint of spring in the air, with the scent of distant flowers laid over, and maybe even a little soft, sweet vegetable like snow pea or sugar snap peas.
I think this is going to be my go-to quiet time cup for a while.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Description
Teavivre’s White Peony Bai MuDan tea is farmed and produced on Mt. Taimu, using material from Dabaihao tea trees. While this is a slightly oxidized white tea, it is produced with the same minimal processing as Silver Needle white tea, with the main difference between the two being that silver needle uses only buds, while bai mudan includes opened leaves as well.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Cucumber Mint Limeade/52Teas
I have been holding on to this sample for a while because I was sure it was going to be good and I wanted to make an event of it. The name promises all the flavors that I associate with cooling and refreshing, and since it is a warm sunny day with storm clouds moving in and high humidity, now is the time!
First – the leaves. My eyes feast on the lovely, long, silvery-white leaves. Beautiful! I fill the basket and it is full of these fluffy, soft beauties. Now steep! Then pour.
The liquor is a medium gold color. I let it cool for a few minutes before tasting so I can experience all the flavors.
The first impression of the sip is mint on the tongue, then quickly afterward my tastebuds say LIME! Not sharp, puckery lime. Rays of sunshine lime! Lime can be too harsh when it isn’t done right, but used skillfully it is a ray of sunshine to a recipe or drink. What a bright and delightful lime! This is perfect lime in my book and now the mint is adding sweetness and a cooling sensation.
My sample is older and had already been opened, and I wonder if that is why I don’t taste much cucumber. Perhaps it is a delicate oil that dissipates easily. But I don’t feel anything is lacking in this tea. It is just as good as I thought it would be. As is my habit of late, I will drink half of this hot and unsweetened in the morning, and chill the rest to go with supper! I can tell it will be awesome cold.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Doke Silver Needle, 2nd Flush, Bihar/Tea Swan
It’s been muggy lately. Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE the heat…paired with the mugginess…not so much. In times like these I enjoy a lighter type tea. Yellows, sweeter Greens, and White Teas hit the spot. That is why I went with Doke Silver Needle, 2nd Flush, Bihar from TeaSwan.
Doke Silver Needle, 2nd Flush, Bihar from TeaSwan is a hand made organic white tea. It’s a 2nd flush of the 2017 year.
In case you ever wondered about the tea process with silver needle – it’s processed from the youngest leaves collected during the 2nd flush. The leaves are hand-picked and hand-rolled to preserve the original taste; the zero oxidation formula of white tea retains the natural tenderness of the leaves, which is reflected in the flavor.
The soft and light liquor produces the finest creamy aroma. This exquisite, hand-made white tea is the epitome of delicate luxury. Experience the light sweetness of peach blossoms and apricot that overlays a subtle backdrop of marigold. The pale yellow brew feels as luxurious as it tastes. You’ll want to indulge in this cup again and again. Enjoy with wild rice and tender vegetables.
That last paragraph was from TeaSwan’s website and I have to agree that it would, indeed, pair well with rice and veggies.
I also agree that it had a glorious creamy-sweet flavor about it…and that, for me, is what makes this tea TASTE very memorable.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Swan
Description
The Doke Silver Needle white tea is processed from the youngest leaves collected during the 2nd flush. The leaves are hand-picked and hand-rolled to preserve the original taste; the zero oxidation formula of white tea retains the natural tenderness of the leaves, which is reflected in the flavor. The soft and light liquor produces the finest creamy aroma. This exquisite, hand-made white tea is the epitome of delicate luxury. Experience the light sweetness of peach blossoms and apricot that overlays a subtle backdrop of marigold. The pale yellow brew feels as luxurious as it tastes. You’ll want to indulge in this cup again and again. Enjoy with wild rice and tender vegetables.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Aged White Tea (Shou Mei)/TeaBook
As my appreciation for tea grows as does my curiosity in different tea manufacturing methods. It is amazing how slight variances in processing can result in completely different flavors.
Likewise, the aging of tea can also create completely different tastes. I was so excited to get my hands on a package of Aged White Tea (Shou Mei) from TeaBook. I have wanted to try TeaBook for a while and the white tea was very interesting to me. This tea is aged 5 years which gives it a unique and complex flavor not generally expected from a white tea. I steeped the tea at 200 degrees for 2 minutes.
The tea steeps a lovely light golden color. It has a slight fruity smell. I was so excited after my first sip. The tea is light on the tongue but has a creamy, slightly floral taste. I can also detect a hint of honey in this. I was able to re-steep this 4 times, each time different aspects of the flavor stood out more to me. I really loved this tea, so much so that I want to read up more on the processing of Shou Mei.
I highly recommend this tea to anyone who is wanting to broaden their tea palette. Although the flavor is complex it is still very approachable and so it is a great option for tea virgins just starting to find out what they like in a tea.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: TeaBook
Description
This Aged white tea is a unique but luxurious production, looking a little close to Bai Mu Dan but with more silver haired tips. The dry leaf invites you in with hints of honeydew melon and when brewed, an aroma of sweet bread and blackberry pie emerges.
The light gold liquor has flavor notes which dance between shortbread, biscuits with sweet cream and even hints of rose. This is a full-bodied white tea that enters round and is smooth throughout.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Banana Pudding/A Quarter To Tea. . . .
I like banana bread. I think chocolate covered bananas are tops. I’ll even eat a pb + banana sandwich from time to time.
But friends, it’s rare that I’ll pick a plain banana over the abundant array of other delicious fruits at the grocery store. Frankly, something about their mushiness + flavor just isn’t all that appealing to me. (A peel-ing? I crack myself up.) A perfectly ripe banana on its perfect day of ripeness? Sure! Sign me up. But that window is so short that nine times out of ten, my bananas go bad before I’ve even glanced at them on my countertop, and then it’s banana bread for all.
Alllll of this to say: I’m pretty picky about banana flavored things, because truly– the OG fruit isn’t exactly my first choice. I was skeptical when this blend showed up in my monthly tea subscription from AQTT, but I figured I’d give it a shot as a nice light, morning cuppa in the summertime. Friends: I. was. hooked. I slurped down my entire cup and immediately rebrewed a second. This tea is spectacular– creamy, vanilla-banana flavor that is perfectly complimented by a splash of milk (don’t hate me, white tea purists) that’s not all all fake or icky (or mushy, hallelujah!). I don’t exactly know what it is about this one that suddenly made banana flavor so immediately delicious to me, but I’ll just chalk it up to typical magic from A Quarter To Tea and call it a day. It’s been a day and a half since I’ve opened my small bag, and it’s already 3/4 gone. Time to order me some more! (And maybe make some banana bread…)
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is currently sold out but you can learn more about the tea, please click below.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
