If you’d like a mild midafternoon pick-me-up, I have a delicate refresher for you!
White Vanilla Grapefruit by Harney & Sons is a pastel-flavored creamy vanilla with very faint fruit notes. It manages to be mellow, but not boring. It’s not a showy tea. It understands that it has something very important and comforting to impart. There are times when one wants something that is simply NICE.
It’s the flavor equivalent of a Mary Cassatt piece. It’s a homey domestic scene that reminds one of a vase of tulips and the feeling of warm laundry right out of the dryer. It’s reading a fresh magazine on a sunny couch. It’s the first time out in a new pair of socks. It’s a half-day at work. It’s the joyous announcement of a pregnancy.
Other people LOVE this tea. When I went onto the Harney site to grab the link for this tea, there are twelve — TWELVE — pages of reviews on this. People talk about enjoying it with their roommates, going on quests to find it, where they first tried it. This seems to have an almost cult following.
Will you become a raving fan, too? You’ll have to try it to find out.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Harney and Sons
Description
Our cleansing white tea blend of White Vanilla Grapefruit is enriched by vanilla, and brightened by the clear citrus notes of grapefruit. Its vanilla aroma adds a pleasantly indulgent touch.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tea Break White Tea from Plum Deluxe. . .
Everything about Tea Break blend from Plum Deluxe feels like a spring or summertime brew. The white tea base has a gentle caffeine level and flavor strength, well-suited for a for a light afternoon break, and holds up when brewed both hot or cold. I always associate white teas with classy tea cups or brightly colored iced tea travel mugs. There is just something both classical and whimsical about white tea blends.
This Tea Break blend is very fragrant in the dry leaf, with lush tangerine and sweet melon in equal parts. The leaves smell like a fresh bowl of fruit salad, or a fruity sorbet. Brewed, the tea carries much of the same flavors. There are notes of bright citrus, but the predominant flavor is honeydew melon. The buttery, earthy white tea matches well with the creamy and juicy melon. The melon provides a smooth mouthfeel, and keeps the tangerine from being too sour or biting. The tangerine adds some much-needed liveliness to the laid-back melon, the two flavors working in harmony.
If brewing hot, keep your water temperatures a little lower to be gentle on the white tea leaves. Also try this as a cold brew, where the melon flavors make the blend extra refreshing on a warm day. Versatile and naturally sweet, Tea Break blend makes it easy to take a moment to yourself and relax with a cup of tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description:
Sometimes you just need a break. And whether it’s 5 minutes or 5 hours, our Tea Break white tea is the perfect companion. A fresh, flavorful Fujian white tea base is paired with tangerine and honeydew melon flavors that create not just a heavenly aroma, but a truly relaxing, calming, nourishing, thoughtful cup of tea.
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!
Walnut Orange Scone from DAVIDs Tea. . .
Something’s happening to me, you guys. I think I’m becoming a white tea convert. *INSERT GASP HERE*
Now, for the white tea purists among us… maybe skip the rest of this review. I’m certainly not sipping them plain, austere and floral, out of my finest china with my pinky up. But whereas I always though white teas just weren’t for me, I’ve been especially enjoying a few fun blends from my favorite tea purveyors lately, particularly when they’ve got some fun fruity notes blended in the mix.
This walnut orange scone white from David’s Tea is totally hitting all of those marks. It’s nutty, it’s bright and fresh and floral and citrusy and fruity– it maybe doesn’t taste too much like pastry to me, but I’m willing to forgive the slightly misleading name because this one is just so dang delicious.
I also have a fondness for teas that don’t require any sweetener to accentuate their flavors, and this one is simply perfect as it. Big, bold, bright, a little sweet from the fruit– like biting into the perfect wintry treat right out of the oven on a Sunday morning.
Maybe someday, I’ll graduate to finally become a fancypants white tea drinker. In the meantime, though, I’m going to thoroughly enjoy exploring these new doors opened to my tea-lovers’-palate (though my burgenoning tea cabinet may be slightly less thrilled).
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: DAVIDs Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Cap Chai from Beach House Teas. . . .
When I see those lovely spiced teas, I always get so jealous. Being one that just doesn’t care for overly spiced teas or chai blends, I always feel like I’m left out of some cool kid’s tea drinking club. I look at them longingly and try them on occasion, but always find myself having to add in a ton of agave or cream to help offset the brew. And yes, I know that is part of the chai tea latte set up, but I want to be able to taste the actual tea itself, not just the add ins.
Enter White Cap Chai from Beach House Teas.
First off, this chai tea doesn’t have your traditional tea base. Instead of having a black or even green tea base, this blend has a lovely white peony tea base that sets the tone in a more subtle way. No fear of having a very bitter or astringent brew where you have to add in sweeteners or cream- no, this tea base has an all around lighter feel.
Add in your traditional spices like fennel seed cloves, peppercorns, cardamom pods, star anise, ginger, orange peel and my favorite part- cinnamon chips- not just a dusting of cinnamon but honest to goodness large enough so you can see cinnamon chips. I should say that about all of the ingredients. No need to squint your eyes to see that these inclusions are high quality and might I add organic.
The brewing parameters on the package had me a bit scared-1 heaping tsp with 6-8 oz- allow to steep for 6-8 minutes at 212F. White tea is more delicate so I was worried about brewing at boiling but after timer went off at 6 minutes worth of steeping, I was so very happy I did. I should have know that Beach House Teas would have my back and not steer me wrong.
Right out of the gate there is this lush slightly floral silky feel and some very bright flavors that provide this wonderful first sip. I instantly fell in love with the cinnamon flavor that has a soft twist of ginger and a hint of the fennel undertones. As this is still a chai tea, those more noticeable chai flavors like cardamom and clove notes are present but they are more apparent towards the end of each sip. Towards the end of each sip and after the sip is over, you are left with this spicy peppercorn touch on your tastebuds.
I eagerly sipped down my first cup and went back to brew more. I’m a huge fan (if you couldn’t tell) of this tea and highly recommend anyone who isn’t a chai or spiced fan to check this tea out. The flavors are light and crisp and are not heavy like a traditional chai or should I say the chais I’ve experienced in the past. Heavier chais do have their time and place, but for me- White Cap Chai has stolen my heart. This may be my new morning tea!
If you are interested in checking out this (and I highly recommend you do!) blend or any others, Beach House Teas is offering a 20% discount for our readers- just enter tealover3 at checkout!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Beach House Teas
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!