Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Revolution
Tea Description:
Delicate and fragrant as a fresh-picked pear, this blend combines white tea, slivers of sweet pears, and natural pear flavor. It may be one of the smoothest blends you’ve tasted, providing a gentle lift any time of day. White tea, whose silvery buds are the least processed of all teas, contains the highest amount of antioxidants.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is wonderful!
The white tea is delicate – but not too delicate. It has a bit more body and flavor than the typical Silver Needle, this is closer to a Bai Mu Dan or perhaps a Sowmee (Shou Mei) … or maybe even a blend of white teas. After examining the package a little closer, I see that this is indeed a Bai Mu Dan.
It is a perfect pairing (pearing) with the softer flavor of the pear. The subtly of the tea allows for the pear to express itself fully – which in turn produces a sweet, flavorful tea that offers an incredible balance between tea and fruit flavors.
This is a tea that I could enjoy on a regular basis. It has a light, hay-like note that gives it an almost “baked goods” kind of flavor … care for a pear tart? That’s what I’m tasting with this cup of tea! It is sweet and creamy and delicious!
And as it cools, the flavor does not diminish … this would make an awesome iced tea! Makes for fantastic refreshment any time of day – light enough for later in the evening, flavorful enough to offer a tasty recharge in the afternoon.
White Peony (Bai Mudan) from Peony Tea S.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Peony Tea S.
Tea Description:
The White Peony from Fuding is one of the most popular authentic White Tea around with its sweet aftertaste and refreshing taste. Affordably priced, there is no better time to try this remarkable tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Up until a couple of years ago, I would have considered myself to be quite a novice when it comes to white teas, having only tried one or two up until that point. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to try quite a few white teas, but still, I am learning more about it each time I try a new-to-me white tea.
It wasn’t until very recently (within the last year or so?) that I started to notice a distinct difference between Bai Mu Dan teas. Many (if not most) tea companies out there carry a Bai Mu Dan, but even though they have the same name, not all Bai Mu Dan teas are “equal.” And one thing that I’ve learned is that the dry leaf of a Bai Mu Dan will tell you a good deal about the quality of the tea.
For example, the tea leaves here are large and whole. There are varying shades of color to the leaves, starting from a very pale grey-white color, to a pale silvery-green, to a light tan. The leaves feel soft to the touch and are covered in tiny, white hairs (sort of like a fuzzy down). These different qualities tell me a few things: these leaves have been handled with a great deal of care and they are of high quality.
The color of the liquor is a gorgeous color – it’s almost alabaster. Even with as many white teas that I’ve consumed over the past few years, I think only a handful of them (at most) had such a pale color liquor. But that doesn’t mean that it lacks flavor.
The flavor here is delicate, but, it is so lovely. It tastes sweet and clean, reminding me a bit of hay and fresh sweet grass. It has a very smooth texture to it, almost like silk, and the finish is dry with a dry, sweet aftertaste that reminds me of the winter air. That cool, crisp “taste” of the mountain air in the winter … that is the taste that notice in the aftertaste.
It is an extraordinarily soothing tea: calm and serene. Even though I know there is caffeine in this, the delicate, luxurious quality to this tea inspires a sense of relaxation from within.
An excellent White Peony, this!
White Twist from Tea Horse
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Horse
Tea Description:
An antioxidant rich white tea blended with herbs for a citrusy immune boost.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am not a big fan of Echinacea, but I realize that it is a helpful herb, especially when feeling under the weather. So, I like to find teas with Echinacea that I can drink and actually enjoy. Something that doesn’t taste overly herbaceous or medicinal, something that isn’t off-putting.
This tea fills the bill! I don’t know if it’s because there isn’t very much of the Echinacea or if it’s because the combination of the ingredients melds together in a very pleasing way, but I’m inclined to believe that it’s because of the combination of ingredients. The lemongrass and lemon verbena offer a soft, smooth lemon-y taste that is sweet with a slight tingly tart note. Together with the white tea, it tastes creamy and is a bit reminiscent of the flavor of a lemon curd.
Overall, I find the cup to be a very pleasant experience – soft, sweet goodness, hints of spice (think white pepper), with prominent citrus and creamy, buttery notes. A deliciously different tea that helps support a healthy immune system. Sounds great to me!
Climber’s High from The Tea Spot
Please Note: Check below for special savings on this tea!
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté, Black Tea, Green Tea, White Tea, Pu-erh & Tulsi PLUS Spice Melangé
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
Tea Description:
A super-charged blend of teas, spices and herbs formulated to provide a refreshing daily lift for people with active, high-energy lifestyles. Climber’s High is a high-powered way to increase your intake of beneficial antioxidants such as flavonoids and catechins, as well as a host of healthy vitamins, trace minerals, beneficial phyto-constituents, and caffeine. It was originally conceived to assist people in adjusting to higher altitudes. This spiced yerba mate chai tea is both good for you and a pleasure to drink.
Learn more about this Yerba Mate Chai here.
Taster’s Review:
This blend has got a WHOLE lot going on!
When I first opened the package, I noticed a pleasant smell that was sweet and a little spicy, smelling a bit like a gently spiced chai. And one quick glance at the ingredient list suggests that this could easily be categorized as a chai (well, yeah, all tea is technically chai, but, I’m talking about what we here in North America think of when we think “chai”) so, I categorized it as chai.
The brewed tea smells a little earthy, slightly vegetative, but still possesses a certain spicy tone – a bit different than that of the dry leaf, but, it still smells warm, sweet, and a little spicy.
Wow! OK, so yeah, this DOES have a lot going on, but, somehow, it all comes together to offer a pleasant tasting blend. I don’t really taste each of the specific tea types here, I just taste a medley of different flavors that I’d associate with the different leaf types.
For example, I taste the earthy, vegetative taste of Yerba Maté, and I would attribute some of that earthiness to the Pu-erh as well. It tastes rich and smooth like a black tea, but it has a light, almost creamy/airy texture and flavor that I’d attribute to the white and green teas. I taste hints of mint and basil that I attribute to the peppermint and Tulsi. And yes, I taste the warmth of the spices, and the sweet, creamy finish that I attribute to the vanilla.
I wouldn’t say that I taste specifically any one of these ingredients, instead, I taste the combination of them all. I taste hints of sweet licorice, I taste the sweet warmth of the cinnamon and little peppery kick from the ginger and pepper. I don’t know that I taste any one ingredient more than the others, they all seem to come together in such a way to provide a very solid taste without one overpowering the others. Some might seem a little lost along the way but at the same time I can’t say that this blend would be the same without any one of these ingredients.
And while there are a lot of flavors to explore here, I am really enjoying the challenge and the journey this tea offers. It is warm and energizing, just the kind of cup I want on those mornings when I need a little motivation.
I like it!
Special Savings: Now through July 22, you can save 15% off of Climber’s High Tea from The Tea Spot. Use the code climbsister in the coupon field at checkout to receive your special discount!
Shou Mei White Tea from BigTeaHouse
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: BigTeaHouse
Tea Description:
If you prefer the “Shou Mei” style of white loose tea with a bold flavor and aroma, this is the tea for you. Vanilla brings out the flavor while the flowery, dried fruit and spice round it out. It has a pleasant mouthfeel and is perfect for those days when you want to feel light.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Who says white tea is delicate?
Having tried Shou Mei white tea before, I was pretty sure what to expect from this tea. But this tea had a few surprises in store!
There is the sweet, slightly vegetative aroma and taste that I would typically experience with a Shou Mei, but, there is a sweet, creamy … almost vanilla-like tone to this tea. When I read the above description, I thought that maybe it was a mistake … this appears to be a pure Shou Mei, so I wasn’t really expecting the vanilla, the fruit notes, and the hint of spice in the flavor. But this tea has all of that!
The fruit notes are especially noticeable in the fragrance, but as I continue to sip, I notice a slightly raisin-y kind of flavor, sweet … almost candy-like! There are hints of spice, mostly pepper, but a soft peppery taste, like the peppery note you’d experience from basil. It’s a little bit warm, but at the same time, it’s quite crisp and cooling.
A really delightful cup that keeps me sipping to discover more about it.