Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: SerendipiTea
Tea Description:
White Tea gently blended with French lavender. Soft, light, romantic.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am usually fond of lavender blends, so I was pretty sure I’d enjoy this White Lavender from SerendipiTea. I have had some lavender blends where the lavender was way too much, though, and the cup ended up tasting more like the air in the soap shop in the mall than tea.
However, I think SerendipiTea approached this combination very well. White tea is usually quite subtle, so they used a light hand when adding the lavender so that these two flavors can meet somewhere in the middle. The cup has a nice balance of fresh, soft white tea flavor and soothing lavender.
A sense of calm envelops me as I sip this. The white tea is so light and almost creamy, which adds such a pleasing element to the overall cup. It is mild … gentle … mellow. It soothes and relaxes me, a perfect cup to enjoy later in the evening when you’re starting to wind down.
Very nice.
Silver Needle from PekoeTea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: PekoeTea
Tea Description:
Silver Needle White Tea with a white downy appearance comes from the province of Fujian. The Silvery Needle, highest quality white tea, is picked during the spring before the buds open to preserve its tenderness. Exquisite and delicate, Silvery Needle has a fresh, sweet fragrance and produces a pale yellow brew.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m very happy with this month’s selections in the Steepster Select box. The theme is “Best Buds” and features some of the finest teas that I’ve tasted. Like this amazing Silver Needle Tea from PekoeTea.
I steeped these needles in my gaiwan, and the flavor is so intense! I am surprised at just how much flavor I’m getting from this tea. The flavor is sweet and floral, with some intriguing savory qualities as well. I taste notes of cucumber and even the slightest hint of very young asparagus that’s been steamed and lightly buttered. I also detect some hay-like notes in the distance.
There are some delectable fruit notes to this tea too. I tasted what I thought might be an apple-y pear kind of taste which has since developed into more of a melon (honeydew) taste.
As I continue to sip, I notice a mineral-y note. This is one of the more complex Silver Needle teas I’ve encountered. It seems that with every sip, I discover something new.
If you’ve been meaning to try a Silver Needle Tea (or add one to your tea stash!), I suggest trying this one from PekoeTea. It’s quite lovely!
Bai Mu Dan from The Little Red Cup Tea Co.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The Little Red Cup Tea Co.
Tea Description:
Our organic Bai Mu Dan (White Peony Tea) is a white tea, grown in the very northeastern corner of Jiangxi Province. Made from only one bud and the two adjacent young leaves, this tea is carefully processed to promote a bare minimum of oxidation. It is sun dried, heaped, and then gently baked until fully dried. Bai Mu Dan is always handled carefully in order to minimize leaf breakage so as to maintain optimal quality.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The photo is a little misleading, as it would depict a greener (fresher? higher quality?) Bai Mu Dan than I received in my package. These leaves are dull, dark brown. Broken, crumbly leaves. And no indication of velvety, fuzzy down on the leaves. I’ve had higher quality Bai Mu Dan teas from China.
So while this is not the best Bai Mu Dan I’ve come across, the flavor is still quite pleasing. It is delicate, with sweet fruit notes in the foreground, and a hint of vegetation and hay in the background. It is not grassy, exactly, but, imagine the taste of the fresh air you might experience in a field of hay … that’s what the background here tastes like: light, delicate, airy, with hints of the elements that surround you. It is almost as if I can taste the sunlight that dried this tea.
There is a crispness to the flavor that is very refreshing. Overall, I’m enjoying this for its delicate, sweet flavor with delicious fruit notes throughout. As I mentioned, it’s not the highest quality Bai Mu Dan I’ve had, but it is certainly one of the most reasonably priced Bai Mu Dan teas I’ve sampled and the flavor is certainly pleasant. I also appreciate that this is a Fair Trade and Organic tea. So for that, this tea gets an enthusiastic thumbs up.
Sowmee White Tea from Culinary Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Tea Description:
Visually Sowmee is not a typical white tea, since it is sundried after special hand rolling. It’s pleasant toasty character is astringent and full flavored.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I tasted and reviewed this tea a couple of years ago. That was my first experience with Sowmee white teas, and since that time, I’ve tried a few others. I was very interested to revisit this tea and find out how I feel about that first Sowmee that opened my eyes to a different white tea.
My thoughts aren’t all that different now than they were back then – I still find this to be a much more robust white tea than other white teas with which I’m more familiar, like Silver Needle or Bai Mu Dan. It is sweet and toasty. In my first review of this tea, I thought it tasted a bit more like a Formosa Oolong, and I do still see those similarities, but today, I am finding this cup to taste a bit more like a Houjicha with its warm, toasty character.
Still a very enjoyable tea experience! If you typically shy away from white teas because they’re a little too delicate for your taste, I highly recommend trying this Sowmee White Tea from Culinary Teas – it has a stronger taste and fuller body, I think you’ll like it!
Peach Fuzz Chai from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Here’s a tongue-tantalizing blend of premium white teas, dried peaches, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove and black peppercorns with natural flavors. My wife thought we should call it Peaches & Herb after the disco duo. All of our younger customers are now thinking, “Who????” which is why I decided to go with Peach Fuzz Chai.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is one instance where I wish I hadn’t read the description of the tea before writing the review. Because now, I can’t get the song Shake Your Groove Thing by Peaches and Herb out of my head. Aarrgh! Seriously, I had to go straight to my music collection and listen to something to rock that groove right out of my head. If you’re suffering from the same irritation, click here.
Now, I can talk about this tea.
This is quite tasty. The spices are really lively in this, which is how it should be for a chai. I taste the clove very prominently, with the cinnamon and cardamom filling in the background notes. The ginger and black pepper provide a nice little peppery bite that lingers into the aftertaste. I find myself wondering how some star anise might do with in this, as I love that licorice-y taste of anise. But, as it is, I like the way these spices have been blended.
The peach starts off a bit soft, and isn’t really too noticeable at the start. It isn’t until about mid-cup, and in the aftertaste, when I notice the peach tones, and they are delicious and offer a nice sweetness to contrast with the spicy notes.
And the white tea is not lost in this blend! Even though it’s in there, beneath the spices, I don’t have to search for the white tea flavor. It has a light, crisp flavor and a smooth texture, with hints of hay notes that seem to brighten up the whole cup.
While this isn’t my favorite 52Teas chai, it’s really good, and a vast improvement over the Apple Vanilla White Chai. I think that this one will be excellent iced too!