Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: JK Tea Shop
Tea Description:
White moon light tea from Jinggu, is a kind a tea which does not fall into the six tea categories, due to its making techniques. Or to be more precisely, more people would like to define it as white tea; However, it also has its difference compared to white tea.
Invented by a Taiwan guy in Yunnan in 2003, this tea is made from big white hair big leaves tea trees from Jinggu. Only Jinggu has this type of tea trees, which is charaterized with silver tea hair. Its making process are summarized below: picking the fresh leaves; withering the tea leaves under the moon light to its complete dryness（unlike Pu Er tea, which must be withered under sun light); after the withering process is ok, then it is the finished product of white moon light tea. Since its witherness is conducted for a long time, it causes some interior oxidation by its interior enzymes. So that is why its tea liquid and aroma is so similiar to black tea. You will be surprised to see the tea liquid color turns to more and more red after several infusion.
Taster’s Review:
Dear Readers, I have a confession to make.
You see, I have a lot of tea in my possession. Even before starting this blog, I had quite a stash of tea. And at the time that we (Jennifer and I) started this blog, we received many wonderful samples from companies that wished to be featured on our blog.
Of course, we were very grateful for these opportunities, however, there was a downside. That downside being that when we were offered these samples, I of course tried them (very enthusiastically!), but it left little time for the teas that I already had on hand, and those teas ended up getting buried underneath the new samples.
Recently, I embarked on a quest to try to gain some clarity and try to reorganize my stash. I’ve been quite successful in this quest, I might add. However, I’ve come across several teas that I had purchased at one time or another, and had forgotten about after receiving the aforementioned samples.
This happens to be one of those teas. I purchased it in 2010, right about the same time that we started this blog, and it managed to get stashed away and forgotten. And how sorry I am to have forgotten such a darling tea!
Yes, I know that time is not a tea’s best friend, however, this tea did remain in its sealed package until now, and after tasting it and comparing my thoughts about it with the above description from JK Tea Shop, I feel that the tea has managed to keep its flavors intact. So, I think I shall proceed with this review!
I brewed this according to the suggestions on JK Tea Shop’s website using my gaiwan with 190° water and very short steeps (the first steep was just 10 seconds!) The combination of my first two infusions (following a quick rinse) looked more like a very weak black tea than it did a white tea. It also had flavors very reminiscent to a weak black tea.
The sip started out with me thinking that this tea was in fact too old, because there was so little flavor … tasting a bit like hot water rather than tea. But after the tea swirled around on my palate for a moment, the flavors began to develop. It had a deep earthiness and hints of spice in the background. After a few sips, a floral note emerged, along with a pleasing sweetness. The tea finishes soft with an aftertaste that has a sweet and sour quality to it that rests in the back of the throat. Subsequent infusions had more color to them (looking even more like a black tea) and had a taste that reminded me very much of a golden yunnan.
With a tea that tastes this interesting after aging a couple of years, I can’t help but wonder how it might taste when it is fresh. I think I shall be watching JK Tea Shop’s website for this spring’s harvest!
Silver Needle White Tea from Mandala Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Mandala Tea
Tea Description:
A very precious and delicate tea characterized by the fine white hairs on the leaf. This beautiful white tea is only harvested for a couple of days each spring. It produces a rich body and savory aroma. Rich in antioxidants, as well as other extremely healthful minerals, white teas are less astringent than green teas with all of the same benefits. Its light and smooth flavor make it ideal for accompanying food, or soothing in the evening due to its lower level of caffeine.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Ah! What a sweet and refreshing tea!
I’ve tasted quite a few Silver Needle teas, and even though I’ve had quite a bit of experience with this type of tea, it never ceases to surprise me just how much flavor can be found in this delicate tea. Light? Yes. Delicate? Yes. Void of flavor? Absolutely NOT!
These Silver Needles are very soft and covered in tiny hairs. I love touching them before brewing them, they’re velvety and soft … like a cloud made of plush fur. The texture of the brewed tea exhibits this same luxurious softness with its silky smooth mouthfeel.
The flavor is incredible. It has a sweetness that permeates every moment of the sip, while a complex set of flavors play upon the palate, from grassy and hay-like tones, to hints of spice and wood, to an airy kind of flavor that evokes thoughts of the air I would breathe if I were taking a hike through the woods in the spring.
Another exceptional tea offering from Mandala Tea. I’ve been very impressed with their dedication to quality!
Organic Monkey Business from The Rabbit Hole
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The Rabbit Hole
Tea Description:
This little treat will have you swinging from the trees in no time. White tea mingles with banana for an easy to sip treat. Boost the sweetness with an extra dollop of honey if you’re feeling naughty.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When it comes to bananas, I never really considered them to be a favorite fruit. However, my actions seem to tell a different story. When I go to Cold Stone Creamery, I seem to order the same thing: Cake Batter ice cream with banana, caramel and almonds. And I love banana cupcakes and ice pops.
But I don’t really like to eat them on their own. And I don’t like banana Runts, in fact, on the rare occasion that I happen to have a bag of Runts candy (maybe once a year, if that? I’m usually just sneaking a couple out of my daughter’s package of candy) I never eat the banana ones. Interestingly enough, many people often say that banana flavored teas taste like banana runts, but I totally disagree with that, because I LOVE banana flavored teas!
And this banana flavored white tea from The Rabbit Hole may just be one of the best banana flavored teas I’ve tried yet. It tastes like the fruit, only sweeter … but it doesn’t taste like banana runts. It tastes more like the banana that I’d enjoy as its surrounded by the Cake Batter ice cream from Cold Stone.
The white tea tastes sweet with a hint of nutty flavor to it. It has a smooth and creamy texture which lends itself very well to the ice cream comparison I made a moment ago. I like that while the banana flavor is very distinct, it doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the white tea.
Served hot, it has a warm, soothing kind of effect: like comfort food in liquid form. Served chilled, it has a very refreshing, invigorating taste that both adults and kids enjoy.
I LOVE this tea!
“Snow Dragon” Supreme Yunnan Pure Bud Green Tea from JAS eTea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Jas eTea
Tea Description:
“Snow Dragon” is made entirely from small bud shoots picked in a 3 day window of time when they are just the right size. They are meticulously hand-processed into these tight little curls. When brewed they will open slowly as they dance in the water. The brewed tea is almost totally transparent with a light fruity flavor akin to White tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is such a cool looking tea: the leaves are curled into spirals, and they “dance” while they’re brewing. If you have a glass gaiwan or teacup, I recommend using it to steep this tea so that you can watch them dance!
The dry leaf has a very faint aroma that is vaguely vegetative – reminding me of the smell of the air in the morning after it’s rained all night: clean and fresh and somewhat grassy. The brewed tea smells a little stronger, like freshly steamed green beans. The color of the infused tea is a very pale color – looking much more like a white tea than a green tea.
The flavor is much less vegetal than the fragrance would suggest. Yes, there are some slightly grassy notes in there, but primarily what I’m tasting is a lovely sweetness. It’s a very pure kind of sweetness, it doesn’t really taste like honey or caramel or any of those other comparative terms that I use to describe a sweet flavor. This tastes so natural and clean – like fresh dew or mountain air. This reminds me – again – of a white tea, and not so much of a green tea.
There are the faintest nutty tones in the background that also contribute to this sweetness, or perhaps they are highlighted by it. Either way they work in a synergistic fashion to bring out the best of each.
After the first couple of sips, the sweetness shifts focus to a more fruit-like flavor – apricot? There is a mild astringency to this tea, and the finish is sweet, with a sweet grass aftertaste. It is in this aftertaste that I begin to recognize the green of this tea.
I love how this tea reveals itself in stages, showing first its dewy qualities, and then slowly giving me a little more flavor with the nutty tones. Sometime afterward, the fruit tones arrive. This tea keeps me guessing while giving me new flavors to explore.
What a memorable tea this is!
Madame Butterfly Jasmine from Capital Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Capital Teas
Tea Description:
This connoisseur’s green tea has a stunning jasmine character with a full flavored cup and an incomparable aromatic nose; simply the absolute finest quality that there is! First flush peony silver needles are delicately hand-tied to form the shape of butterfly wings then infused multiple evenings with lightly scented jasmine flowers are laid atop the tea leaves to produce a tea as delicate as lace and elegant as Madam Butterfly herself.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
These little “butterfly” knots are so beautiful, they smell divine and they product the most incredible tasting jasmine tea! They unfurl very slowly – it took five infusions before the leaves began to look more like Silver Needles than butterfly knots. But that’s OK, because it means five very delicious infusions of tea!
The jasmine is strong, but, it doesn’t overpower the gentle flavor of the sweet Silver Needle tea. It has a fresh flavor that is buttery smooth and slightly grassy. There is no astringency to the cup, just soft, sweet flavor from start to finish.
What I like best about this particular tea is that the jasmine flavor is so abundant but it never tastes sharp or artificial. It has a silky, luxurious flavor to it – a perfect match for the natural qualities of the Silver Needle.
If you’ve tried jasmine before but weren’t too sure jasmine tea was for you, I strongly recommend trying this Madame Butterfly Jasmine. It’s exquisite!
Editor’s Note: I originally called this tea a “white” tea in the leaf type, because it is a Silver Needle and it tastes very much the way a white Silver Needle tastes. However, because the company categorizes it as a green tea, I changed the leaf type to green tea to avoid confusion. Yeah… I know, I’m still confused. Sorry about that.