The White2Tea 2016:
I purchased samples of all the 2016 new line up this year, and I started at the bottom (cheapest) and worked my way up. I did this to taste the profile improvements and variances. I brewed in the same pot with same leaf water ratio. Also, this helps to hone in my palette to identify what’s a good deal and what’s not. At the conclusion of my tasting I will be placing my cake order.
I am still trying to figure this one out…
When a company states phrases like “the most out there” and “mystic” I have several thoughts in my mind. Is it taste? Qi? Aroma? Sensation? Processing? Terrior? Is it odd for this region of tea to do things like this one does? So. Many. Questions. So, I gear up with tasting tools in hand and begin! I was suuuper analytical and towards the end I’ll reveal my conclusion of the mystic diving brew.
I inspect the leaves and notice their small hairs, long slender shape, slight compression and they give off an intensely sweet aroma of berries, lemon, and thyme. A very fresh and sweet mix. I warmed up my pot and place the subject inside. The fruitiness expands to bosc pears, red apples, fruit punch, and the mild dryness of cranberries. I notice all my scents are “red”. I washed the leaves and prepared the lab to commence brewing. The leaves once steeped emit a shadowed scent of dark fruits, tobacco, and some faint peppermint or menthol. The taste is full and lasting. I notice some dark wood at the front which comes across as sweet and harsh. A wisp of smoke follows through with some heavy fruitiness. The tea is thick and the aftertaste is sweet and long lasting huigan (could I use the word sweet some more…). I pick up on some berry tastes later on and watch the tea flavors begin to fade after each steep. The huigan changes into a powerful menthol/mint cooling sensation the chills my throat and jaw line. The frigidness was refreshing. The qi is a nice feeling. It is a very slight and happy feeling the grows in power throughout the session. The remaining liquor gives a sugary aroma and fills up the lab. The testing has been concluded and the machinery and tasting tools lay scattered about, used and dripping. However, I still have questions in my mind. Am I tasting a wild old arbor material, for I picked up some viscosity and smoke? Was the unique characteristic the steeped leaves cooling aroma? Or was the mystery in the menthol powerful aftertaste? Was this all just a marketing ploy that I fell into? What makes this tea so “out there”? Honestly, I don’t have an answer. The tea was decent; however, I note nothing that is outstandingly unique about this brew. I am going to spend some more time and take it back to the lab. Once I find something out, you’ll be the first to know.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJyC1YrgASI/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel
Flavors: Cranberry, Dark Wood, Fruit Punch, Menthol, Pear, Peppermint, Red Apple, Red Fruits, Smoke, Sweet, Tobacco
