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Arby drank Shou Mei by Verdant Tea

2979 tasting notes

This review is for 2013 3 year aged shou mei (white)

Ordered this for two reasons. a) I needed to buy something else to qualify for free shipping and I enjoy white teas, and b) the leaves looked really pretty.

Steep 1: 250 mL, 85 deg C water, 1.5 tsp leaf, 3 minutes
Absolutly delicious! The tea is very flavourful. Notes of sweetness, verrry smooth. No bitterness, astringency, drying effects, or other unpleasant flavours/mouth feels. Everything about it is very pleasant. I would describe the flavour as similar to steamed soybeans and a mouthfeel of genmaicha (without the toasted grain flavour)

Steep 2: 250 mL, 92 deg C water, 1.5 minute
Even sweeter, steamed tea flavour, very flavourful, pleasant and thick mouthfeel with a sweet finish

Steep 3: 250 mL, 70 deg C water, 4 minute
Thick sweet liquor, not grassy or plant-y, but tastes like white tea. In the description for this tea it says the aging tones down the greener flavour, which is accurate IMO. It also describes the flavour as very fruity, I wouldn’t say I taste anything fruity.

Flavors: Soybean, Sweet, Tannin, Tea

Preparation

175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 250 ML

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Bio

I am a biochem major hoping for a career in research genetics and evolutionary biology. I love science fiction and spend too much of my time reading comic books. I’m a passionate keeper of spiders, cacti, and exotic plants. I eat a vegan, plant-based diet for moral and environmental reasons (I mention this only because it is relevant to which flavoured teas I drink).

I drink mostly flavoured and low caffeine teas/tisanes, but I will try anything twice. As far as pure teas go, I gravitate towards whites, yellows, and jade oolongs. I’m always open for trades and sample sales/exchanges. Message me any time :)

My cupboard is mostly up to date. For a more comprehensive list, see my stash spreadsheet here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-HjWKR3um-xEnj6HC9vMvKXOAyj_bpW5u_2ixEC20-k/edit?usp=sharing
Most of these are only tiny samples/I can’t always spare any, but feel free to ask.

Favourite flavours/ingredients:
Rum/alcohol, clove, cardamom, rosemary, pine, sage, anise, moss/Earthy, lychee, floral, creamy, malt, hay, rice/grain, toasty, desserty, cocoa/chocolate, decaf or no caffeine, very unusual flavours

Favourite tea types
Decaf teas (any variety)/no caf tisanes like honeybush and rooibos, fruit blends without hibiscus, yellow, jade oolong, white, Darjeeling blacks, Longjing

Least favourite flavours/ingredients:
Acidic/sour/tart, melon, grapefruit, bitter, astringent, smokey, green apple, sickly sweet (too much chicory, cinnamon, or licorice root), yerba mate, turmeric, mushroom/fungus, vegetal and savoury

No
Animal products: [confectioners glaze, gelatine, milk-based natural flavours, white choc chips, caramel bits, etc]
St. John’s wort (herb)
Stevia