I am making audible happy noises as I’m drinking this. Thanks to takgoti, of course. MY GOD.
This is probably the most delicious cup of tea I’ve had in a few days. Seriously. SO. GOOD.
I felt like a white tea this afternoon, and I began rummaging around. I almost tried the Adagio Jasmine Silver Needle that Auggy sent me, but then the thought of this popped into my mind, so I decided to steep some up.
This doesn’t really smell like much dry, but the leaves are so pretty! Like real leaves. And downy tips. So pretty. Everything pretty much looks nearly whole. The infusion is a very light honey color. Beautiful to look at. And the smell is sweet like corn, with woodsy highlights.
On my first sip, I literally made an audible “MMMM” noise. It was very loud. And then I gave a little gasp on the swallow, because this baby has depth. It’s very light tasting, but actually pretty heavy on the flavor department. There’s a lot of complex layers going on here. I feel like I can get lost in this. So unexpected and deep, yet so completely sippable and drinkable!
So let’s try to explain this. I’m a bit incoherent right now cause I’m so excited about the taste of this, and I’m still in awe over the flavors that are packed in here, but we’re going to try. There’s deepness here. Toasty notes, as well as pure sweet and floral notes. I’m definitely getting the sweet corn that takgoti mentioned, kissed with a light bit of butter. Delicious and rich. There’s also the feeling of cocoa. I can’t explain this one… not the flavor of it, but the overall end feeling of taking a sip of that drink. I’m getting some sort of nutty flavor, maybe a bit of walnut?
There’s a mouthfeel here too. I think that’s the first time I’ve noticed it. A thickness, a deliciousness that cannot be described. No astringency whatsoever. This is a tea that just keeps on giving. I love the lingering feeling on my tongue of nectar and honey and goodness. I am just finding that I love white tea in general. How something light could be so deep… it’s almost like the Caribbean waters.
The flavors here are so round and pronounced, yet so different, distinct, and enjoyable. I really can’t even begin to properly describe this cup. I’d just suggest getting some for yourself. THANK YOU TAK-TAK FOR AMAZINGNESS, as usual!
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White tea, walnuts, corn and cocoa. Sounds so weird yet so delicious!
Wheee! I actually feel like your review makes more sense than mine, but I’m a bit ecstatic that you enjoyed this so much. It really is a very good tea. And I get what you mean by the cocoa thing, I think, but I can’t describe it either.
And now we’re conversing about it anyway, so I’m just going to tell everyone else what we decided – it’s like essence of cocoa, but instead of getting actual the cocoa flavor, it’s everything else. The texture, the darkness, etc. It’s really abstract, but that’s the best we could do.
I also think that it might be partially due to the walnut component of the tea.
takgoti is absolutely right! Ricky, I think the only “flavor” per-se that’s really going to come across strongly out of that list is the sweet corn, and maybe a bit of woodsy walnut-ness. Of course, white tea typical flavors… but much richer, deeper, and darker, while still being ridiculously light. It’s like a well of flavor! And mouth feelings and teases and flashes of something else, something more… the walnuts and cocoa are that “something more.” It really is sweet and delicious though!
You guys are making my Samovar shopping list grow…. evil evil evil.
@Ricky. White tea, got it. Walnuts, eh could get soggy and weird but got it. cocoa, YUM! But… CORN ??? Is a matcha mill on your Samovar list yet?
Let’s just make our own Bai Mu Dan blend. I’ll supply the corn :D
No matcha mill…. yet… I’m going the old fashion way, mortar and pestle.
@Ricky, you actually grind your own w/ a mortar and pestle vs buying it preground (except for your Rishi matcha)? WOW! Do you use tencha or some other tea? What brand?
There’s no corn in the tea! Or walnuts… or cocoa. No flavoring. It’s just plain leaves. Those were tasting notes. :(
@teaplz haha ok- darn. I was kinda psyched up for it lol.
Haha, no. Sorry for the confusion. I don’t even own a mortar and pestle. I’ve always wanted one though =X. I always accidentally purchase ingredients as a whole.
Yeah that may be smart. Matcha tends to fly if you even think about breathing so I think that’d be a big mess.
Can’t believe I haven’t had any samovar yet, this will be changing in early 2010. Wow.
I love your description of the mouthfeel! right on!
White tea, walnuts, corn and cocoa. Sounds so weird yet so delicious!
Wheee! I actually feel like your review makes more sense than mine, but I’m a bit ecstatic that you enjoyed this so much. It really is a very good tea. And I get what you mean by the cocoa thing, I think, but I can’t describe it either.
And now we’re conversing about it anyway, so I’m just going to tell everyone else what we decided – it’s like essence of cocoa, but instead of getting actual the cocoa flavor, it’s everything else. The texture, the darkness, etc. It’s really abstract, but that’s the best we could do.
I also think that it might be partially due to the walnut component of the tea.
takgoti is absolutely right! Ricky, I think the only “flavor” per-se that’s really going to come across strongly out of that list is the sweet corn, and maybe a bit of woodsy walnut-ness. Of course, white tea typical flavors… but much richer, deeper, and darker, while still being ridiculously light. It’s like a well of flavor! And mouth feelings and teases and flashes of something else, something more… the walnuts and cocoa are that “something more.” It really is sweet and delicious though!
You guys are making my Samovar shopping list grow…. evil evil evil.
@Ricky. White tea, got it. Walnuts, eh could get soggy and weird but got it. cocoa, YUM! But… CORN ??? Is a matcha mill on your Samovar list yet?
Let’s just make our own Bai Mu Dan blend. I’ll supply the corn :D
No matcha mill…. yet… I’m going the old fashion way, mortar and pestle.
@Ricky, you actually grind your own w/ a mortar and pestle vs buying it preground (except for your Rishi matcha)? WOW! Do you use tencha or some other tea? What brand?
There’s no corn in the tea! Or walnuts… or cocoa. No flavoring. It’s just plain leaves. Those were tasting notes. :(
@teaplz haha ok- darn. I was kinda psyched up for it lol.
Haha, no. Sorry for the confusion. I don’t even own a mortar and pestle. I’ve always wanted one though =X. I always accidentally purchase ingredients as a whole.
Yeah that may be smart. Matcha tends to fly if you even think about breathing so I think that’d be a big mess.
Can’t believe I haven’t had any samovar yet, this will be changing in early 2010. Wow.
I love your description of the mouthfeel! right on!