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“this is really the best white tea i think i’ve ever had – not that this is an extensive set, LOL! i usually think white tea is best for adding flavorings to, and am not such a fan of flavored...” Read full tasting note
“The Tealet tins came four to a box, and simply for the sake of keeping some idea of what I’ve tried and what I haven’t, I’m making the round through each box before going on to the next one....” Read full tasting note
DESCRIPTION
Hawaii Rainforest Tea is a preservation in a Big Island Ohia tree forest. Farmer Bob Jacobson is proud of his farm’s diverse microbe ecology which he says plays a big part in his tea’s unique character. The farm sits on lava topped with 4-6" of mulch. Only four varietals of Camellia sinensis are grown for production. These include bohea, benikaori, yutakamidori and yabukita. A blend of these is processed to make a delicate white tea.… Read more
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this is really the best white tea i think i’ve ever had – not that this is an extensive set, LOL! i usually think white tea is best for adding flavorings to, and am not such a fan of flavored teas, so, obv., i don’t drink a lot of white tea. however, this one called out to me from across the intertubes, and here we are.
I brewed this in my Teavana gravity drain steepy thing, with 2 TBS @ about 180 degrees for about 2 minutes – and wow, i did NOT expect the luscious aroma that was coming off the steeper while i waited. the scent was a mix of a super-light green, completely unlike a sencha-y heavy murky green, but more of a fresh cut grass key lime kinda green, with a lovely peppery spiciness that i likewise can’t really describe without using images (damn that synaesthesia!). poky little points of peppery spiciness.
finally, 2 minutes were up, and i decanted the tea into my tea glass, and the taste, it does not disappoint. the first hot slurps were just as i described above, and now as it cools a bit, the flavor is rounding out to a gingery spiciness, the poky little points getting a little more blunt, even flat (not bad, just not as poky). i’d even dare to give the flavor now a “citrusy” kind of aura, although the aroma has not changed in the slightest from the original pepper.
i am not 100% sure i’ll have time this afternoon for steeps #2 and 3 and so on, but will update if i do. otherwise, am so saving in fridge to continue with this tomorrow afternoon. this is a nummy and interesting tea.
Flavors: Citrus, Cut Grass, Ginger, Pepper, Spices
The Tealet tins came four to a box, and simply for the sake of keeping some idea of what I’ve tried and what I haven’t, I’m making the round through each box before going on to the next one. Today’s box was particularly well-appointed in that it hit all the major tea groups: black, oolong, green, and this white that I’m finishing out the day with.
While I don’t think I would seek this tea out because I’m just not a fan of unflavored whites, I have to note that the tea has some fascinating spice undertones that give it a lot more character and body than a white tea usually has. It tastes like cinnamon and cloves, if you can imagine cinnamon and cloves as an aftertaste rather than the overpowering experience they usually are. I also get a bit of sweet hay flavor, which I find with a lot of white teas. It’s a very smooth tea, but with 4 out of 5 caffeine points, maybe not the most relaxing tea. Drink it to wake up.
Prep note: the instructions recommend using a whomping 2 Tbsp; I used 2 tsp, which to me seemed plenty strong enough. It’s true that this is a light and feathery tea, with many of the pieces consisting of 2 leaves attached to a stem, and all this means that it’s not going to fill all the spaces in the measuring spoon. But still, 2 Tbsp seems like overkill. Use your own discretion, I guess.
