This is one of my favorite teas. It is simple, straightforward, and beautiful to watch in a glass tumbler as it unfurls. Each pearl is comprised of two leaves and a fuzzy bud that are rolled by hand, which means between actual human fingers. The care and precision that goes into making each pearl is apparent in the taste, which is silky, honeyed and refreshing. My notebook reads, “[the flavor] is subtle and sweet. I get the image of goose down floating on still, clear water.”
An after-sweetness in the back of the throat provides a nice cooling sensation. It’s similar to sucking on the rind of a honeydew melon. The cooling sensation is not so strong as menthol, but there are similarities. The tea itself has the effect of focusing the mind and inducing a sense of calm, more so than other green or white teas. (Is this a white tea? McNulty’s is unclear on the subject…)
I could drink this every day. For a while, I did drink this every day, and when I didn’t feel like steeping and re-steeping in a teapot, I’d simply drop a few pearls (3 or 4) in a mug that I would refill with warm water until the flavor slipped away. Delicious.
