75

My second 52 Teas white blend of the day – on the strength of Blackcurrant Bai Mu Dan, I had to give this one a try! The dry leaf here is interesting – mostly downy silver needles, but with a few black-brown leaves and twigs. There are dried pomegranate seeds and some whole and some partial dried blackberries. They seem to rehydrate pretty well, judging from the brewed leaf. I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 2.5 minutes in water cooled to around 170 degrees. The resulting liquor is a medium golden yellow, although with little discernable scent.

To taste, it’s pretty wonderful. The pomegranate is the clearest flavour, initially sweet but with a tartness emerging mid-sip, and a mild watermelon-like wateriness to round off. The blackberry plays second fiddle, but it’s also there, and adds a deeper, darker fruitiness and a mild sourness. Both flavours are pretty true-to-life, and they’re a good pairing.

The white tea base is fairly prominent, and adds a dusty-tasting undertone. That’s probably the only thing I’m not quite struck on, but it’s just about possible to ignore it. The fruit flavours aren’t especially strong, but fortunately the base doesn’t overpower them completely.

I think on balance I prefer Blackcurrent Bai Mu Dan to this one, but I’m still pleased with the way this one works as a late summer treat. Possibly it’d work better iced or cold brewed, so that’s probably what I’d try next. It’s a light, juicy, refreshing cup in any case.

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 2 min, 30 sec 1 tsp

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Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.

Location

Norfolk, UK

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