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derk drank Red Jade T-18 Organic “Primeur” Curled White Tea, Lot 802 by Taiwan Tea Crafts

1548 tasting notes

This is the most forward Red Jade white I’ve had to date.

It pairs wonderfully with crispy oatmeal raisin cookies.

Dry leaf: aromas of tomato leaf, cooked tomatoes and greens, lemon, herbs, raisins, malt, brown sugar, wintergreen, black cherry. The leaf is large, dark and hearty — no crumbling thin leaf here.

Wet leaf: clearing and piercing wintergreen note grounded by an umami undertone like stewed vegetables.

Liquor aroma: wintergreen, cinnamon, straw.

Tastes: A backbone of straw with headiness of wintergreen, spiciness of cinnamon oil, fruitiness of black cherry, tartness of blood orange (like there is some raspberry kick), highly mineral, some toastiness and teasings of tropical fruits. Moves to baked bread, butter, popcorn, a light herbal licorice sweetness, malt, plants stems and banana leaf.
Brown sugar returning sweetness is not coy.

Body/mouthfeel: thick and oily moving to thin and rough then back to thick and brothy. Salivating, almost drooling. Of course cooling in the mouth and chest with that menthol/wintergreen/herbs but warming in the body like hot straw and cinnamon. I feel like a sheer white curtain was draped over my eyes, relaxed.

Awesome tea. Aromatic, flavorful and engaging. Somehow what seems like chaos in tea is reigned momentarily.

Song pairing: The Comet is Coming — Summon the Fire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XsEgNvYiIE (headphones, loud.)

[5g, 100mL porcelain teapot, 195+ F, no rinse, great longevity for a white tea]

Flavors: Blood Orange, Bread, Brown Sugar, Butter, Cherry, Cinnamon, Herbs, Lemon, Licorice, Malt, Menthol, Mineral, Plant Stems, Popcorn, Raisins, Smooth, Straw, Tart, Thick, Toast, Tropical, Umami, Vegetables

Preparation

195 °F / 90 °C 5 g 3 OZ / 100 ML

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This place, like the rest of the internet, is dead and overrun with bots. And thus I step away.

Eventual tea farmer. If you are a tea grower, want to grow your own plants or are simply curious, please follow me so we can chat.

I most enjoy loose-leaf, unflavored teas and tisanes. Teabags have their place. Some of my favorite teas have a profound effect on mind and body rather than having a specific flavor profile. Terpene fiend.

Favorite teas generally come from China (all provinces), Taiwan, India (Nilgiri and Manipur). Frequently enjoyed though less sipped are teas from Georgia, Japan, Nepal and Darjeeling. While I’m not actively on the hunt, a goal of mine is to try tea from every country that makes it available to the North American market. This is to gain a vague understanding of how Camellia sinensis performs in different climates. I realize that borders are arbitrary and some countries are huge with many climates and tea-growing regions.

I’m convinced European countries make the best herbal teas.

Personal Rating Scale:

100-90: A tea I can lose myself into. Something about it makes me slow down and appreciate not only the tea but all of life or a moment in time. If it’s a bagged or herbal tea, it’s of standout quality in comparison to similar items.

89-80: Fits my profile well enough to buy again.

79-70: Not a preferred tea. I might buy more or try a different harvest. Would gladly have a cup if offered.

69-60: Not necessarily a bad tea but one that I won’t buy again. Would have a cup if offered.

59-1: Lacking several elements, strangely clunky, possess off flavors/aroma/texture or something about it makes me not want to finish.

Unrated: Haven’t made up my mind or some other reason. If it’s pu’er, I likely think it needs more age.

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