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“Last tasting note of the day…I can’t take anymore. I feel like my eyeballs are floating and I’ve got quite the caffeine buzz going on causing a slight headache. I can’t remember the last time I...” Read full tasting note
“Another tea in my Shang sampler, I did not really know what to expect from a Pao Blossom but am open to new things. :) I felt the leaf, when dry, smelled very much like a grapefruit or some kind of...” Read full tasting note
“Green and white teas are teas that belong to spring and summer. I just don’t feel like drinking them much during the colder months of the year. Funnily enough, the reverse is not true for blacks...” Read full tasting note
“I was never a fan of scented teas until I tried this white tea from Shang. Pao Blossom is probably the best floral scent and taste that I have experienced. Shang makes this using his silver...” Read full tasting note
Pao Blossom White Tea’s taste could be described as the more radiant and extraordinary sister of Jasmine Tea.
Cultivated on only 3-5 square miles of land in the world, the rare Pao blossom is a relative of the grapefruit, used medicinally in China to lower blood pressure and clean impurities away from the body.
Our artesian tea infuses Pao blossoms four times with smooth white tea to create a remarkable floral flavor unlike any tea. Shang Tea is the sole producer and only company to sell Pao Blossom Tea in the world.
http://www.shangtea.com/Pao-Blossom-White
Company description not available.
Pao blossom, if you hadn’t read the story from Shang Tea, is a flower that was once used more commonly to scent teas, but in recent memory is almost unheard of, at least here in the West. The flower is a relative of grapefruit and supposedly only grown on 3-5 square miles in the world now.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that the aroma of the tea leaves does remind of grapefruit. There’s a hint of toasted creme brulee in the aroma of the wet leaves, as well as some juicy white grape, and a hint of anise. If you’ve tried Shang’s Tangerine Blossom Red Tea, the aroma has some similarities. It also reminds me somewhat of the aroma of orange blossoms. Alas, all the citruses are related.
Where this floral scented tea parts from most others I’ve tried is that it isn’t particularly sweet. In fact it has a lingering mild bitterness that fans of grapefruit might enjoy. The taste is creamy with hints of anise. Some will say this tea is similar to jasmine, and while that connection could be made, I’d have to grumble at any claim that this is more extraordinary or delectable than jasmine. Pao has a more “down-to-earth” presence than jasmine, not as heady and floral, though just as aromatic. The bitter tones and lack of sweetness ground the flavor in a way that jasmine isn’t grounded, and in the opinion of this reviewer, there isn’t the complexity achievable with using jasmine to scent tea. I would wager that this is a major consideration for why jasmine tea is now ubiquitous and pao blossom is not. This is nothing bad on Shang Tea, of course, as they produce both types.
This tea needs to be brewed rather light or the taste may become a bit bitter, drying, almost soapy. Of course, this is a matter of preference, but among my circle this is the preference.
As for tasting notes, there are hints of cucumber in the background from the white tea, but the predominant flavor is that of the pao blossoms, which is creamy, reminding me of a combination of coconut milk and hints of anise. If you’ve ever eaten lotus or had lotus tea, it is reminding me a lot of that.
This tea’s nature is rustic to me. It’s not a bright, spring-like, vibrant tea, but an earthy, calm, grounding one.
Flavors: Anise, Citrus, Creamy, Cucumber, Fruit Tree Flowers
Today is another Shang tea just because I want to place an order and finally decide whats my faves. I got this sample from Nicole – thank you!
3.5g gaiwan 150ml
1steep 175F 5sec produced pale yellow green tea. Sweet and floral. i find it very similar to jasmine.
2steep 185F 5 sec the color is more intense yellow green. more floral, pleasant, even though i"m not jasmine tea drinker. the cup is bolder in taste and smell
if you like floral teas, especially Jasmine, I highly recommend this tea.
Thank you Nicole for your generous offer.
I guess Shang could tell by my jasmine-heavy order that I’m not afraid of a flower, so they sent this sample along. You know how they say scents are connected with memories? I had entirely forgotten about a vacation to Florida when I was very little where I wore orange blossom perfume. Even moving to Florida more than 30 years later was apparently not enough to remind me of that. But this tea did it. And it makes a much better tea than a perfume! There is also a savory deliciousness to it that I suspect is simply the quality white base tea. Today is Shang Tea day though, so I suspect that will become clear as I taste my way through the ridiculous white tea stash that arrived yesterday.
This one sounds intriguing. I think I might order their sample pack.
Worth a try!