Golden Lily

This tea is something special. I am not one for flavored teas. I have very few that I have enjoyed. I was told about this tea and the language used to describe it sounded like a flavored tea, so I initially declined. However, curiosity got the better of me, and I ended up with some. I opened up the package and was struck with some intense aromas. I experienced tropical tones with a vanilla and milky base. If I kept on sniffing I would get down to the creamier notes, and the tropical fruit tones would vanish. I placed a decent amount in my warmed gaiwan and let these little nuggets rest. I started shaking the gaiwan and the scents erupted from the vessel. My tea room was surrounded by a medley of juicy scents. I could take in pineapple, mango, and papaya. I opened the lid and took a whiff. These sweet and intriguing tropical scents were bathed in a sweet coconut milk. This was going to be a flavorful session. I washed the little treats once and prepared for brewing. The steeped leaves have transformed from their tropical paradise self to a spring field. They gave off a fresh green scent with light floral tones. I sniffed at spinach, fresh Swiss chard, tulips, and nectar. I was now ready to give this drink a taste. The initial sip has a full mouth feel and is deeply lubricating. The warm liquor is filling and creamy. The taste is vegetal like buffalo grass and juicy. There is an intense pineapple and mango tone that is present. I had to ask the owner of the company to clarify if it was flavored, and its not even in the least bit artificial. This intriguing brew presents itself with a beautiful tropical tone that is smoothed out with a rich cream. The sip ends with a drying and grass tone with a pleasant sugar cane aftertaste. The brew lasts for quite some time, and in later steeping moves more towards herbaceous tones. The tropical flavors remain present throughout the session but linger in the background later on. The taste of grass, spring, and vegetables take its place, while a soft floral vibe kills off astringency. This brew has quite a lot of depth and a smooth body. The leaves include some massive stems and the liquor is a beautiful aquamarine green. I really enjoyed this session. I am going to try and concentrate cold brew this for some late night sipping. I really want to bring out the creamy tones and concentrate the tropics.

I loved how this came out :)
https://www.instagram.com/p/832rIVTGV5/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

https://www.instagram.com/p/9zD1bRzGbS/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

You could be forgiven for mistaking this for a flavored tea. The fruity, tropical notes are the first thing to hit your tongue. All of the flavor descriptors that Whispering Pines gives are present. There are pineapple, peach, and coconut tones complimented by a buttery body and subtle milkiness.

This tea has none of the floral or mineral taste that I’m used to with green oolongs. It’s all tropical fruit and cream. It took a few sips but my palette quickly acclimated to the unique taste of this tea. This is a very pleasant after dinner tea and fantastic iced.

The last bit of my ounce and it ranks as a favorite now. Oddly enough, I preferred this one Western or even Grandpa Style. Favorite mouth feel out of most of the teas I had. I still wish I got more coconut and mango every once in a while though I did on occasion. If only it were a hint stronger.