Finally got back into some w2t samples. This one was a little weird for me. It took until the very last session for me to have a really good experience with it. It was never bad, but for the first few sessions of it I drank, I found it pretty inferior to other 2016 w2t productions, even in the lower price brackets. I agree with the laconic tasting note on w2t’s website, noting that this tea has “higher than average” astringency. It really required flash steeping for the majority of the session for it to show its better qualities.
These leaves had a sweet apricot, buttery aroma when dry – after a rinse, the aroma was strong and zesty, with apricot and a slight undercurrent of petrol which some people (including myself at times) associate with the aroma from young sheng leaves. The tea, as most from White 2 Tea do, brews up thick in texture from the get-go. It was sweet, with a bit of fruitiness – I got pineapple – along with some vegetal flavor. There was a pretty intense astringency, especially if steeped carelessly. The tea carries on for over fifteen steeps, flash steeping through at least 10 of those. Towards the end of the session, the fruitiness mostly leaves this tea as does the astringency. The finish becomes sweet, reminding me more than once of sugar cookies.
Reading back, this tasting note seems a little all over the place. That kind of matches my feelings for this tea. When I finally nailed the brewing, it was good – still not as great as some of the other White 2 Tea productions I’ve had this year – I enjoyed Tea Don’t Lie and Poundcake over this one. I’m glad I got a sample of it though, and I would encourage people who are perusing w2t’s 2016 lineup to sample this tea, as others I’ve talked to have really fallen in love with it.
Flavors: Apricot, Astringent, Fruity, Pineapple, Sweet, Thick