2018 Censers

Drinking now after 5 years, received in the white tea basics set of W2T.

Very sweet and creamy, flavour of apricot, fruit jam,

A nice white tea! I got this sample from my recent w2t order, and its delicateness and smoothness really stands out. Moderately rich aroma, smooth texture, and a buzzy cha-qi to boot. I wish that this tea had a stronger flavour with more nuance, and that it should have a longer lasting finish and aftertaste for this tea to really be a contender for a really good tea. I just felt that it wasn’t unique and complex enough. All in all though, a decent white!

Sipdown!

Grandpa-style tea of the day.

I’m enjoying this one much more than the Turtle Dove. It does have the quintessential white tea hay and autumn leaf sort of notes, but it’s also quite creamy with dark honey and some light floral notes. There’s also a nice apricot taste adding a bit of tart fruitiness. Chewy whole grains add a nice satisfying feel to the sip. Every now and then a savory herby note peeks its head out, maybe thyme? Also at the very end of the aftertaste, perhaps just a touch of anise?

Anyway, very pleasant and with more depth and range of flavor to it than the Turtle Dove I tried before. Yay!

Censers has an excellent thick texture with notes of honey, floral, hay, coconuts, and bran. It is a delicate steeper, so it will go bitter on you if you are not careful.

Full review on Oolong Owl http://oolongowl.com/2018-censers-white-tea-from-white2tea/

Censers is an all-around great white tea – beautiful and pungent fragrance, balanced taste, long and evolving aftertaste, full body and warming cha qi. It has it all. It is a bit on the pricey side though, appropriately so I’d say. But that also means I don’t feel like I have to get the cake. I can imagine discovering white teas of similar quality at lower price point.

Anyway, the aromas on this tea are mostly floral and fruity. There’s dry grass, apricot and lavender in the dry leaf smell. The apricot aspect becomes really pronounced in the wet leaf smell. On top of that, I also get whipped cream and hints of nuts and wood.

The taste still has the fruity/apricot note, but with a slight alcohol shift. It is somewhat savoury and refreshing, but also has sweetnes of parsnip, herbal bitterness of thyme and a lot of florals too. The aftertaste is mostly sweet and medicinal, but has a spicy and sickly qualities to it too. Notes of honey, fructose and fruit tree flowers emerge there.

Mouthfeel is creamy, mouth-watering and thick, especially so in the late infusions.

I had this last night as an attempt to tone down the caffeine intake. I should really try to limit my vespertine pu-erh adventures but mornings and I just don’t get along. But back to tea… and what a tea this is.

Opening my taster pack right off the bat I get blasted by a powerful floral bouquet. For the strength alone I get the analogy with censers. But I guess this is also where I draw the line for this comparison. In my mind incense is inherently tied to smoky and resinous notes which I can’t find in the tea. The liquor has a bright yellow golden straw color which does darken a bit as I go. The taste has the same floral oomph.

A summer meadow with bales of hay, still slightly green. The sun is high in the sky and the heated grass and wild flowers release their intoxicating sweet aroma in the air. You can hear the busy bees buzzing about and can almost taste the wild flower honey – the fruit of their endless dance. It’s summer still and the chestnut trees in the distance are still a pleasant deep green, offering their shadow to the weary traveler. Come autumn the forest will be ablaze in yellow, red and ocher, and you’ll return here treasure hunting for the shiny brown chestnuts. Your mouth waters with the memory of last year’s sablés à la châtaigne fresh out of the oven. Close your eyes and breathe in the warm fragrant air. You are at peace.