75

A sample from Angel at Teavivre. The first thing that struck me about this tea was how green the leaves are. I’ve had quite a few white peony teas where the leaves have been black or close to it — these are a pale spring green, very fresh looking! There are a high proportion of downy white buds, and some leaves and twigs (some of them also slightly downy!) The scent is quite heavily floral, but sweet and delicately hay-like as well. I’m a fan of white teas in general, and I’m really looking forward to giving this one a taste!

I gave 2 tsp of leaves about 2.5 minutes in cooled water (about 170). The resulting liquor is a medium yellow-gold, and smells sweet and floral. To taste, it’s as wonderful as I’d hoped. It’s not as heavily floral as the scent would suggest, but there is a floral, almost orchid-like, note to the flavour. It’s naturally sweet, although not excessively so — it’s the sweetness of flowers on a summer day, straw, or spring grass. The sip ends on a slightly powdery note, with a hint of dryness.

As white peony teas go, this is definitely one of the better ones I’ve tried. I love how green the leaves are, and how delicate yet multi-layered and complex the overall flavour is. Fantastic!

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 2 min, 30 sec 2 tsp

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Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.

Location

Norfolk, UK

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