The Final Sipdown: Day 3.3
After a rough and tumble couple of teas, I decided to treat myself to something I knew would my tastebuds would enjoy. As an added bonus, I get to remove this from my cupboard and my sample box until I get around to putting another Harney & Sons order through. [Vanilla Comoro, I’m looking at you.]
I can definitely taste the white tea in this, and if I were to take a stab at naming it I’d say it’s a bai mu dan. [Looking at the description, it says Chinese mutan. Is this yet another varietal of the Chinese name for White Peony?] The bergamot is nice and light, combining nicely with the white tea flavors and not overwhelming the cup. The finish has a bit of sweetness to it, and the aftertaste is refreshing and clean. The only downside is that it’s quite drying, and I find my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth.
It’s raining outside right now. I can hear it tapping on my window. If it snows this winter, I can tell I will want this tea to drink while I’m watching it. There’s something different about the quality of the light that filters indoors during the winter and the feeling it induces complements this tea beautifully. Given the barrage of wintry precipitation we received last year, though, I think I’ll be thankful for the rain.
It’s been about a year since I last drank this, but the remainder of my little sample held up nicely. Sometimes I feel a bit mean and harsh when I write a negative note about a tea, but then I drink something like this and it reminds me that no, sometimes it is absolutely justified to leave some teas sitting on a poor rating. Winter White Earl Grey is a superb example of a well balanced, well executed blend. Bumping the rating a bit.
Samples Downed: 9
