Cucumber White

I’m really not a huge white tea fan, nor a huge Tazo fan. But I had the chance to try a new-to-me tea so I took it. This was that tea.

I’m really not expecting much, so my lack of disappointment probably reflects more on that than the tea, but it really isn’t bad. I mean, it’s not great, but it’s quite drinkable. It has a fairly uneventful taste. I don’t really taste any cucumber (but really, what does cucumber taste like but wet, cold, crisp and fresh which, now that I’ve said that, I guess I do kinda taste). I don’t really taste any white tea either. No wait, I take that back. There might be some white tea vegetal-ness in the very back of the taste. Most of the taste is lime-ish citrus with a little warm spice tingle at the end. It gives it a kind of fresh, lively taste. Sort of summery, though weirdly bland at the same time. (I’m guessing that is from the teabag-ness? Or maybe the fact that I just steeped for one minute.)

Anyway, this honestly doesn’t taste all that white tea (or any kind of tea, actually) to me and I think if you go into this expecting white tea, you’ll probably be disappointed. But it’s a decently respectable (and unusual) teabag herbal.

Looking back on what I wrote about this tea, I’m constrained to dock it some points. I’d originally given it a 63. Lately I’ve been drinking it a lot more, as I’m now down to just a few of my original “starter tea” tea bag boxes.

One of the problems I’m having is that I really did not like Om, which was another Tazo mixed tea blend with cucumber flavor. I drank a lot of Om trying to get through my stash at both work and home, and it never got any better tasting, in fact it got worse and worse.

Om may have ruined cucumber flavor in tea for me, or perhaps just cucumber flavor in Tazo tea. Though this one doesn’t have the same ingredients as Om, its cucumber flavor is close enough to the same that my sense memory is superimposing a spiciness on the cucumber that gives me that same pickle feel as I had with Om. Pickles being, well, pickled, that flavor undercuts the feeling of freshness I had the first few times I had this. In a big way.

Also, I had forgotten that Cucumber White, as this is actually named, also has black darjeeling in it, which makes it one of those “what temp do I use, and for how long” conundrums that I’d rather skip and just get to the drinking.

As I’m sitting with these white Tazos for longer, the Vanilla Apricot is emerging as a frontrunner, and the Berryblossom is growing on me. The cucumber, sadly, has fallen from favor.

An unusual, interesting blend, but I’m not sure it’s an improvement on plain white tea. You see, I find plain white tea to be anything but plain. Of course, teabag-grade tea could be expected to be less flavorful than its full-leaf forbears. Maybe it’s the lime zest. Unlike lemon, which accentuates the floral notes, the lime seems to bring out something more earthy. And then there’s cucumber. If you omit the skin, what flavor is cucumber? It has a vegetal freshness, I think, but it’s a shy, retiring essence, overwhelmed by the lime. I wanted the lime to surprise me, to wake me up, but it wasn’t punchy enough to do that. It adds a savory dimension, but I think the lime would give a better effect when paired with a base other than white tea. Plus, I kept wanting to add a dash of salt!

This tea is light and refreshing. I’ve had it both hot and iced, but I think I prefer it iced. If hot, I prefer it a little on the weaker side. The cucumber flavor is subtle and blends nicely with the white tea and other herbal flavors.

I’m normally not very impressed with most tea that comes in tea bags, but when I saw this at the health food store, it really intrigued me. I’m glad I picked it up! I did not let it steep for very long, so that it would not become bitter or too strong. I seemed to choose the perfect time to stop steeping, because I can now taste the mild flavor of the cucumber, as well as hints of lemon and peppermint. It’s very, very mellow, but I love it. I’m surprised it’s gotten such low ratings. It just seems that not as many people are not fans of white tea.

Can’t remember exactly how long I steeped it, but it was around 2 minutes. I don’t have a water thermometer, but I brought the water to a boil over in a kettle and added an eensy bit of cold water while steeping to prevent it from becoming too bitter. I just wing these sorts of things. I’m excited to try this in the summer time, when I can make it iced with a little bit sweetener. I think it’ll be very refreshing. :)

I can understand that this may be too mild for other people’s liking, but if you steep it just right (before it reaches the bitter, bland point; and possibly add some natural sweetener), it is likely come out more flavorful and enjoyable.

I’m still trying to decide what I really think about this tea. It has sort of fruity tart smell to it. But also smells a little like cardboard. Kind of has that taste, too. Maybe it’s trying to pull off something ‘earthy’ & is failing miserably. I’m not entirely sorry I bought this tea but I certainly wouldn’t purchase it again.

It does taste kinda like cucumber and a hint of lime. It’s not bad but I prefer cucumber water instead.

This is quite a bitter (but also weak) tea. I love Tazo normally, but this isn’t one of my favorites. It needs a lot of sugar to taste good, and milk doesn’t cut down the bitterness like it usually does for me. Cucumber White isn’t the worst tea in the world, but it’s not the best either.

This is a very mild tea. I steep it for a long time and enjoy it almost at room temperature. it is a nice mid day tea.

What what WHAT? Why is this tea rated so LOW? Why does everybody hate it so much?
Full disclosure: I am generally not a fan of white tea at all.
The smell is delightfully summery. Like lime-ade in the sun on a freshly-clipped lawn. It’s darker than a usual white tea (I’m guessing because of the addition of black darjeeling tea). But the mouthfeel and taste are just so lovely that I can’t understand the universal dislike of Tazo Cucumber White!
You shouldn’t sweeten this tea for sure. The peppermint is more of a feeling than a flavour. It kind of ices down the back of your tongue and into your throat, then reminds you that it’s there by sliding cold hands along the sides of your mouth. The lime has no overpowering zing to it and kind of coaxes your whole face into thinking that it’s summer. The cucumber lingers sweetly and makes your mouth feel happy and clean.

And, because it isn’t on this page, here’s what the box has to say:
“Cool cucumber, refreshing peppermint, lime peel and all the blessed antioxidants in white tea unite their restorative powers in TAZO CUCUMBER WHITE. Sip by sip, you may feel a spreading calm as the tea replenishes your body and spirit. And if you find yourself smiling at nothing at all, you have reached the coveted peace of mind. Nice feeling, isn’t it?
“Ingredients: white tea, lime peel, dandelion leaves, black darjeeling tea, cucumber, peppermint, lemon myrtle, natural flavours, lime essence oil.
“Did You Know? Louis XIV so loved the rejuvenating effect of cucumbers that he had his royal gardens filled with the gourd. And he ruled for seventy two well-hydrated years. Drink up.”

The first time I brewed this, I forgot it was sitting there and it ended up much too strong and herbal. Because I knew it had sat too long, I was willing to give it another chance.

The second time I brewed it, I carefully timed it for three minutes before tasting. The stuff was awful- all I could taste was the dandelion leaves. Who puts dandelion leaves in with such light flavors as white tea and cucumber, anyway? I ended up dumping it out after half the cup. Figuring that the herbs should be mostly exhausted but the actual tea in the blend should still have some life, I stick the teabag in for a second steeping, four minutes this time. The dandelion leaves were pretty weak by then, and I could taste some of the white tea and lime, but it was still a little on the herbal side.

I ended up emptying all the tea bags into a tin so I could rinse them before trying to brew a drinkable cup or to use as something to put excess honey in when I’m sick so I don’t have to ruin a cup of something actually good. Drinking a rinsed cup as I type, I find that a single hot rinse is enough to lessen the flavor of the dandelion leaves, but not enough so that anything but a hint of limepeel comes through.

This is a VERY mild tea and didn’t have much flavor. It might be good as an iced tea or to clear one’s palate.

It has a very complicated taste pattern. Extremely bitter, with barely a hint of cucumber. I doesn’t taste amazing, but it isn’t absolutely horrid either. I guess you could say I am indecisive towards it..

hm. not sure what to say about this one. It tastes bitter with a hint of what i believe to be the cucumber part, didn’t really taste like cucumbers to me.

I’m undecided on this one. It has quite a few different flavors.