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“this is really the best white tea i think i’ve ever had – not that this is an extensive set, LOL! i usually think white tea is best for adding flavorings to, and am not such a fan of flavored...” Read full tasting note
“The Tealet tins came four to a box, and simply for the sake of keeping some idea of what I’ve tried and what I haven’t, I’m making the round through each box before going on to the next one....” Read full tasting note
DESCRIPTION
Hawaii Rainforest Tea is a preservation in a Big Island Ohia tree forest. Farmer Bob Jacobson is proud of his farm’s diverse microbe ecology which he says plays a big part in his tea’s unique character. The farm sits on lava topped with 4-6" of mulch. Only four varietals of Camellia sinensis are grown for production. These include bohea, benikaori, yutakamidori and yabukita. A blend of these is processed to make a delicate white tea. All growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, and marketing is done at the farm where the grower lives.
HOW TO BREW
Use 2 grams (2 tablespoons dried tea leaves) for 8 fl. oz. water in your favorite teapot or infuser (use bottled drinking water for best flavor, let boil and steep at 180F). Steep for 2 minutes. Leaves may be infused at least 3 times.
These are suggested brewing instructions. We encourage you to experiment and share your own brewing methods as you continue to grow in the tea culture. If you’re new to tea this is a good way to start.
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this is really the best white tea i think i’ve ever had – not that this is an extensive set, LOL! i usually think white tea is best for adding flavorings to, and am not such a fan of flavored teas, so, obv., i don’t drink a lot of white tea. however, this one called out to me from across the intertubes, and here we are.
I brewed this in my Teavana gravity drain steepy thing, with 2 TBS @ about 180 degrees for about 2 minutes – and wow, i did NOT expect the luscious aroma that was coming off the steeper while i waited. the scent was a mix of a super-light green, completely unlike a sencha-y heavy murky green, but more of a fresh cut grass key lime kinda green, with a lovely peppery spiciness that i likewise can’t really describe without using images (damn that synaesthesia!). poky little points of peppery spiciness.
finally, 2 minutes were up, and i decanted the tea into my tea glass, and the taste, it does not disappoint. the first hot slurps were just as i described above, and now as it cools a bit, the flavor is rounding out to a gingery spiciness, the poky little points getting a little more blunt, even flat (not bad, just not as poky). i’d even dare to give the flavor now a “citrusy” kind of aura, although the aroma has not changed in the slightest from the original pepper.
i am not 100% sure i’ll have time this afternoon for steeps #2 and 3 and so on, but will update if i do. otherwise, am so saving in fridge to continue with this tomorrow afternoon. this is a nummy and interesting tea.
Flavors: Citrus, Cut Grass, Ginger, Pepper, Spices
The Tealet tins came four to a box, and simply for the sake of keeping some idea of what I’ve tried and what I haven’t, I’m making the round through each box before going on to the next one. Today’s box was particularly well-appointed in that it hit all the major tea groups: black, oolong, green, and this white that I’m finishing out the day with.
While I don’t think I would seek this tea out because I’m just not a fan of unflavored whites, I have to note that the tea has some fascinating spice undertones that give it a lot more character and body than a white tea usually has. It tastes like cinnamon and cloves, if you can imagine cinnamon and cloves as an aftertaste rather than the overpowering experience they usually are. I also get a bit of sweet hay flavor, which I find with a lot of white teas. It’s a very smooth tea, but with 4 out of 5 caffeine points, maybe not the most relaxing tea. Drink it to wake up.
Prep note: the instructions recommend using a whomping 2 Tbsp; I used 2 tsp, which to me seemed plenty strong enough. It’s true that this is a light and feathery tea, with many of the pieces consisting of 2 leaves attached to a stem, and all this means that it’s not going to fill all the spaces in the measuring spoon. But still, 2 Tbsp seems like overkill. Use your own discretion, I guess.
