White teas are great Springtime teas, with such a fresh, gentle character and flavor. Experiencing a white tea is like feeling a gentle, cooling breeze brush my face, soothing me for a little while until the next one comes along. This Formosan white is another pleasant example that makes it a special tea.
The dry leaf exhibits light, creamy aromas of cucumber and pear. The leaves are huge and beautiful, consisting mostly of darker green hues, with some well twisted leaves having lighter white tips. The wet leaves possess light wood notes and buttered greens (beans), cooling to a very light grassy, raw green bean aroma.
The cup is a very light and lucid yellow, smelling of light fruits and having a sweet and creamy nose. The flavors are pleasantly sweet and creamy, with very light fruits that my palate cannot discern. There is also a subtle vegetal quality I can only descibe as green beans.
With my second cup (3.5 minutes at 180) I added 1+ tsp to the previously steeped leaves, hoping to capture a slightly new dimension of this tea.
Aromas were grassy and somewhat fruity; while the hot, wet leaves definitely smelled of corn, cooling to a light grassy, raw green bean scent. These characteristics were deeper than noted in the first cup.
The second cup was a shimmering yellow, with the sweet smell of light unbuttered corn. After continually swishing and swirling the tea in my mouth, corn and light hay flavors pleased my palate. A light grassy character rested on my tongue and remained after swallowing the tea.
This Formosan white tea is quite unique, delicious, and enjoyable! I really liked the differences between the first and second cup. Mostly, the contrasts were very subtle, yet quite noticeable. It is alot like that gentle wind, blessing you for brief moments, seemingly when you need it the most. Like the wind its beauty is fleeting, only to be missed when it is gone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvCUJgnVg3o&feature=related
Cupped & Reviewed: Friday, June 8, 2012.
