A sample from ashleyelizabeth! I completely forgot this was a white, so I reckon the water was a little hotter than it should have been when I added the leaves. Having said that, I couldn’t discern any notable effect on the tea, other than the white base being maybe just a little more prominent that it would otherwise have been.
I used 1.5 tsp of leaf, and water probably around 190. I gave it three minutes. The white buds are beautifully fuzzy, and there are quite long, thin strands of coconut scattered throughout. There are some darker leaves, too. Once brewed, the liquor is a pale yellow, which deepens slightly as it sits. There’s a slight oily residue on the surface of the cup, but nothing too terrible.
The flavour is pure coconut — it’s almost exactly like drinking coconut water, although with a creaminess from the vanilla. The white base adds quite a thick mouthfeel, and a slightly floral aftertaste, but I think that might be because I had the water too hot. I’ll let it cool more next time! For a first cup, on a hot summer Saturday, I found it very refreshing. It’s quite a light tea, and the coconut flavour is wonderfully tropical. I’ll enjoy experimenting with my next couple of cups! Many thanks to ashleyelizabeth for giving me the opportunity to try this one!