white2tea

Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown 2025 – Day 8

Day 6 was a cute teapot/snowglobe sticker and day 7 was another pu’erh. I’ve decided to just stop subjecting myself to pu’erhs for the rest of this calendar. I’ll put them aside for the next TTB or a swap. Let someone whose palate can actually enjoy and appreciate them get a try.

I brewed this up gong fu, losing track of exactly how many steeps I got but I think it was six or seven? This feels like a classic sort of Chinese black tea – spicy, sweet, malty, and full-bodied. The description describes this as having a “candied yam sweetness” and I can totally see that.

Two black teas and no stomach aches today, yay!

Grandpa Style!

Based on name alone, my assumption would have been that this ripe would have a darker, more woodsy profile and that turns out to be pretty spot on. It’s very thick and full-bodied with a strong punch of camphor and forest undergrowth. It reminds me a lot of Lumber Slut and Camphornaught, two other W2T shou pu’erhs with a similar earthy, woody and camphor-heavy profile. This one has a little bit of molasses and raisin sweetness in the finish, and perhaps more of a clove-like spice notes in the undertones. I like all of those elements. A lot. It’s definitely something that feels like it would be a good daily drinker, if that kind of dense and foresty profile is your jam.

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DR75sP2klIf/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WASUYeMWln8

Gongfu!

I believe I first recieved a dragonball of this pressing with last year’s Black Friday order, so I was amused to see it pop up again in this year’s Black Friday order as well. I probably should have been more on top of my steep times, as I found this fairly sharp and astringent for my own tastes. That said, there an overarching green but floral quality to the tea that’s curious and captivating. The best way I can out it into words is that it tastes like what I imagine a rose (or other flower) would be like when it’s started to bloom but hasn’t fully opened up yet. A flower’s equivalent, I suppose, to a just under ripe fruit where there’s still that snap of green.

I really wish I could brew this again to see how keeping the steep times shorter and more controlled would impact the taste and mouthfeel. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if it makes an appearance in next year’s Black Friday order…

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DR-xrxMifbV/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQuG16KojQo

Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown 2025 – Day 5

Wow, it seems like this one can resteep endlessly. I’ve been drinking it gong fu all day and it’s still giving me flavorful steeps! Smooth and round mouthfeel, with a honey-like sweetness, that savory hay note white teas always seem to have for me, no astringency, and just a bit of dryness at the end of the sip. Great paired with Reese’s Pieces, or on its own.

2025 Steepster Advent Swap: Day 6

Today’s advent pull from Michelle definitely makes up for the lackluster B&B oolong from this morning!

I accidentally oversteeped the first cup, but got it right on the second. This is so good, and I can see how it could become a daily drinker! It’s just a little bit malty and bready, with hints of molasses and brown sugar. Almost no astringency here.

Smooth, tasty, and eminently drinkable… what a winner!

Gongfu! Morning tea session with a 2025 Red Loon mini from the Shulloween bag. I’ve been excited to try this one for a while! Leaves prepared with a 10s rinse, as usual, and then taken through steeps of 10s, 15s, 20s, 25s, 30s, 35s, 40s, and 50s.

This one has a fairly linear progression, but still impresses me as a clean, accessible, daily drinker. There’s nothing funky to taste at all, just delicately sweet, creamy, smooth shou, minimally earthy with subtle later notes of fig and dried date. The mouthfeel is slick and oily, and the liquor a beautiful red-garnet. I’m definitely going to try this one grandpa-style next, as I think it’ll work really well like that. Overall, delicious. Really pleased with this one.

Afternoon tea session with 2023 Prosbloom from @white2tea, a free sample mini that came with my recent order. I prepared the leaves with a 10s rinse.

1st steep (10s) – pale orange liquor, almost roasty/charred flavour with a slight hint of sun-warmed earth in the tail of the sip
2nd steep (15s) – darker orange-brown liquor, increasing woody-earthiness, delicately sweet. Hints of black liquorice
3rd steep (20s) – liquor now red-brown, very pronounced woody-earthiness (not wet earth), roasty.
4th steep (25s) – still lots of woody earth/roast, but also a developing creaminess. Becoming sweeter.
5th steep (30s) – balanced earthy/creamy interplay
6th steep (35s) – ditto
7th steep (40s) – ditto
8th steep (45s) – ditto, but starting to fade. Very smooth.
9th steep (50s) – very smooth, sweet, creamy, only very mild underlying woody-earthiness.

On the whole I found this one a bit nondescript, just a typical low-budget shou sort of affair. Which is fine, because that’s what it is, but there are many others like it. The roastiness sets it apart a little, and it occurred to me whilst drinking that this would go really well with something like roast beef. I’m pleased to have tried it of course, and it’s a likeable, easy-drinking shou, but not one I would actively seek out again as there are others I greatly prefer at a similar price point.

Gongfu!

This ripe pu’erh is slick and oily, with quite a heavy and coating mouthfeel. I was pleased at how quickly and easily this dragonball opened up, as well as how long I was able to push this session. Though the top notes of this shou are rather fruity with more of a red berry taste to them, I mostly found this tea rather chocolate-like in profile. Slightly bitter like a high percentage dark chocolate, with earthier undertones. The finish introduces a bit of sweetness, like the more caramelized and “brown tasting” notes of jaggery. It’s been a moment since I last steeped the 2023 En Passant pressing, but at least from memory I think I prefer this one!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRp_EldEvqu/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlqvTksoGR8

Brightening up a dull working Monday with a session of 2025 En Passant from my Shulloween bag of minis. I prepared the leaves with a 10s rinse.

1st steep (10s) – smooth, sweet, earthy
2nd steep (20s) – ditto, plus a hint of red berry-like fruitiness emerging in the background.
3rd steep (30s) – creamy, sweet, soft earthiness with a rich red berry aftertaste
4th steep (40s) – creaminess increased, soft earthiness. Some berry still, but diminishing.
5th steep (50s) – creamy, sweet, earthiness diminished.
6th steep (60s) – sweet water at this point

All in all a pretty good run of the mill sweet shou, quite straightforward and a good “don’t have to think too hard” daily drinker that doesn’t need a lot of focus.

Brewing a mini in a 110ml seasoned yixing, starting at 205.

Rinse (15s): light yellow, floral sheng with some citrus

1st steep (10s): floral sheng notes, a bit of citrus in the mid level. Low astringency, mild sweetness

2nd steep (8s+++): lid aroma is very floral, a bit of rose and other fresh flowers. Steep is a strong yellow gold – I tried to flash steep this, but the leaves had expanded and covered the spout, causing a very slow pour. As expected, the brew is a bit thicker and astringent, although honestly not terrible astringency. The flavor brings forward a stronger spiciness, sending the floral note to the mid/back of the palate

3rd steep (8s proper): lid aroma floral notes are toned down, leaving a warm green scent. Liquor is golden, maybe slightly more translucent than last steep. This steep is much less astringent, and only slightly less flavorable – a good trade if you enjoy subtlety. The floral notes seem to be firmly in the mid range now, and up front is a warm greens note – a bit vegetal, a bit herbal. Very mild cooling sensation, Citrus notes stil hang around but are not prominent

4th steep (10s): Overall similar to the last steep in all qualities. Maybe slightly brighter.

5th steep (15s): Liquor is a darker gold. Notes continue to lead in a warmer direction

6th steep (20s): Liquor color is a brighter gold. Citrus herbal sheng

I’m going to do a few more steeps, but I’m done reviewing now – overall, an enjoyable sheng, not too bitter. Floral citrus tapering down to greens and herbs. With just a touch of spice.

Starting Friday right with a 2025 Blood Moon mini, brewed gongfu style.

1st steep (20s) – delicately sweet, wildflower honey
2nd steep (30s) – wildflower honey, undertones of fresh baked bread
3rd steep (40s) – sweet, a little astringent. Honey and bread still, but diminished.
4th steep (50s) – delicately sweet, hints of strawberry. Black tea characteristics much diminished.
5th steep (1m) – characteristics of white tea now more prominent than black. Sweet, creamy, a little astringent.

As my workday then got busy, the leaves went into my thermos for a final grandpa steep. The breadiness returned, also malt and cocoa. There is some astringency, but no more than I would expect from a grandpa brew of a black tea. Thoroughly enjoyed this one today, and kinda sad now that I don’t have more in my cupboard. Definitely one to look out for when making my next order.

Quick review – brewed gongfu in a 170ml pot at boiling. Liquor is mostly dark red, not fully black. Product notes are very accurate. Tastes basically like a Lumber slut variant – maybe its forest goth sibling. Camphorous mainly, perhaps a bit more forest floor than lumber slut? I’d have to side by side compare to be sure. Solid inexpensive shou.

Gongfu! Diving into the Shulloween bag of minis today, and settled on the lone 2025 Glasshouse having heard good things about it. Prepared with a 10s rinse.

1st steep (10s) – creamy, smooth, lightly nutty
2nd steep (15s) – creamy, smooth, nuttiness more defined with hints of hazelnut. Background floral?
3rd steep (20s) – creamy, hazelnut
4th steep (30s) – smooth, creamy. Nuttiness diminished.
5th steep (40s) – smooth, creamy
6th steep (60s) – liquor pale orange now; sweet, smooth, creamy

I put the leaves in my thermos for a final killsteep of ~2.5 hours. The result is sweet and creamy with a very slight background of hazelnut. I thoroughly enjoyed this session, and would absolutely drink Glasshouse again in the future. It would be a great option for those looking for a non-earthy shou, with its delicious hazelnut cream notes predominating throughout.

Just a quick review. 10g in a 170ml teapot, brewed at boiling, gongfu style.

Brews quite dark. A sweet shou with cream and caramel notes that surprised me! My favorite cake from the shulloween pack, I’m sad this isn’t a generally available cake, because it would be a perfect daily drinker

Just ok, not too smoky, not too smooth. A decent example of smoked tea, but I don’t need more of this.

Grandpa Style!

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that a tea with “light” literally in the name is so bright tasting. But even still; this ripe pu’erh has some of the most lively feeling and fruity top notes of any shou that I’ve had for a while. It has an almost peachy stonefruit notes that straddles a fine and interesting line between biting into a ripe summer peach and something a little more grilled and caramelized, particularly as the top notes pass and more of the earthy and sweet brown notes of the mid sip kick in. If you’ve ever had peaches and brown sugar before, you probably know it’s an excellent combination. Definitely something really, really appealing to me about this smooth but very distinct tasting tea. I can’t wait to try steeping it some different ways, and seeing how it settles with time as well!!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DRaLX8qiUDx/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUJIeN_MmkU

Smooth but unremarkable. Interesting concept, but I don’t think I need any more of this nutty tea.

Got this from the 2025 Shulloween. Quick review -

Brewed gongfu in a 170 ml pot, 10g of material, boiling water.

Liquor is intensely dark throughout – seems to be the name of the game with black cat – an unrelentingly dark ripe puer.

Unfortunately the dominant note I got at first was just cardboard. Could this be a storage issue, or just the nature of the tea? Time will tell as it rests in my collection and ages a bit more.

Thankfully, with further steeping, the cardboard taste settled back. The flavor profile is primarily dark – old books, church basement, there’s definitely some dark fruit melange throughout the background, though no one fruit is prominent, and I wouldnt describe the tea as fruity. Something on the prune-raisin-pomegranite side of things.

Mouthfeel is thick, matching the dark brew.

Overall, a bit monotonous. Not bad, but not mind blowing.

I think I got the 2022 version with the 2025 shulloween.

Quick review – Good deal for the 200g cake. The shou is solid but not incredibly impressive. Tastes to me like a variant of lumber slut – a lot of similar notes to me. It is not exactly the same though, there’s some different notes in the middle.

Liquor is pretty dark on the amber side. very dark early steeps, but drops off pretty quickly.