I’m back to regular steepstering!
The leaf appearance before the brew was actually quite lovely. Large, long needle tea leaves were accompanied by full-sized, open brownish leaves. I saw many two-leaf one-bud pairings, which I found interesting in this white tea that’s supposedly second-third flush.
The dry leaves had a woodsy smell, with an almond-nut undertone. After the brew, the needles opened to reveal subtle greens, and in the strainer, they had the appearance of army camouflage, pre digital BS.
The colour of the tea itself was a light amber, glowing in my glass cup.
The nose was earthy and moist, the nutty undertones from the dry leaf scent coming to play and promising a wonderful undertone.
Flavour: A full bodied, earthy white tea with almond undertones and a smooth, cleansing finish. Almost had a mouthfeel like a homemade mead, smooth and thick.
Overall, I was thrilled with the results of this one. Here, I opted for a two minute brew at 175, which is my standard for white teas.