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I still really like the packing of these samples. I like the idea of reusing them to wrap random chunks of puerh I have in jars.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKlafizAwlR/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

Now on to Crimson Lotus 2016 line up, hahah. Hittin all those vendors!

I love the packaging of his samples. The amount of tea is very minuscule, but the packaging is clever and aesthetic. The leaves are very dark and tightly compressed in small chaotic knots (no where near as tight as xiaguan). The small dark green tendrils give off a very sweet and green scent. I pick up some smoke and oak with a nice cooked green musk lingering off the leaves. I warm up my teapot and place a few bits inside. The scent mixes well and develops into a roasted green aroma. The scent is pungent, smokey, and strong. I can detect a slight sweetness in the background. I washed the leaves and prepared for brewing. The character begins sweet. I note a little bit of char and roast. The carries a strong green vegetal base. The brew stands in this similar fashion throughout the brewing. I noted a few steeps that were sour, and the leaves seemed a little mushy. I could note a faint huigan, but the sensation disappeared quickly. I didn’t pick up on any qi. The wasn’t too tasty, and it really isn’t something for me. I have one session left, so I will revisit in a few weeks.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK0qgIvAS4I/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel&hl=en

The White2Tea 2016:

I purchased samples of all the 2016 new line up this year, and I started at the bottom (cheapest) and worked my way up. I did this to taste the profile improvements and variances. I brewed in the same pot with same leaf water ratio. Also, this helps to hone in my palette to identify what’s a good deal and what’s not. At the conclusion of my tasting I will be placing my cake order.

This is it. The beginning of the end and the end of the beginning.

I finally made it to the last sample, and I am excited to see what is in store. I opened up the package and took a nice long inhale. I instantly pick up stonefruit, dark figs, sparkling grape juice, and pink lady apples. The aroma is quite heavenly. The leaf is very loosely pressed and includes a long chaotic mess of tangled stems and large leaves. I heated up my pot and prepared for brewing this nameless drink. The aroma was enticing to say the least. The scent began with molasses, brown sugar, and warm wood. A light floral background peeked out. I believe I sniffed some dark coco and possible cherry. Needless to say, it was very pleasing. I gave the pot a shake and lifted the lid for another sniff session. This time, I was catching aromas of honeysuckle flower, orchid, and wet moss. I washed the leaves once and prepared for brewing. The taste begins with a lot of wood and chestnut. The flavors are sweet and deep. I can take in some soft fruits in the aftertaste, The huigan is thick and filled with sugarcane and dates. A slight cooling sensation begins at my tongue and follows down to my belly. The brew is sweet and buttery with tones of powdered sugar and dough. A very decent tea. The brew keeps this consistent profile and slowly calms down. The qi is soft and uplifting. I imagined the word “cloud walking” to describe the feeling. Very peaceful. Very high, I enjoyed this tea. I thought it was fairly good, but the price is daunting. I will contemplate on it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ1SYaBA0to/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

The tasting of the 2016 lineup has ended. I only tasted the "new teas, for I already have an idea of the 2016 re-blends.
In conclusion, I am very unsure about a lot of them. They were all decent teas; however, it cost me 130$ +/- just to sample the teas. I was not incredibly taken aback, nor was I surprised by any of them. I enjoyed tasting and drinking them, but I can’t recall anything “jumping” out at me to stock up. I will drink what I have left and see if my thoughts change. Personally, my favorite was the daily drinker, hahah. It is not because of price. The pure fruity tone was fantastic! The brew was very appeasing and tasty and it had a decent qi; however, the brew has little to no depth. Again, I will sit and think about my last thoughts…

The White2Tea 2016:

I purchased samples of all the 2016 new line up this year, and I started at the bottom (cheapest) and worked my way up. I did this to taste the profile improvements and variances. I brewed in the same pot with same leaf water ratio. Also, this helps to hone in my palette to identify what’s a good deal and what’s not. At the conclusion of my tasting I will be placing my cake order.

I am still trying to figure this one out…

When a company states phrases like “the most out there” and “mystic” I have several thoughts in my mind. Is it taste? Qi? Aroma? Sensation? Processing? Terrior? Is it odd for this region of tea to do things like this one does? So. Many. Questions. So, I gear up with tasting tools in hand and begin! I was suuuper analytical and towards the end I’ll reveal my conclusion of the mystic diving brew.

I inspect the leaves and notice their small hairs, long slender shape, slight compression and they give off an intensely sweet aroma of berries, lemon, and thyme. A very fresh and sweet mix. I warmed up my pot and place the subject inside. The fruitiness expands to bosc pears, red apples, fruit punch, and the mild dryness of cranberries. I notice all my scents are “red”. I washed the leaves and prepared the lab to commence brewing. The leaves once steeped emit a shadowed scent of dark fruits, tobacco, and some faint peppermint or menthol. The taste is full and lasting. I notice some dark wood at the front which comes across as sweet and harsh. A wisp of smoke follows through with some heavy fruitiness. The tea is thick and the aftertaste is sweet and long lasting huigan (could I use the word sweet some more…). I pick up on some berry tastes later on and watch the tea flavors begin to fade after each steep. The huigan changes into a powerful menthol/mint cooling sensation the chills my throat and jaw line. The frigidness was refreshing. The qi is a nice feeling. It is a very slight and happy feeling the grows in power throughout the session. The remaining liquor gives a sugary aroma and fills up the lab. The testing has been concluded and the machinery and tasting tools lay scattered about, used and dripping. However, I still have questions in my mind. Am I tasting a wild old arbor material, for I picked up some viscosity and smoke? Was the unique characteristic the steeped leaves cooling aroma? Or was the mystery in the menthol powerful aftertaste? Was this all just a marketing ploy that I fell into? What makes this tea so “out there”? Honestly, I don’t have an answer. The tea was decent; however, I note nothing that is outstandingly unique about this brew. I am going to spend some more time and take it back to the lab. Once I find something out, you’ll be the first to know.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJyC1YrgASI/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

The White2Tea 2016:

I purchased samples of all the 2016 new line up this year, and I started at the bottom (cheapest) and worked my way up. I did this to taste the profile improvements and variances. I brewed in the same pot with same leaf water ratio. Also, this helps to hone in my palette to identify what’s a good deal and what’s not. At the conclusion of my tasting I will be placing my cake order.

This tea reeks of fresh and pungent. A strong scent with floral, grass, fruity, and smooth melon. I warmed up my pot and put some in. The scent becomes deeper and filling with hot wood, syrup, white honey, and honey crisp apples (the best). I wash the leaves once and prepare for brewing. The leaves yield a sweet and astringent taste. I take in some soft wood, nectar, and hay. I note a very very light bitter tone in the background. The brew is very grassy and herbaceous. This is an interesting tea. I can taste some slight huigan and brief kuwei. The liquor wafts up with thick caramel scents. The qi is viscous. The feeling is very heavy and aggressive. The first time I drank this tea I didn’t like it because it made my stomach hurt. The second time (after I let it sit for a week or so) it calmed down and didn’t hurt quite as bad.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJVs4dLAaQX/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

The White2Tea 2016:

I purchased samples of all the 2016 new line up this year, and I started at the bottom (cheapest) and worked my way up. I did this to taste the profile improvements and variances. I brewed in the same pot with same leaf water ratio. Also, this helps to hone in my palette to identify what’s a good deal and what’s not. At the conclusion of my tasting I will be placing my cake order.

I opened up the package, and this is a very fragrant tea. I was catching whiffs of sweet mineral, shale, seaweed, peat moss, dry clay, and an undertone of apple. The mixture was odd, but it ran together well. I warmed up my pot and placed a chunk inside. The scnets deepened and became predomiently floral with some dry sage and sweet buckwheat honey. The tea gave off a slight stale scent. I washed the leaves and prepared for brewing. The taste is airy and grassy. This was a very light brew. This tea reminds me of a sweet fresh dragonwell with a deeper body. I can taste some roasted greens in the base with a slight astringency in the finish. I pick up green melon and minor lemon notes in later steeping. This tea is very bright and spingy. The aftertaste yields a nice sweet lasting flavor. The final notes yield some slight almond tastes. The qi is heavy and drowsing. My body relaxes more and more with each sip; however, I can note some stomach discomfort. My head grew washy towards to the finish. This is a decent tea, and it carried some odd sensations and scents.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJtkxOxgOgv/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

The White2Tea 2016:

I purchased samples of all the 2016 new line up this year, and I started at the bottom (cheapest) and worked my way up. I did this to taste the profile improvements and variances. I brewed in the same pot with same leaf water ratio. Also, this helps to hone in my palette to identify what’s a good deal and what’s not. At the conclusion of my tasting I will be placing my cake order.

hahaha. Love the name. I gave my packet a shake and opened her up. Immediately, I am hit with a sweet and spicy tone. I take in some odd cooling sensations with basil and other herbaceous tones. I warmed up my pot and placed some in. The scent opens up into some wet wood, wildflowers and honey. the aroma is heavy and sweet. I washed the leaves once and prepared for brewing. Side note; once brewed the leaves are incredibly fragrant! A hot grassy note with some bitter and pungent aromas fill the tea room. The brew begins with some vegetable tastes such as: bok choy, asparagus, and Sichuan peppers. The taste is thick and oily with some sweetness towards the back. The forefront grows with honey tones that warm the body. I take in some astringency in later steeping along with a nice kuwei finish. The puckering and drying of my tongue begins around the third steeping. The brew grows to become more and more bitter with a lot of astringency. I can feel a wonderful qi fill my body and make me feel top heavy. The sensation is powerfully and heady (hehe). The last steeping brings about soft sweet tones with an underlying dryness. The qi grows and sends chills up and down my spine and pushes pressure outwards from my body. I liked this tea, but I feel it needs a some more time to dry out and calm down.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJnZ1PAAsEg/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel

The White2Tea 2016:

I purchased samples of all the 2016 new line up this year, and I started at the bottom (cheapest) and worked my way up. I did this to taste the profile improvements and variances. I brewed in the same pot with same leaf water ratio. Also, this helps to hone in my palette to identify what’s a good deal and what’s not. At the conclusion of my tasting I will be placing my cake order.

I opened up my packet and gave a nice long inhale, for it’s been a long day. I can take in a familiar sweet heavy scent of fruits and some mineral. I pick up an odd tarragon tone along with some petrichor. The underlying leaf gives off a fragrant scent of honey kiss melon. I warmed up my pot and threw some in. The tea smells wispy and surrounding. My teapot lid opens followed by a musk with spicy undertones; I can take in some dark grass and a little bit of hot hay. I washed the leaves once and prepared for brewing. The taste begins with a strong floral background. The brew is sweet yet abrupt. The sweetness fits into the sugarcane category, for it is nice crystal sweet but it carries some woody tones as well. I can note a possible lychee note, and a light astringency follows, The brew still carries an odd haltering characteristic. The floral background pushes to the forefront in later steeping blooming into lily and daises. The tea is very delicate with a nice qi. The brew gives me a good rush and body feel that predominantly stays in the head. When I state halting, I mean that the tea gives a texture or enjoyable sensation then it pulls it away. The tones and scents flourish but stop. This tea kept this pattern throughout the session. It was odd, but I have seen it before.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJlDpTqgCSJ/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel&hl=en

The White2Tea 2016:

I purchased samples of all the 2016 new line up this year, and I started at the bottom (cheapest) and worked my way up. I did this to taste the profile improvements and variances. I brewed in the same pot with same leaf water ratio. Also, this helps to hone in my palette to identify what’s a good deal and what’s not. At the conclusion of my tasting I will be placing my cake order.

The majority of the labels and “art” from White2Tea Cakes I can never understand. I always hope to while I’m drinking, and I think that maybe the brew will inspire me to understand; however, I usually end up completely lost. This brew was no exception to that rule. The leaf is light and long with a soft wood and hay scent. I take in a very light tobacco scent. I usually only pick up tobacco tones on aged puerh, so I was interested from the beginning. I warmed up my pot and stick ‘er in. The scent broadens and soothes out to a very sweet and pungent aroma. I can take in corn bread, grain, and a background of salted caramel. I washed the leaves and prepared for brewing. I do note that the steeped leaves released an odd appetizing aroma of butter and salt, hahaha. I wasn’t sure what to think of that, but that is what I noticed. The taste begins heavily sweet with a sight bite. The brief astringency moves into a smoke tone towards the back of the throat. The kuwei is grassy and bitter; however, a complimenting buttery sweet tone washes over the prickles. A rush of asparagus flavor appears later in brewing. The tones were quite good, but I find them common with most young sheng. The tea carried some depth, but it was still somewhat flat with flavors and aromas. The brew continued in the order of sweet, bitter, sweet; grassy and vegetable. Although, the very last infusions progressed into a concoction of honey sweetness and confectioners sugar which was a real treat! Finally, I note no immediate or powerful qi. I experienced a slight relaxation and some good blood flow; but, I didn’t note anything additional. I liked this tea, and it makes for a decent easy drinker.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJgQMqbgvb2/?taken-by=haveteawilltravel