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Do not over leaf this, because if you do, you might lose out on the more subtle flavors. That was the mistake I made this and a few others of the teas I got from the order, but I learned. I paid closer attention, and this was the basic form of what I like about Nepal floral blacks. The orange blossom was the most prominent floral, but it was also juicy like red grapes, but the malt comes in the longer you steep it.

The malt gives the tea some nice body, but it can overpower the subtler qualities of the tea. That is the only thing I was not a fan of, but when I brewed it more carefully, I got more muscatel notes that I was really into. I recommend this tea for people looking for a good second flush type of tea. I don’t think it’s as good as some of What-Cha’s other Nepal teas (I’VE DRANK MOST OF THEM FROM 2017-2020), but it is a frickin’ bang for the buck.

This one was a little bit easier to balance out than the Bihar needle for me, but whereas that one was vegetal, this one was floral and sneaky. Dry leaf reminds me of bread, flour, and peonies.

The first failed session did not have a lot of flavor, and was very leaf water like. Second time, the tea is floral like honeysuckle, but a little bit thin. The breadiness finally comes a long to give it some texture, and thankfully, the tea was actually kinda buttery to me. Later brews developed a little bit more florals and thicker texture, but not distinct enough for me to write about yet. I like this one a little more than the Bihar, but I need some time for it to grow on me. It’s without a doubt good, smooth, and lacking in any bitterness or astringency, but I need to get to know it better.

The grain and butter qualities are the only ones making it more distinct for me so far. Otherwise, it’s like any good quality white tea.

I had a hard time getting the right balance at first with this one. It is more on the vegetal side for a white tea, and is super, super light. The first time tasted like rose stem water with fresh green leaves.

Yes, I was a weird seven year old that actually tried the pot water soaking rose stems.

Anyway.

Second time, I used Gong Fu precision using 3 grams, 6 oz, and about three minutes. It was exceptionally smooth, and generally sweet water. The grapey fruitiness is there, but it is very subtle. Like the other review, this is more of a daily drinker white. It took me a little bit of time to like this one because I was bored and unimpressed with the vegetal qualities, but after brewing it more carefully, I enjoy and appreciate it as an approachable and elegant white tea.

Hello everyone. I’ve been on a bit of a computer cleanse, so now that we are quarantined on a global level, I am returning. I also owe Alistair some reviews. (THANK YOU FOR THE WHITE RHINO! THAT ONE IS A FAVORITE!)

Anyway, this is from an older order that I mostly got Nepal floral blacks and white teas. I was really curious about this one because it looked more like a white tea than a usual black, and I had a feeling it would be fruity. Trying it out for my own, the dry leaf smells like dried leaves that you rake in the spring, lemons, cotton, and oaty grains. Brewing it up, the aroma is very floral and a touch fruity, retaining the oatiness I was talking about earlier.

Drinking it up, I used western timing while savoring it in a small porcelain cup at a time. At near 180’s F after I just brewed it, the flavor was dominated by heat, cotton, and then a little lemon wisp snuck by to say hello. The heat was hiding the flavor a little bit, so I let it cool off. The cooler temperature gave way to the same dry oat note I was thinking, being almost bready in its astringency. Then, it reminded me I was drinking the juice of dried leaves and transitioned into the white grape I expected from Alistairs description. I also got persimmon, but that’s just me.

In terms of the florals, it has the viscosity of rose water, but the flavor profile of osmanthus and the lightness of a white peony. That could be from my limited scope of florals, and the tea’s very light yellow brew, but that’s what at least makes sense to me.

The tea can get astringent, so I used a very light 3 grams. I got 3 more rebrews, and let the last steep way to long. Fortunately, it was not too astringent and had a pleasant lemon flavor after a the bready kick of astringency.

Out of the order I got, this tea was the easiest for me to balance out. I also liked this one one the most because of how unique it is. This tea is definitely snob, or more advanced territory because it is a lot more like a first flush Darjeeling or a white tea, so the elements like the dryness and weird astringency can be off putting to some, BUT, this is a lighter, refined tea overall. I tend to like lighter and naturally fruity/floral teas without additives, so I love it.

I definitely recommend it to white tea drinkers and the curious.

Rebranded as Hugo Grey. Opening the back was a little overwhelming-bergamot bambed in my face. I opened it again a day later, and the peppery yunnan black base came through. Here are there notes:“grapefruit peel | applewood smoke | lemon zest” and that is more accurate in tems smell. In terms of taste, it’s doubtless Earl Grey, but with a scotch caramel body accented by cocoa, caraway, and pepper notes amidst a malty body. It could be a little drying like biscuit, but also pleasantly bitter sweet.

My only criticism is that the bergamot is a hair too strong. Otherwise, this tea does resemble some higher rated teas like Whispering Pines Earl Gold, which is impressive to say the least. This one is good western or gong fu. I’d love to see it in sachet form for the convenience of having an affordable high grade leaf.

I love this tea, and drank it nearly everyday. Only nitpick is the price. It’s very hard to make this astringent, and can be rebrewed more than 3 times.

I have it as the rebranded Jasmine Bai Hao. I’ve slowly re-acclimated myself to green teas for budget reasons, and this is one of the best Jasmine Sachets for the price I’ve had so far. The green tea is in a snail style, and they resemble a half curled Dragon Pearl, even in the sachet. It’s ranged from 5.99-6.99 for the 12 sachets, which is not bad. The company describes the notes like this : “sweet pea | hawthorn honey | nectarine” and it’s on point. You know it’s jasmine, but it’s got a citrus edge and a little bit of astringency that’s not overwhelming. I do recommend keeping the tea light to two minutes, or using 12 ounces of hot water if you want to brew it longer. I do like Stephen Smith’s Jasmine a little more, but for the cost, this tea is great for work, company, and meditation.

Tried it rebranded. Great mouthfeel and aftertaste great for the most particular, but super weak. They use gardenia, brown sugar, and snickerdoodle in the notes. I get more snickerdoodle and tulip, with the usual light peony body. I can see it being great as a daily sachet tea, but I still like the Jasmine tea the best from this company so far.

Oolong owl, I blame you for this one. I was looking for some Himalayan based oolong, and got a little container of this from Young Mountain Tea. The dry cocoa aroma is very noticeable, though it reminded me a little bit of carob too. Char described this as one of the best teas from the Northwest Tea Festival, and that was saying something since she does not prefer this kind of tea.

Looking at it, it kinda looked like a maofeng black snail. The company describes it’s notes as “Rosewater, Dark Chocolate and Cherries”. I’ve only done it western so far, and it is very durable and smooth, but it reminds me more of a black tea than an oolong, and it is not as resteepable as others. I do REALLY like this one, but it is pretty straightforward in taste for the price. It is more akin to an Oriental Beauty and other blacks, and the cocoa-cherry notes are the most dominant with some fall leafy vibes too. I was hoping for some pepper to give it some kick, but not, it’s super forgiving.

I’m not sure what to rate it yet. I need some time to think.