This is the first pure white tea that I have tried.
Tastes great! The package recommends steeping at 90 C (193 F) for 3-5 minutes, but I did not follow the directions. I steeped it for 10 minutes at a temperature of 65-70 C (150-160 F).
I did it this way because I heard that steeping white tea for longer at a lower temperature would preserve more of the delicate flavor. I am happy with the results but next time I will try and follow the directions to see which way tastes better.
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I steeped another cup based on the directions on the package (85 – 90 C / 185 – 194 F for 5 minutes) and this also tastes good.
Summary:
1st cup (steeped at 65-70 C / 150-160 F for 10 minutes): Absolutely no bitterness at all. Light but complex flavour with a slightly sweet after taste.
2nd cup (Steeped at 85 – 90 C / 185 – 194 F for 5 minutes): Just the slightest bit of bitterness in the after taste. I don’t like bitter tea but the bitterness was so slight that I still enjoyed it. The flavour is a little bit stronger than the 1st cup but the range of flavour is not as broad or as complex.
The verdict:
I really enjoyed both cups of tea but I think I enjoyed the first one that was steeped for longer at the lower temperature a bit better. Next time I will probably split the difference and steep the tea at 80 C (177 F) for 7 minutes. Maybe that way I would get the best of both cups of tea.
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This tea is sold in a large box of 100 individually packaged tea bags. The box is sturdy sturdy and attractive and it will be perfect for storing ‘overflow’ tea that won’t fit into my regular tea box.
