Black Currant Bai Mu Dan

YUP! 52 Teas should never stop producing this one! YUM! Unfortunately my stash has run out after this cup! This is a great flavored White!

I received this order a while back, but haven’t tried it until today…

This has a very nice flavor. The black currant is flavorful with a pleasant tart edge to it that isn’t too tart (I wouldn’t like it if it was)… it’s just enough to perk up the taste buds a bit. The white tea is sweet and delicate tasting, but, not so delicate that the black currant overwhelms it. There is a very good balance of flavor in this cup.

That being said, I don’t know that I am as fond of this tea as the rest of Steepster-ville seems to be! I like it, it’s tasty – and I know it’s going to be a very refreshing iced tea when ever it gets warm in the Pacific NorthWET.

As far as the three white teas that were released the week of February 22 – I’ve tasted two of them (this and Ramona’s Spiced Pear) and I prefer the spiced pear. I guess the next time I place the order, I will have to try the tropical explosion… yeah… like I need more tea. ha!

In my husband’s words, “Wow, what is this? It’s super tasty!” Best tea reaction yet. I’m finding that I really like 52teas’ bai mu dan. I don’t know where he gets it, but it’s chocolatey and sun dried grass. Good stuff. The currant flavoring is is quite nice. I do love black currant. Too bad the fruit isn’t more prominent here in the U.S. There’s a bit of artificial flavor here, but it’s not too strong.

I cold brewed this overnight. I was visiting my mom yesterday and brought her some oolong. I taught her about cold brewing. She had a cup of leaves going in the fridge when I left. :) I think I’ll call later to see how she liked the cold brewing method. It’s really the best in the summer and so energy efficient. :)

Many thanks to Azzrian for sending a sample! I’ve been wanting to try this one.

Edit: emm…I’m going to have to change my rating. Had this after the tea warmed up a bit. Tastes like ground up vitamins. not tasty. Best as a cold tea.

Thank you for the sample Kittena! I’ve been curious about this blend for a long time so am really glad to have tried it.
However… this is not the tea for me. I got very little currant flavour in the first steep, but the base was nice but unlike most whites I’ve had it was a bit thick and deeper than what I am accustomed to. Not bad, but different. Some agave helped bring out the black currant though, which was nice. So… that first cup, I’d have given a 78. Pleasant but not what I normally go for.
The second infusion however, was what threw me off. The currant was gone entirely which left the base tea. Smelled like… gym shoes? used ones.
Sad to say, I couldn’t finish the cup.
Overall rating: 68
Oh well, I am glad to know what BCBMD is all about! :)

So I was looking through my cluttered tea cabinet for some Silver Needles (which I think I am out of) and found this gem! I did not realize that I still have some of this! Aww, this is excellent. I think it is even better than I remember – perhaps it has had time to blend a bit more over the past couple of months. Oh, and the best part? I not only found this tea, but I have almost a full pouch of it!

I used 1.75 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375ml of water.

The brewed tea smells like berry candy. There is a strong sweetness to the aroma but the berry smells artificial. There is something in this aroma that just makes my mouth water; I can’t really describe it but it is heightening my excitement to try this tea.

On the sip, the white tea and berry flavours are well balanced. There is a pleasant sugary quality to the aftertaste. The berry flavour really comes out close to the middle of the sip and follows through to the aftertaste. I am detecting the slightest bit of tang which makes the berry-tasting experience more authentic. There is a buttery quality from the taste as well closer to the end of the sip leading to the aftertaste.

I’m getting more of a juicy berry taste as the tea cools.

Second infusion is very mild. This tea will not likely do well past the first infusion.

Thanks to Kittenna for sharing this with me!

This is another squee-worthy sample of tea that JacquelineM sent me :)

The dry leaf smell is so very nummy — like a delicate black currant candy. The smell of the cup was a lighter more white-teaish version of the dry leaves. I was really surprised at how delicate this tea was. Dainty black currant (which I’ve only had black currants that were like “hey, I’m in your tea — makin’ it all curranty”) and light white tea.

As I was drinking the second lovely steep I was reading Steepster and saw Jessica mention marshmallows for another review (for Golden Moon’s Vanilla Jasmine) and it was a “eureka!” moment. This tea conjures up black currant flavored marshmallows. It’s a very pleasant tea, but I’m not clamoring for more. When I finally place my first 52 Teas order? Yes, I will get a larger bag if available. NE

I like black currants. Baked in scones. As jam on buttered toast…

But…I think, not so much in a tea. :(

So sorry, but I can’t help but think of cough syrup when I drink this. Definite Robitussin overtones.

I know it’s just me. Those who love black currants will appreciate this. This is almost like unsweetened black currant cobbler—the fruit flavor is pretty potent. Maybe some cream and sugar will help?

I’m not sold on this Logan series on Masterpiece but I am on Black Currant Tea! This was part of my epic SweeTea from JacquelineM and the first black currant tea I’ve ever had. The dry leaf has such a great refreshing smell. Steeped it stays fruity with just a hint of walnuty Bai Mu Dan mixed into the bushel of berries shoved into this tea. Sorting through the leaves, there aren’t many tips but it’s not crushed fannings either, so this is a good base for flavors in my opinion. The flavor and scent make this one of the most energizing white teas I’ve had.
This is really fun. I can think of too many things it would accompany perfectly. Irish soda bread. Mrs Marple. Raisin bran. Doctor Who. Definately picking this up if I ever can.

I had planned on posting this log yesterday…must love holiday travel!! So, here’s what I wrote up yesterday:

Gar, I’m in a rush this morning to pack and travel to my parents’ for the hols. I’ve got so much to do, and I’m supposed to be there by noon…I don’t see that happening. Anyway, I opened up the tea of the day, measured out all of it (3 tsps) and remembered to put 3 cups of water into the Breville!! Oh, joyous day that I did something right tea-wise first thing! And it’s a new tea to me. Happy dance!!

It’s very nice and light. Love the Bai Mu Dan, and there’s just a touch of the black currant to make it gently berry. Very sweet and just a touch tart. It’s delicious, and I’m definitely glad I got to try it. I don’t know if I’ll invest in a full pouch, but if these samplers are regular things (and I really hope that they are, cause it’s a great idea), I’d pick up another one to have a small variety on hand (like I don’t have a variety of tea on hand already).