Elixir of Love from Alice’s Fine Teas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White (Blooming Tea)

Where to Buy:  Alice’s Fine Teas

Tea Description:

Sweeping jasmine arch over a bright lily. This tea is mellow, even buttery, with a hint of sweetness from the jasmine. Absolutely delightful! Ingredients: Lily (said to enhance energy and to have a cooling effect), Jasmine (sweet fragrance, said to moisten the skin, ease anxiety and anti-inflammatory) and Silver Needle Tea

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

What a beautiful display!  The pale green leaves of the tea open up to reveal a red-orange flower and an arch of white blossoms.  Really pretty.  This is a tea you’ll want to be sure to steep in a tall glass or teapot so that you can fully experience the bloom as it unfurls.

The color of the tea surprised me, it is a bit darker than other blooming teas that I’ve tried.  It is still a light color – I’d say it’s light amber – but darker than the pale yellow liquor that I’ve experienced with other blossoming teas.

The flavor is delightful.  It is sweet, smooth and floral, but, not in a soapy kind of way.  The flavor of the white tea is prominent.  It has a fresh, airy kind of flavor with notes of hay and sweet grass.

There is a creamy element to this tea as well – buttery – and a mouthfeel that complements the creaminess.  The floral notes are definitely jasmine, with a lighter lily tone than I recall tasting with the Jasmine Fairy Blossoming Tea (also from Alice’s Fine Teas).

What a delightful tea experience – one that would be fun to share with friends.

Halo Blooming Tea from The Persimmon Tree

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  The Persimmon Tree

Tea Description:

A beautifully hand-crafted blooming white tea that displays a ring of jasmine and amaranth flowers, with blueberry and peach essence.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

There are those who avoid blooming teas because they think they’re gimmick-y and that the tea they produce does not taste up to par.  I used to be one of them!  But, since that time, I have found quite a few blooming teas that are quite delicious.  This blooming tea – Halo from Persimmon Tree Tea – is one of my newest favorites!

This tea is slow to unfurl; it did not completely open after the first infusion of five minutes.  I infused the partially open bulb again, and after the second infusion of six minutes, I enjoyed a beautiful display.  There was a white floral arch that extended to support a pretty bright pink flower.

In the first infusion, I found the floral tones to be sweet and soft, and they meld quite nicely with blueberry and peach flavors.  The flavor of the white tea lends a delicate creamy note to the cup.  With the second infusion, the floral notes were a bit stronger, but it was still a very delicious cup.

This is a really lovely blooming tea.  I think it would be a perfect tea to serve at a tea party, it would surely make a great conversation starter!