Someone told me once that white tea just tasted like a cup of hot water to them. I probably would have agreed early on in my tea journey. When your tastebuds are accustomed to strong root beer and sweet, fizzy, highly flavored soda it takes a while to train your palate to find subtle flavors, at least it did for me.
Perhaps the real foodies “get it” right from the start.
I haven’t had unflavored white tea in a while and decided that today would be a good day to take a cup of Bai MuDan outside and enjoy its simplicity while sitting in the sunshine, a rare treat in late winter. Though very windy, it is warm and the sun is welcome after many days of rain.
The packet called for two grams of leaf for twelve ounces of water, which I thought seemed to far too little at first. I used my new Upton Digital Tea Scale since large leaf white tea can be tricky to judge. Teavivre recommends five to eight minutes, and I steeped for about five because I was ready for my break!
First, this is a beautiful golden cup of tea. The color is rich and deep and it actually LOOKS full bodied in the cup. The flavor did not let me down. No one could mistake this for a “cup of hot water!” The flavor lingers for quite a while, too.
I see a lot of white tea described accurately as tasting like sunshine on hay, mainly Shou Mei, but this Bai MuDan tastes like golden stalks with a hint of spring in the air, with the scent of distant flowers laid over, and maybe even a little soft, sweet vegetable like snow pea or sugar snap peas.
I think this is going to be my go-to quiet time cup for a while.
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Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Description
Mellow and brisk with thick taste, light soybean milk aroma
with a touch of gentle sweet lingering in mouth
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Mermaid Matcha/Bird and Blend Tea Co
I don’t love plain matcha. Never have. However, I have been a fan of flavored matchas since the company now known as Matcha Outlet was operating as Red Leaf Tea. Long before even DAVIDsTEA offered flavored matchas, Red Leaf Tea was offering everything from Caramel Popcorn Matcha to Strawberries and Cream Matcha to even Cheese Pizza Matcha. Alas, over the years the options offered have dwindled and I have had to seek out my flavored matchas from other companies.
Bird and Blend has a large selection of flavored matchas but they can be quite pricey. They also sell them in large quantities that I struggled to commit to. That is why when I noticed a sampler set of Rainbow Matchas on the site, I was very excited to pick it up and give the matchas a taste. One of the matchas in that set is this blue matcha, Mermaid Matcha.
When I first made this in milk, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It is a light blue, which is cool to see. More than that though, it is delicious. This particular matcha tastes just like vanilla buttercream. Amazing cake frosting deliciousness and yet it is not overly sweet. It’s awesome and one I would definitely recommend if you’re into that flavor.
The one downside of some Bird and Blend matchas can be texture. Sometimes it is heavy so the matcha tends to fall to the bottom of the mug. Sometimes the matcha can be chalky. In the case of this matcha, I don’t really find those to be an issue. As such, it is one I think is worth the price.
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Leaf Type: Green/Matcha
Where to Buy: Bird & Blend Tea Co.
Description
For fans of our famous colour changing Blue Raspberry tea blend! This magical blue matcha is infused with blue pea flower, to create a deep sea blue brew!
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Wild Monsoon/teakruthi
In one year you probably couldn’t taste all of the different types of tea. I would be highly impressed and maybe a little worried if you did.
The differences that one can find from one plant is astounding.
Even the region of Ceylon, which is generally known for its black teas, has a variety of different types. Take a Ceylon green, a Japanese green, and a Chinese green and you will get many different flavor profiles! It’s amazing!
So far in all of the Teakruthi samples I’ve tried I have discovered most to have astringency but this one doesn’t have a bit. There is a bit on the second, though I am also using a smaller steeping vestibule.
A unique mix of woodsy and earthy notes. Some nutty notes here and there. Wet forest floor in the wet leaf aroma after steeping but the most amazing smell as soon as the water touched the leaves. (There needs to be a term for this)
Instantly my nostrils were filled with wet warm jungle. Like I wasn’t standing in my kitchen anymore. What an amazing feeling that was.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: teakruthi
Description
We harvested our Wild Monsoon tea from the Southern province of Sri Lanka in the Ruhuna tea district. This tea grows in an area nourished by high humidity and monsoon season, and surrounded by diverse wildlife. The forests of Ruhuna are home to elephants, leopards, bears, wild boar, deer, giant flamingos, and of course, the finest teas. The area is teeming with life; it is never dull. Dark gold in colour, this tea is mild, malty, and fine, and delivers to your pallet a lively flavour that tastes like adventure.
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Strawberry Lemon Matcha/Mantra Matcha
Flavored matchas. . .through trail and error I have found that not all matchas are the same. I’ve had amazing matchas where I just can’t get enough and other matchas where no matter how I prep the cuppa, the matcha and I are just not going to be friends.
Recently Mantra Matcha reached out to us to check out their matchas and after checking out their site, I knew we had to check them out. The flavors sounded so intriguing- Cinnamon Goji Berry Matcha, Strawbery Lemon Matcha, Banana Cacao Matcha and so many more. I couldn’t wait for the goodies to arrive so I could check out these flavors first hand.
Strawberry Lemon Matcha was the first that caught my eye. This matcha’s ingredient list is simple: Organic Super Premium Ceremonial Matcha, Organic Strawberries, Organic Lemon Juice and Organic Maltodextrin. (Maltodextrin is added to prevent hardening of the matcha powder).
First up- I tried the matcha cold. I have several blender bottles that I use for protein powder and scooped two portions of the matcha with the scoop provided into my bottle and filled the bottle to the top. Shook the contents of the bottle for about 30 seconds and poured the matcha over a glass of ice.
Took my first sip and was greeted with an amazing burst of flavor- smooth vegtal notes with soft berry flavor and a lemon finish. Wonderful refreshing and the perfect companion to my afternoon. The matcha blended up beautifully for just being shaken in a bottle. No clumps, absolutely light and frothy, and smooth. I’m incredibly impressed.
Next was to try the matcha hot as a latte. I scooped two servings into my Breville frother, added oat milk, and let the frother do its thing. (Usually I do use my whisk and go the more traditional route but since I was up against a meeting, I went this route. ) A few minutes later, I was greeted with a delicious matcha latte that again was smooth, light, refreshing. Each sip was eagerly enjoyed.
I do think I enjoyed the matcha prepped more cold than hot but both were very enjoyable.
All in all, I’m very impressed with this matcha and am excited to make overnight oats or even oatmeal. The prep for this matcha is so simple and convenient, which is great for me when I’m in a ton of meetings but need that jolt to keep me going for the rest of the day. Highly recommend and can’t wait to check out their other flavors. Thank you Mantra Matcha!
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Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Mantra Matcha
Description
This is what a lively sunny day would taste like if it was captured in a cup. Few things are more refreshing than a crisp, fresh-squeezed glass of lemonade, especially one infused with organic strawberries. When combined with fresh matcha, you’ll want to make our juicy lemon heaven your main squeeze everyday. This invigorating matcha blend provides a flavorful superfood kick that can brighten any day. Sip to restore, rehydrate, and energize naturally.
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East Frisian/Harney and Sons
I purchased this tea to use as an enrichment lesson for some young ladies to whom I am teaching elementary German. Tea and cookies make for a fun lesson! And who knew that if East Frisia was a country instead of a region, they would have the highest per capita consumption of black tea in the world?
I wanted to be as authentic as possible and did a test run today. Their “Teetied” is different from any other.
First, a large piece of rock sugar (Kluntje) is put into a porcelain or china cup. Then the rich tea is poured over it and the rock sugar should crackle. After the tea is poured, a small ladle of cream is added to the tea gently, pouring along the side of the cup so that the cream makes a cloud (Wolkje) in the tea. You must never stir!
It is considered polite to drink at least three cups of tea, although more than that is fine. When you finished, you place a spoon (the one you definitely did NOT use to stir your tea!) in your cup or you can turn your cup over on the saucer.
The tea is usually a strong Assam blended with a bit of Darjeeling and some Ceylon. This one is very dark, earthy, and bready. It is a tad brisk but less so than I expected.
The cloud in the tea fascinated me and really made this Teetied a mindfulness session as I watched the cloud roll and change shape after each sip. The cream coats your lips and takes the edge off the strong tea, then the tea dominates, and at the last you get a small sip or two that is incredibly sweet. The rock sugar should be large enough to last through all three cups of tea and each cup that you drink should be finished completely so that the subsequent cup doesn’t look muddy when you add the cream.
I think this lesson will be a success, and I can hardly wait to try it again with some cookies or pastries!
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Description
Fortify yourself with East Frisian, our popular full-bodied black tea blend of Darjeeling, Ceylon and Assam. It’s named for East Frisia, Germany’s cold, wet, and dreary North Sea coast – the ideal spot to drink hot tea, and the East Frisians do! They consume more black tea than anyone else in the world. They do drink it with cream and crystalized sugar.
(Credit- Harney & Sons)
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