Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Sakuma Bros.
Product Description:
A refreshing unique tea grown in the rich alluvial soil of Washington State’s Skagit Valley. Our high latitude location give Camilla Sinensus a distinctive taste.
Sakuma Tea is a unique type of WhiteTea.
Taster’s Review:
A friend of mine sent me a bit of this tea to try, and having so much tea in my cupboard, I just kind of put it in there and forgot about it. Sorry Geoff! But, mostly, I’m sorry for myself, because, what a wonderful tea I’ve just discovered!
First of all, I’m super excited about this tea because it’s grown RIGHT HERE in Washington State! Wow! I didn’t know there were any tea farms here in Washington. What a joy it is to be tasting a tea grown locally.
Second, this tastes like no other white tea I’ve ever tried. It has many similar qualities to other white teas: a delicate nature, a soft sweetness and a fresh lightness. But there are other qualities to it that were rather unexpected but quite enjoyable.
It has a creamy sort of consistency to it, with a mouthfeel that is soft and luxurious. There is just a hint of fresh cream taste that remains on the palate when I sip this. It’s quite remarkable and reminds me a bit of a fine quality milk Oolong, although it isn’t quite as thick as one. The astringency here is quite light. I notice a slight drying of the palate in the aftertaste, but that it.
There is also a hint of fruit to this tea that reminds me of apples. Maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me because Washington is known for its apples so maybe when I taste this fruity note in the background, my mind immediately conjures up images of an orchard of apple trees that might be grown near the tea bushes. That being said, I distinctly taste a fruit-like note in the background.
I love this tea… a love it a whole lot! Now… I just have to be patient for the spring harvest, because this tea will not be available until then!
American Classic Rockville Raspberry from Charleston Tea Plantation
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Charleston Tea Plantation
Product Description:
Whether you brew by the cup or the pot, tea lovers will enjoy the subtle nuances and fresh-from-the-farm flavor of full leaf loose American Classic Teas. Reminiscent of a bygone era, our Rockville Raspberry tin contains 1.6 oz. of flavored premium black tea.
Taster’s Review:
There aren’t a whole lot of teas grown in the United States. In fact, to my knowledge, the Charleston Tea Plantation is the only commercial tea farm in the continental United States. So I feel very privileged (and even a little proud!) to be able to try this tea.
The black tea base is remarkably smooth. There is very little astringency to the tea. There is a slight starchiness that is somewhat drying toward the tail end of the sip, but it isn’t “pucker-y” like some other teas astringent quality, and even that slight dry feeling is, indeed, slight. It is a rich tasting tea, bold but not particularly aggressive in this cup.
Which is just fine! I like the way the raspberry flavor reveals itself here. The flavor is sweet with just a bit of berry tartness that lingers in the aftertaste. It isn’t overwhelmingly “fruity” – this is a black tea that has been gently flavored with the essence of raspberry. It isn’t overdone or too sweet. It is just right.
This is a tea that is delicious served hot – it’s perfectly cozy on a chilly day like today. But I suspect it would make an even better iced tea! A light drizzle of honey or agave nectar will bring out some of the more delicate flavors of both the tea and the raspberry, but, it really isn’t necessary. It’s quite delicious without, too.
I like this one a lot!