Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
The inspiration for this tea is actually one of our start-up Kickstarter backers that purchased a “create a tea of the week” option when she contributed to that campaign (thank you!) – she wanted a Yuzu Ginger Macaron Cookie Tea and she wasn’t sure if she wanted that with our White Peony base or our green tea blend. She told me that she’d leave that decision to me so I tested out both bases with these flavors and I ultimately decided that the White Peony tea made a better base for these flavors. The Yuzu fruit notes were not as well defined with the green tea – but with the white tea you get a juicy, citrus-y burst of flavor that’s tart and tangy, a wee bit sweet and a wee bit bitter – just like the Yuzu itself.
The ginger adds a warm dimension of flavor and I’m even getting a slight almond-y meringue note that evoke thoughts of a delicate macaron cookie. I gotta admit that when I was given this cookie tea challenge, I was more than just a little worried because Yuzu is not a flavor that I’m very familiar with and I worried that I wouldn’t do right by the Yuzu fruit. And whether or not I actually have done that – I’ll leave it for you to decide after you’ve tasted it. As for me, I’m quite pleased with how this turned out.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn about subscribing to 52Teas Tea of the Week program here.
Taster’s Review:
I will be honest. I am not a fan of ginger teas. Never have been. I find that the overwhelming flavor of the ginger just hinders the rest of the tea. But that was until I discovered this tea.
At the beginning, this tea had me at the word “Cookie”. I am not a huge cookie fan either but I love trying any tea that has a dessert or baked good flavor and feel to them. This tea came in my last order with 52Teas and was (I believe) a last minute add in.
While I was combing thru my tea stash tonight, I noticed it and thought, I feel adventure some this eve, let’s go with it! I brewed the tea up per the instructions on the package. All the while the tea was steeping, I was enjoying this lovely ginger baked good aroma. This is one of those smells you want to bottle up and put in candle form.
After a few minutes of steeping, I poured myself a really large cuppa and sat down to let the tea cool for a few minutes. (The package indicated to do this). I couldn’t wait the full time it said to wait because the aromas were just mouth watering and I needed a sip.
First impression of this tea? This tea is a muted gingersnap cookie where the flavors are subtle and not overwhelming and smack you in the face. More or less a subtle ginger note surrounding by this cookie almost buttery like flavor. I didn’t pick up any of the Yuzu and to be honest, I had to research the fruit anyway. I guess the fruit is sour so I was glad it was a hidden flavor. I was quite surprised by how I couldn’t pick out the white tea base. Usually with 52Teas, I can always pick up the tea base, but this one I really couldn’t. All I was getting was this lovely light gingersnap cookie tea. I mean this tea made me want to eat a cookie and I can’t tell you the last time I ate a cookie.
Anne from 52Teas has always told me that the second infusion of a white tea is the best so I eagerly prepped my tea kettle up for the second infusion. I let the tea steep for just a minute or two longer before I sat down to enjoy. I instantly starting drinking the tea this time around instead of waiting. Which turned out to be an great decision!
The brew this second go around had a much richer and deeper flavor to it. The ginger was still not overwhelming but the spice wanted your attention. That buttery cookie like undertone was more prominent really giving your taste buds that cookie baked good like flavor. I still didn’t pick up any of the Yuzu or white tea but at this point I really didn’t mind. This tea was amazingly rich and full of flavor. This is one of those teas that wakes up your tastes buds.
I’m eagerly awaiting my third infusion now to see what happens with this round. Can’t believe how much I’m enjoying this tea!
Sunrise Sensation from Vampyre Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Vampyre Tea Company
Tea Description:
White Tea is one of China’s Special Treasures, hand-picked from the youngest and most tender leaf tips and buds grown in the mountains of the Fujian province. It is sun-dried in a laborious and ancient process that captures more of the tea’s incredible health-benefiting properties. Our Bai Mu Dan, or more commonly called White Peony, yields a fresh and delicate flavor that blooms like flowers in springtime, and when mixed with Lemon Grass, Lemon Myrtle, and bits of peel with an infusion of Ginseng and Ginger roots, it makes the most revitalizing blend! Bai Mu Dan White Tea, Lemon Peel-Grass-& Myrtle, Ginseng Root, & Ginger Root
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
White tea and ginger . . .not flavors I think I have ever had together before. I was quite excited to try this combination!
My first impression of the dry leaf is that this blend has a real rich ginger fragrance. I don’t pick up any of the white tea familiar floral notes. I brewed this up with the typical white tea settings and set down to enjoy a cuppa.
Took a whiff of the steeped tea and yet again was greeted with a very heavy ginger fragrance. My first impression of how this tea tastes? If you love ginger, you’ll love this tea.
For me the ginger was quite heavy in this tea but quite a nice change of pace. I’m not sure I 100% love the combination of the floral aspects of the ginger. Intriguing and different for sure. The ginger notes and flavors are very dominating in each sip with the sweet floral like aspects of the tea hiding in the background. You could pick up hints here and there of the lemon peel and lemon grass. I almost wish those flavors would have been hyped up more with the ginger hyped down a note or two. That would have been some great tea! I’m going to try this as a cold brew later today to see if I can get those flavors to pop a bit more. Doesn’t a white ginger iced tea sound delicious?
This tea is good, just not what I was hoping for. But ginger is a newer flavor that I just started liking. This will be a tea I will be revising. With a name like Sunrise Sensation and having a horror aspect to it, I have to try this one again!