Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: mix of downy buds and bright green leaves
Ingredients: white tea
Steep time: 2 minutes
Water Temperature: 195 degrees
Preparation Method: glass teapot
Liquor: pale yellow
This tea was delicate, sweet and floral with a mild grassy undertone. There was also a slight vegetal aspect that reminded me of cucumbers. I love white peony because it offers everything that I love about silver needle with a tiny bit more oomph. My second infusion was just as good, if not a bit stronger than the first. Neither infusion had any astringency to speak of, making this a very smooth and refreshing cup of tea. The heat in my apartment is out of control this time of year so I also cold brewed this and it was amazing. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with all of the teas that I’ve tried from Teavivre and this one was no exception.
I just got a shipment of samples from TeaVivre and I'm quite excited about them. I'm drinking a cup now.
I also agree with your general statement about white peony tea, that it is a lot like silver needle but with more "oomph", that's a good way of putting it.
One thing that I struggle with sometimes is that as one tends towards the darker teas, such as white peony, and then shou mei, I find one tends to encounter greater astringency. I like the bold flavor, but not the astringency. It's exciting when you find a top-notch white tea of one of these larger-leafed varieties that has a bold flavor but without the astringency.