The online tea community turned to video apps like House Party to still have tea together when we all started staying at home due to coronavirus. The interesting thing about these little get-togethers is that you never knew who might be popping on. During one of these gatherings, I had the pleasure of meeting Joe from Aera Tea. We later made plans to have virtual tea together and had a great chat about how he started his company. It was fascinating to hear about his travels to Yunnan and Nepal.
Joe generously sent me a bunch of samples. I thought that I would review them all into one post rather than making you wait to hear about each of them. His carefully curated selection does a great job of showing the diversity that can be found in Nepalese white teas.
Moonlight
White Tea from Yunnan
The leaves were so fuzzy! Moonlight white is one of my favorite teas, so I had to jump into tasting this tea right away. It brewed up a buttery gold liquor with tons of trichomes floating in my cup. The taste was floral and sweet with a thick mouthfeel. When made gongfu style, it was light and delicate. Western-style infusions were darker in color and less floral.
White Orchard
White Tea from Nepal
The buds of this tea almost looked miniature next to the massive ones in Moonlight. I kept sticking my nose in the bag to inhale their sweet, floral aroma with hints of white grapes. It almost reminded me of Darjeeling in that way. White Orchard brewed up a pale buttery gold color. The taste was soft with the sweet floral notes I smelled in the dry leaves along with honeydew melon.
Daydreamer
White Tea from Nepal
This tea was not quite as bud heavy as White Orchard. The leaves had a more curly appearance and were also quite a bit darker. Aera Tea’s website explains that the tea maker purposely allowed it to oxidize more than most white teas. It brewed up a sparkling gold color. The taste was honey-sweet with a soft mouthfeel. Notes of peaches transition into a refreshingly clean finish.
Oasis
White Tea from Nepal
The leaves of Oasis were the most colorful of the white teas that I tried. They almost looked like Oriental Beauty. There were still quite a few silver buds sprinkled in throughout. It brewed up a deep gold liquor. The taste was smooth and sweet with floral notes that reminded me of orange blossoms. I found the finish to be slightly drying but in a crisp way. It was not unpleasant at all.
Wanderlust
Green Tea from Yunnan
The dry leaves were fairly dark for a green tea. Wanderlust brewed up a pale gold liquor with lots of visible trichomes. The taste was sweet and vegetal but in a more herbaceous way. Dandelion greens came to mind. The aftertaste was crisp with a lingering fruitiness. If I inhaled after sips, I got a distinct note of honeydew. There was minimal astringency or bitterness, especially for a green tea.
Jingmai Spring
Sheng Puerh from Yunnan
The leaves were silvery-green in color with a nice amount of buds. They had a sweet, earthy aroma. The taste was surprisingly soft with a lot of natural sweetness. The earthiness I smelled in the dry leaves came through in the cup but in an unobtrusive way. Jingmai Spring is pressed into a cake, but my sample arrived super loose. I really like that Aera Tea gives the option to purchase a variety of sizes. I’ve always wanted to try puerh from Farmerleaf and was happy to discover that is who this tea was sourced from.
Ritual
Black Tea from Yunnan
Ritual struck me as kind of your old-school breakfast style Yunnan black tea. The leaves were fairly small with scattered golden tips throughout. It brewed up a deep reddish-brown liquor. The taste was smooth and malty with a nice amount of get-up and go. I found it brisk but not super astringent. It could definitely stand up to milk and sugar if you were so inclined. Surprisingly, my husband liked it quite a bit and asked me to make a cup for him. That never happens!
Boho Cocoa
Black Tea from Nepal
The leaves of Boho Cocao were dark and twisted. I almost would have thought it was a Wuyi oolong. My picture came out very brown, but the leaves were much darker in person. It brewed up a reddish amber color. The taste was chocolatey and nutty but in a mild way. I can definitely see where the inspiration for the name came from. It was smooth and sweet without any bitterness. Later infusions became more floral.
Happy Camper
Black Tea and Shu Puerh from Yunnan
This tea was super interesting because it is a blend of black tea and shu puerh. The leaves were super aromatic, almost like incense. Happy Camper brewed up a dark reddish-brown. The taste was surprisingly complex. There were notes of cinnamon spice with hints of florals along with an underlying earthiness. It had a sweetness and thick mouthfeel that both reminded me of maple syrup. If you enjoy black tea and puerh, this blend is the best of both worlds.
2016 Shu Pu’er
Shu Puerh from Yunnan
The dry leaves were teeny tiny with a chocolatey brown appearance. My first infusion was reddish amber, but later infusions darkened up quite a bit as the leaves opened up. The taste was surprisingly mild. It was earthy and sweet with the slightest hint of smokiness. Since it is 5 years old, the residual funk from fermentation has faded away. This is a great choice if you’re new to shu puerh or don’t usually enjoy them.
Wow, that was a lot of tea! I don’t think that I could possibly pick a favorite. They are all different in their own ways. Thank you to Joe from Aera Tea for sharing your tea with me and also for taking the time to contribute to the tea community. I love being able to highlight small businesses like this one who source their teas directly and ethically.
Have you had a chance to try any of Aera Tea’s offerings? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Samples provided for review by Aera Tea.