Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: large, silvery buds
Ingredients: puerh tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 208 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: very pale, almost clear
This very unusual tea has been on my wishlist for some time. It is a puerh that is made out of compact winter buds. The owner of Verdant Tea posted an interesting story about the sourcing of this tea on Steepster. Only a few buds can be taken from each tree, which explains why it is so expensive. I bought a sample size for $2.75. That isn’t too bad considering my usual Starbucks drink costs a good deal more. Verdant Tea’s steeping instructions called for 5 to 8 second infusions. Due to allergies my nose is always a bit stuffy, making it nearly impossible for me to taste such a light taste so I went for my standard 30 seconds. The taste was subtle yet complex and it was very difficult to describe. It was very sweet with an interesting piney tingle. Verdant Tea’s site describes a heavy spiciness but I found that aspect rather mild. I’ve never had a tea that made my mouth water quite so much as this one did. The finish had a pleasant creaminess for the first few infusions. There was no bitterness or astringency. Although this tea was very delicate, it had amazing staying power. I started this tea in the evening and continued steeping it on into the next day. There were so many infusions that I simply lost count. This isn’t a tea for drinking every day but it is definitely an experience that every tea drinker should have.
You can find out more about this tea here.