Name: White Tea

Brand: Golden Moon

Type: White tea

Form: Loose leaf

Review: One simple tea, one simple review.

White tea can be a controversial subject. Some people love it, some find it uninteresting. Traditional white tea, also known as silver needle, is made entirely from the fuzzy buds of the tea plant. While it is often a gorgeous tea, it is a subtle one, and its subtlety doesn’t suit everyone. For that reason, there are now several “new style” white teas made from tea leaf instead of, or in addition to, the tea buds.

This white tea is made up of buds and leaf, with a bit of chrysanthemum flower for additional flavor. The tea brews up to a pale green, medium-light bodied liquor with a fruity, slightly floral taste. It is both refreshing and non-astringent. A lovely sipping tea. I got several infusions out of the leaves, too. The second infusion tasted much like the first, while the third infusion had a less sweet, more vegetal flavor. I probably could have gone for a fourth infusion, but I had other teas to review.

Recommendation: This is a tasty, simple, yet flavorful white tea that ought to appeal to most people, particularly those who find silver needle too subtle and green teas too grassy. Definitely works for multiple infusions, and also quite nice as an iced tea.

Food Pairings: Most white teas don’t go well with food, as their flavors are too easily overwhelmed. I wouldn’t pair this tea with anything when it is served hot. As an iced tea, it may go well with a simple green salad, mild fish, or a cucumber sandwich.

Preparation Tips: Take the water temperature down a bit to make this tea, 180F should work. Try raising the temperature a bit for subsequent infusions. Best infusion time is about 2 minutes.

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