Tea Name: British Earl Grey Flavored White Tea
Tea Type: Pai Mu Tan (also called Bai Mu Dan and White Peony) with oil of bergamot
The dry tea emits a fairly strong Earl Grey fragrance (that comes from the oil of bergamot), and hubby and I were immediately a bit apprehensive. What were we getting ourselves into here? Oh, well, too late to turn back now, so it was “Forge on, dear brave one.” And we did.
The vendor recommends using water that is steaming and to steep for 1-4 minutes. We were brave and steeped the first round for 3 minutes and the second round for 3½ minutes. What can I say? Hubby and I occasionally take a walk on the wild side of tea!
The honey-gold liquid of the first infusion had a light Earl Grey aroma and a flavor that was smooth and lighter than we expected, based on the aroma of the dry leaves. We were quite happy about this. The second infusion was lighter all round but not so much so that it was a waste. In fact, it was quite satisfying, just like the first round.
The funny thing is that the straight version of Pai Mu Tan we tried from this vendor was not very much to our liking (but then, the versions we’d tried from others vendors were a bit iffy, too). Also, Earl Grey teas in general have been not all that interesting to us lately as we get more attuned to the nuances of unflavored teas. However, there is something about this combination that was a really winner. Sometimes it works out like that, like those peanut butter cups where just the right amount of peanut butter and chocolate are in them to create a third flavor which ends up being more enjoyable than the two flavors alone.
Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, any opinions concerning this tea and the company are always strictly objective.
See also:
My review of Pai Mu Tan
Review — British Earl Grey Flavored White Tea by The English Tea Store
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