TeaChat

It's the second most expensive tea I bought so far. But still, I don't know which kind it is. I only know that it's from China (is written on the box). There's an ideogram on the packaging, which I just pictured.
Can somebody recognize it?


Thanks!


Oh, and by the way, it tastes pretty good. I brewed it for about 80 seconds with non-boiling but very hot water. Still have to buy a thermometer...

Thanks all

the characters say... bai cha (bai 白), ie white tea.
w/o tasting it, I 'm not sure anyone could say more about it ! you are the person who knows it best.
enjoy it, whatever it is!

febs wrote:It's the second most expensive tea I bought so far. But still, I don't know which kind it is.

Can somebody recognize it?

From the appearance of an flatter more mature appearing leaf among what look like young buds like silver needles, I'd guess something more along the lines of a bai mu dan, but a more detailed photo of the leaves might be helpful here. I find bai mu dan (or pai mu tan, seems to be transliterated both ways at times) to be very peachy, fruity, floral and sweet.

It was somehow sweety, but more as in "honey" than as in "fruit".
Here's some more pics!




If you care, the pics in higher resolution are here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/febs/sets/ ... 192919936/

Grazie!


(btw, the price is about 5 euros per 100 grams, that is slightly less than 7 dollars for 3.5 ounces).

well the description is Italian right..and it does say honey flavor or something

It sure looks like a Bai Mu Dan.

But more honey than fruity/peachy doesn't fit mu usual experience of these teas.

The label says:

"spring white tea with 'wooly' buds, and already opened leaves. Typical honey flavor"

(I can definitely find the honey flavor, indeed, but maybe it's autosuggestion after reading the label?).

Debunix, if it's Bai Mu Dan (and probably is....) what's your brewing style for it?

Thanks

For a recent Bai Mu Dan tasting, I was happy with brewing it with my tap water, 160 degrees, infusions 30", 45", 1 minute, 2 minutes or thereabouts. About 1 gram per 2 oz water, in a small teapot or small gaiwan.

Oh! Only 30 seconds for the first brew.

I left it for something more than a minute and I found it delicate. I'll try anyhow.

some people like to brew white peony with cooler water for longer time like 140-160ish for 2.5-3 mins for 1st infusion, for next infusion up time and slightly higher temp, or keep/lower temp and longer time
if its decent you can get at least 2 very concentrated sweet infusions like so

my votes for bai mu dan

I use about 4-5g leaf for 10oz at 160F for 1 minute. About what everyone else has said lol

Thanks all!
Fortunately I have a scale which can measure grams accurately.

But I don't have a thermometer, yet. Dang.

That is not Bai Mu Dan which is a true white tea (白茶) which only incorporates the terminal bud, and the first leaf. It does not look like that, although in the west and even in China the type of tea you show is marketed as white tea. However, it is not truly white tea, it is Sheng Cha (生茶) in the category of Black Tea （黑茶类）
Here is my other post on Yue Guang Bai a similar tea often grouped incorrectly in the same way. http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13194

I like this style of white tea brewed at boiling like a black tea. It makes it malty and thick. Maybe supporting Legend's thoughts that this is a black tea relative?

It also makes a good iced tea.

In my local Chinatown, this tea is labeled Bai Mu Dan. There are two grades available at my usual shop, one for ~$30/lb and one for ~$42/lb, sometimes less when they're on sale. There's a big difference in flavor between them. The cheaper one tastes dirty/silty.