TeaChat

is by far superior... and don't say anything about eye of the beholder :p

I was at whole foods the other day and ordered a cup of rishi silver needles, expecting to get just that...

But, lo and behold, I took a sip, and flowers! Jasmine! Arrg! Why, why, why? Why ruin such a pure and sublime taste as white tea, with flowers, or mint, or this, or that?

"Men, tonight we dine in hell!"

Fukamushi Dynasty wrote:"Men, tonight we dine in hell!"

oh damn, that really did it for me.

joelbct wrote:But, lo and behold, I took a sip, and flowers! Jasmine! Arrg! Why, why, why? Why ruin such a pure and sublime taste as white tea, with flowers, or mint, or this, or that?

Ah, well then you would certainly hate Rishi's White Tea Rose Mélange. It's got peppermint, rose, lavender AND jasmine in it. I got a sample of it on a lark...and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, I can even enjoy it if I'm in a flavor-y mood. Haven't had any since the whole "white peppermint oolong" episode, though.

Mary R wrote:Ah, well then you would certainly hate Rishi's White Tea Rose Mélange

I wont even touch that stuff. We got some in and it just looks nasty.

I can swallow it, and do find some pleasure in the blend...but I think it's a sad case of too many ingredients. It's impossible to really 'taste' the tea, though all the other characteristics of a good white are there and do give legs to the herbals. And, oddly enough, the mint doesn't overpower the florals.

It's a weird blend. I don't know whether to hate it or like it.

Sounds like a nice follow up to white peppermint oolong......

Regardless, Ying Zhen is such a sublime experience, I could not contaminate it with flavor....again. In a weak moment a few years ago, I ordered jasmine silver needles, I definately did not like it. Jasmine and ying zhen should not be mated.

Tonight I made a sample of white tea I got from another vendor. I think I must be white tea impaired or something because I could only taste it faintly.

It seems really odd that some teas are really too strong when they're fine for other people and many greens and whites are ok or too weak, even when I brew it according to the Fuka's specs. So, maybe it's just me.